Shopping - Dublin - page 126

Kevin & Howlin Open for more than a half-century, this is the
best place in town for hand-woven Donegal tweed garments. The
selection includes suits, overcoats, jackets, scarves, vests, and myriad
hats—everything from Patch caps and Gatsby fedoras to Sherlock
Holmes-style deerstalkers and the ubiquitous Paddy hats. 31 Nassau
St., Dublin 2. & 01/677-0257. DART: Pearse. Bus: 7, 8, 10, 11, or 46A.
Louis Copeland and Sons Behind a distinctive old-world shop
front, this is where well-dressed insiders, from Pierce Brosnan to
Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, buy their suits. Louis Copeland is a
tailor known for high-quality work in made-to-measure suits, but
also carries ready-to-wear men's suits, coats, and shirts. The look
here is conservative and classic, not trendy. 39-41 Capel St., Dublin 1.
& 01/872-1600. Bus: 34, 70, or 80. Branches at 30 Pembroke St., Dublin 2 ( & 01/
661-0110 ); 18 Wicklow St., Dublin 2 ( & 01/677-7038 ).
WOMEN'S FASHION
BT2 Brown Thomas's sister shop, located right across the street, is
the best place in town for A-list designer labels. BT2 targets a
younger but no less label-conscious crowd than BT—think style-
obsessed Trustifarians and yuppies and you've got the clientele in a
nutshell. Grafton St., Dublin 2. & 01/605-6666. Bus: All cross-city buses.
Claire Garvey The brightest luminary in Old City is a 34-year-
old Dublin native with a talent for creating romantic, dramatic, and
feminine clothing with Celtic flair. A favorite designer of Irish divas
Enya and Sinéad O'Connor, Garvey transforms hand-dyed velvet
and silk into sumptuous garments that beg to be worn on special
occasions. Her one-of-a-kind bijou handbags are a white-hot fash-
ion accessory. 6 Cow's Lane, Old City, Dublin 8. & 01/671-7287. Bus: 50, 54A,
56A, 65, 65A, 77, 77A, 123, or 150.
Design Centre This is the city's best one-stop shop if you want
to find all of Ireland's hottest contemporary designers—including
Louise Kennedy, Mary Gregory, Karen Millen, Mary Grant, and
Sharon Hoey—under one roof. Prices are generally high, but there
are good bargains to be had during sale seasons and on the seconds
rack. Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin 2. & 01/679-5863. DART: Pearse. Bus: 10,
11A, 11B, 13, or 20B.
Jenny Vander This is where actresses and supermodels come to
find extraordinary and stylish antique clothing. There's plenty of
jeweled frocks, vintage day wear, and stunning costume jewelry fill-
ing the clothing racks and display cases. Overall, it's a fabulous place