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This week we were delighted to have Henry Holland visit BT2 Grafton Street to exclusively launch his House of Holland Collection.

It was so exciting to meet such a talented designer, who was just as lovely as we imagined him to be. Brand new and exclusive to BT2 this season there are two collections in store: Pre-Spring - which is all about Americana, cheerleaders and pom-poms and Spring Summer - which is Henry's take on nineties grunge.

Buzz Kill is a slightly happier, hyper-feminine interpretation of nineties grunge. Henry had a very busy day meeting with fashion press and doing TV interviews and later that evening he hosted a 90's party in the store with cult-band Smash Hits providing the soundtrack!

This Christmas, BT2 has a super choice of fun and imaginative gifts to wow loved ones!

For the budding photographer, Lomography cameras are the perfect choice. These retro cameras bring the fun back into capturing memorable moments and allow the user experiment with different effects. View things from a fishy perspective with the Lomography Fisheye Camera. Grasping 170 degrees of field of vision, subjects will take on a distinctly exaggerated angle resulting in some amusing snaps. The world is a goldfish bowl! Bringing analogue back to the movies, the LomoKino is a Lomography movie camera that shoots short, creative movies.

Tongue in cheek stationary is a fun addition to any stocking. Humorous sticky notes with catchy slogans are guaranteed to make someone smile! For the social media novice or online networking guru, thinking up things to post can be perplexing. With Tweets & Status Updates for All Occasions at the keyboard, virtual musings are sure to be instantly, effortlessly witty—and endlessly re-tweetable.

The Pop Phone is a quirky gift for any chatterbox! These funky gadgets resemble old telephone handsets and come in an array of neon colours. Not only do they look fantastic, they are very useful and eliminate over 99% of absorbed mobile phone radiation. For the fashion conscious gal, a House of Holland iPhone cover is sure to excite!

Books are traditional gifts that are always in fashion and BT2’s collection of fashion books will dress up any coffee table. Titles include ’50 Fashion Looks That Changed The 1960’s, ‘100 Years of Fashion’, ‘VOGUE on Coco Chanel’ and ‘How to be a Good Lover’. ‘Fashion in Pictures’ is a beautiful collection of inspirational images while ‘Masters of Fashion Illustration’ is a must-have for any fashionista!

Music fans will be spoilt for choice! Marshall headphones, shaped like the famous amps are cute and quirky while delivering powerful audio! Listen to any iPod without headphones with the original –Incognito apple shaped speaker- the perfect travelling companion. Another great gift idea for music enthusiasts is a pair of funky, bright headphones from Urbanears which are available in every colour imaginable.

A pair of luxurious UGG slippers with their signature sheepskin lining will be a welcome treat the morning after a night of dancing in heels whilst their mittens and gloves are the ultimate in cosy luxury.

Unwrapping parcels is a big part of the gift giving experience and a complimentary gift-wrapping service will be available in store to ensure extra sparkle underneath the Christmas tree!

Meet this month's Guest Blogger - self-confessed fashion-addict Angela Scanlon is a stylist and fashion writer for multiple home-grown and international publications including Grazia, Tatler and The Sunday Times STYLE Magazine; a presenter and reporter for RTE, and a regular contributor to TV3; a fashion commentator on radio; and a successful blogger.

Fashion is having a moment! It's a fearless mish mash of styles and influences, textures, colours and a bucketload of print. There are no rules anymore which is exactly how I like it… 

If there's one item you should invest in for winter it's a coat. Usually I'd say go for a classic-something you can wear to death and that will go with everything in your current wardrobe but that's sensible and I'm not in that mood right now. So instead I'll be buying a statement coat; something that takes centre stage and makes me smile every time I look at it. There's also something quite smart about choosing a special coat over a classic -

it's the piece everyone sees and in this case the piece they'll remember.

Sticking with prints this baroque  and star emblazoned silk shirt from Sandro is a nice twist on monochromatic. Wear with leather shorts and snakeskin flatforms for kicks. Add some ribbed socks if you're that way inclined…

I adore The Kooples and am into a bit of boy-meets-girl dressing so a check shirt is the perfect borrowed that from-my-boyfriend look. But I'd turn it on it's head with a cool pair of gold shorts and some luxury in the form of these burgundy velvet boots.

This IRO sequin jacket offers the perfect mix of Parisian chic with a bit of Las Vegas  glamour! I'll be wearing it open with relaxed pyjama pants and pointy courts. It's a stand out piece so needs very little in the way of decoration-keep jewellery to a minimum and make like the French with minimal make up and undone hair. 

'Baby' bags are the business this season. Forget bucket bags that fit all but the kitchen sink, choose a neat bag that fits the essentials and leaves your hands free for fun stuff! This pink Raoul beauty is practically edible…  

We were so excited when we heard that we were getting the JW Anderson X Topshop collection! As one of few retailers selected to stock the sought after collection, BT2 offers customers a number of exclusive styles including quirky printed t-shirts, chic short kilts and a super cool varsity jacket. Counting Alexa Chung and Kirsten Dunst as super fans the collection focuses on signature Anderson prints including paisley and tartan.

The collection marks a new and exciting approach to previous collaborations. A variety of both clothing and shoes will be sold, ranging from €45.99 to €197.99. Jonathan feels strongly about creating a collection of credible, wearable clothing and accessories, with the idea of layering which is key: so shirtdresses over trousers underneath V-neck school jumpers worn with loafers. It was crucial the collection represented real value for money, a sign of the times we are living in.


Taking its cue from JW Anderson's collection to date, his range for Topshop is an amalgamation of his signature styles, inviting the customer to shop his world and wear the outfits in their own personal way. School girl chic meets punk meets American high school preppy; items are both classic and playful at the same time, resulting in a wardrobe of must-have pieces with wide appeal. Conversational prints including turtles and zebras are repeated on denim, a traditional heritage tartan appears on cropped tapered trousers and varsity jackets are emblazoned with the JW logo on the back.

As big Robbie Williams fans, last Friday was a very special day in BT2 and Brown Thomas as the man himself came to town to launch his new clothing label Farrell exclusively at BT2 Grafton Street!

‘Wear it in and wear it out’ is the brand’s motto that reflects the quality of the clothing - these are clothes that are destined to last the course. Key items from the collection include Savile Row-inspired Chesterfield coats, quilted jackets and grandfather-collar shirts.

The Farrell collection is inspired by Robbie Williams’ grandfather, Jack Farrell, aka Jack the Giant Killer who was well known for being a notable dresser. Jack was a strong man who had great integrity, honesty, good manners and a sense of humour. It is these qualities that are ingrained into the brand ethos of Farrell at every level from the design process to the shop floor.

The Farrell collection reflects a strong sense of unmistakeable British style, underpinned by the brands respect for Savile Row tailoring. Designed for men who like a bit of snap in their clothing, Farrell delivers classic wardrobe staples suitable for a night in, an afternoon at the footie or a night out. 

Every piece within the Farrell collection is designed to become a longstanding part of a man’s wardrobe, growing and evolving with the wearer over time. Pieces such as the iconic Pea coat and Harrington signify Farrell’s dedication to British style and the principle of men being men.

Check out the new collection instore now!