Paul Galvin launches latest fashion offering at Kerry Fashion Week

Fitted vees, tees, blazers, skinny jeans, tapered chinos — Paul Galvin’s latest fashion offering steers clear of the look that makes him despair — small men wearing big clothes.

Instead what you get is big men wearing, well, small clothes, or, in the language of fashionistas, “a tailored look”.

Known as the #PUSH collection, it’s the result of Galvin’s ongoing creative collaboration with Dunnes Stores, and it was launched last night at the 8th annual Kerry Fashion Week Irish Fashion Industry Awards.

On hand to help showcase the former senior Kerry footballer’s new designs were Nemo Rangers midfielder, David Niblock and former Cork goalkeeper, Paddy O’Shea, both models with the Lockdown model agency.

Galvin, a four-time All-Ireland winner and three-time All-Star, says the #PUSH look is inspired by a man called Michael Walker “and as such is rooted in different times”.

He explains that from 1912 to 1916, Walker was a significant figure in Irish sporting and political circles, who, along with his brother John and four others, cycled in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Galvin says the team received special dispensation to cycle under the Irish flag because at the time Ireland was under British rule.

Aisling O’Connell, Lara Quinn, Fiona Griffin and Danny Xu wearing the new spring collection from Carolyn Donnelly — The Edit at Dunnes Stores at the Kerry Fashion Week — Irish Fashion Industry awards at the Europe Hotel, Killarney yesterday. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Walker subsequently partook in the 1916 Rising cycling around Dublin in a three-piece suit carrying despatches for the strategists behind the Republican movement, Galvin says.

The 1916 Cycle Suit forms the centrepiece of the collection and is made from a knitted wool which Galvin says allows for athletic movement.

“The suit is contemporary and flexible and is as appropriate for the office as it is for a Sunday cycle to the local park,” Galvin says.

There was plenty more to entertain at the fashion awards which celebrates just about everyone involved in the industry from photographers, stylists and make up artists to the designers themselves.

Among the winners at last night’s sold-out event were Ms Daisy Blue, Market Parade, Cork, who took the Independent Fashion Retailer of the Year Award.