Brown Thomas buyers on Fashion Week front row secrets and the trends we'll be wearing soon

Brown Thomas buyers Tracey Despard and Rachel Armstrong discuss the reality of Fashion Week, translating the runway for Irish customers, the trends defining the season and Jonathan Anderson’s new era at Dior

Tracey Despard and Rachael Armstrong: Behind the glitz is the less visible task of working out which of those runway moments will translate beyond the spectacle.

There is a particular glamour attached to the idea of being a fashion buyer. There are front-row seats, international fashion weeks and the opportunity to see the collections that will shape our wardrobes months before they reach the shop floor.

For Tracey Despard, fashion buying director at Brown Thomas Arnotts, and Rachael Armstrong, buying manager for accessories, lingerie, jewellery and childrenswear, that glamour is certainly real. But behind the glitz is the less visible task of working out which of those runway moments will translate beyond the spectacle, and what the Brown Thomas customer will actually want to wear.