Marrying the best of Irish fashion with the London wedding

STYLE guru Celia Holman Lee busily married the best of Irish fashion with the royal wedding yesterday as more than 300 — mostly women — crowded Limerick’s Milk Market for a public screening of the nuptials.

Models from Celia’s agency walked the ramp with outfits from more than 30 fashion shops as the wedding was screened on giant plasma screens.

Celia compered the fashion show, and, with an eye on London gasped: “My God, the hats, the hats. Most of the royals are in Philip Treacy hats. Incredible, very classical. The younger royals a bit edgier in that their clothes are a bit more colourful, while the older people are more classical.

“Kate’s mother looks amazing. Kate looks like a young Princess Grace of Monaco. She has stuck to her guns, very classical. The dress reflects her personality. That is Kate’s dress and reflects her personality. She looks absolutely regal, beautiful — it has simplicity and is very classical. I think her designers got it right when they said she would be Kate Middleton.

“She is 29 and not said and led by anyone. The dress is very her. The neckline of the dress is very Princess Grace, coming up around the neck and the bust line, which is covered in magnificent lace, and the lace sleeves, very much Princess Grace.”

The fashion show was the first big event of Riverfest, which will draw more than 50,000 people into Limerick over the weekend.

Laura Ryan of the Limerick communications office said: “Every hotel room in the city is booked out. The screening of the wedding here has been a huge success. The huge numbers of women who have come can keep up with the wedding while getting an update on local fashion stores through Celia’s fashion show.”