'Fashion isn't for the faint of heart': Shelly Corkery, fashion buying director Brown Thomas/ Arnotts

Brown Thomas' Shelly Corkery on her Cork upbringing, love of travel, and never forgetting a sense of humour in business

'When you love what you do, it never feels like work.' Picture: Kieran Harnett

I was definitely built to work in the fashion industry. I grew up in Cork and was in school in the 80s, where we had our denim jeans and our puffer jackets. I always had the coolest Levi jeans and bright coloured sneakers. I was quite particular. I always loved fabrics and prints and style. After school, I left to live in Paris for a year to study French. That really gave me a huge insight into my passion for fashion and the travel bug. When I came back I went to work in the Design Centre in Dublin.

I work across Brown Thomas now through all divisions: marketing, creative, all the buying teams, innovation teams, and online. You have to be so energetic to work in fashion. It's a competitive business and you have to think on your heels, but that keeps you engaged and it's so invigorating. No two days are ever the same.