VIP Style Awards

The Shelbourne Hotel (above), originally built in 1824, is now the venue for the VIP Style awards.

The VIP Style Awards (recently referred to as the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards for sponsorship reasons) is an annual awards ceremony which takes place in the Republic of Ireland. The awards, as the title, suggests are a celebration of fashion from the previous year and take their name from the magazine VIP part of the publishing empire of Michael O'Doherty.

The VIP Style Awards are held in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. The winner of the Ireland's Most Stylish Woman award is voted for by the Irish general public, whilst the winner of the Most Stylish Person on the Night is voted for by all the guests present at the ceremony.

History

2006 event

VIP Style Awards Gala Dinner 2006

2007 event

Twenty nominees for the Ireland's Most Stylish Woman award, including Radio Telefís Éireann(RTÉ) presenter Gráinne Seoige, were chosen by VIP magazine readers. Seoige had won the prize in 2004 and on this occasion was reported as having a side-parted hairdo and black "liquid jersey" halter gown which was designed by Alberta Ferretti. Xposé's celebrity stylist Lisa Fitzpatrick won the 2007 award though, for her beaded marine blue couture gown from the Lara boutique in Dame Lane, her Gina shoes as well as earrings, a ring and bracelet from Paul Sheeran, an Irish jewellery designer. The winning gown was flown in especially for the awards ceremony from Los Angeles, California in the United States. Former Off the Rails presenter Caroline Morahan, who had received some criticism in 2006 for wearing a 1960s-style wig and electric orange mini-dress, wore a cream-coloured silk gown with a train and elbow-length gloves. The dress was borrowed from the Howth bridal designer Kathy de Stafford.[1]

2008 event

The 2008 event took place on 7 March 2008 at the shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. Over 320 guests were invited including nine Miss Irelands from the contemporary past and present: Siobhán McClafferty, Amanda Brunker, Pamela Flood, Vivienne Doyle, Andrea Roche, Aoife Cogan, Rosanna Davison, Sarah Morrissey and the previous year's winner Bláthnaid McKenna. TV3 presenter Lorraine Keane was expected to win the top prize in 2008. The publicly decided award had received 5,000 votes by the final week. Ryan Tubridy was expected to win the Man of Style Award, sponsored by House of Fraser in 2008. Other nominess included Ireland AM presenter Mark Cagney, entrepreneur Simon Stokes, You're A Star judge Keith Duffy, dancer Michael Flatley, Westlife's Nicky Byrne, Boyzone's Ronan Keating, singer Phil Coulter, Senator David Norris and television personality Dailthí Ó Sé.[2] The official after-show party was held in the Krystle nightclub, where the female presenters and models were joined by their husbands in a specially sectioned off area.[3]

References

  1. "TV celebrities shine at VIP awards bash". Irish Independent. 2007-03-30. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  2. "West Kerry TV personality nominated for VIP style award". The Dingle News. 2008-02-22. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  3. "Keane to make mark at VIP style awards". Irish Independent. 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2009-01-12.