Style notes: Savile Row’s first tailored LBD, fun feathers and a bridalwear sample sale not to be missed

Made from worsted wool with a silk lapel, the tuxedo dress provides a little preview of Slevin’s upcoming new collection, titled ‘Bring Sexy Back’.

“I felt that Savile Row needed to be disrupted with a little black dress,” says Slevin, a graduate of the Grafton Academy. “There has never been a little black dress on Savile Row, and I just thought it was fun and sexy and an alternative way of wearing tailoring.

“What I love is that it is part of the Banshee’s DNA, so you can wear it as a cocktail dress, wear it as a suit, wear it with jeans, it is sustainable and does not just serve one purpose in your wardrobe.”

Breaking the tailoring glass ceiling, so to speak, Slevin says: “I thought a beautiful chic, black, understated dress was the first way to go. I’ve actually done another one in purple pinstripe, and it can also be done in velvet, and I can see it in loads of different fabrics.”

The tuxedo dress is made to measure and costs €2,150. With a keen eye on versatile dressing, Slevin has mixed it up. For her new-season shoot, she teamed the dress with wide-legged tuxedo trousers (€915), worn open, like a jacket, over a white linen shirt with grandfather collar (€430) and styled with myfrkl.com jewellery from Angela Scanlon, who is a fan of the brand.

For her own publicity shots, Slevin styled the tuxedo dress over jeans to show yet again the many ways it can be worn.

“I think the silhouette would be great for loads of different fabrics, which is really exciting,” says Slevin.

“I really do think the silhouette would be fab in velvet and in a tailored linen look as opposed to linen always being designed in a more loose way.”

Slevin’s studio is at number 13 Savile Row. She is home regularly for bespoke fittings at the Arts Club on Fitzwilliam Street, and she is hosting a trunk show there from April 19-21.

It’s a nice opportunity to get some ideas for bespoke, made-to-measure pieces, especially for those who want to downsize their wardrobes to items you really love and want to wear all the time. bansheeofsavilerow.com

Plumage for spring

How utterly fabulous did Jennifer Zamparelli look wearing the Cult Gaia ‘Shannon’ pink feather-embellished mini dress stylist Fiona Fagan chose for her for the finale of Dancing with the Stars?

The American brand, a hot favourite in New York, Miami and Hollywood, was one of the new brands to arrive on the contemporary floor in Brown Thomas this season along with Andreādamo, Farm Rio, Coperni and Reformation.

The price tag of €1,425 pushes this super-glam statement dress very much into a luxe-buy category, but you can rock a feather without breaking the bank.

Spanish brand Mango has introduced Capsule, a new events collection with fortnightly drops throughout the spring and summer. so expect feathers along with silk, taffeta, tassels and sequins.

Be sure and keep an eye out for the peach satin shirt with feather trim above the cuffs (€180), and there are matching ankle-length trousers with feather trim (€200).

The Capsule collection is available mainly online, and Mango chose three colour groups — black, reds and pinks, and pastel tones.

Another brand doing lots of feathered separates is Club L London. Fun pieces include a tie-front shirt with feather trim on the cuffs with matching trousers, feathered mini skirts (€127.95), bandeau tops (€97,95) and a striking champagne feather halter-neck mini dress (€376). mango.com; clubllondon.com

Discount wedding dresses

Designer Sharon Hoey is having a sample sale today and again next Monday and Tuesday at her bridal boutique at 6 Lower Merrion Street.

Expect to see samples from covetable top bridal ranges like Suzanne Neville, Jenny Packham, Hoey’s own bespoke luxury couture gowns as well as brands like Mikaella and Paloma Blanca.

It’s first come, first served. And while you are there, I suggest mums and daughters should take a peek at Hoey’s ‘AndTate’ range, which is really quite something, full of very interesting dress and skirt shapes. sharonhoey.com