Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Sat 04 Apr 2007Opening lineslofty ambitionsEvery Saturday Tulia Lopez flies in from Barcelona to Dublin for the weekend to take part in The Loft Market, selling her jewellery and accessories.She's just one of 24 up-and-coming young designers exhibiting their wares on Saturdays and Sundays at this open space upstairs in the Powerscourt Centre. Others include Wendy Crawford who makes stylish coats, leads, collars and rugs for dogs in currently fashionable floral prints; Margaret O'Rourke with her MoMuse jewellery and Laura de Burca with her painted silks. The exhibitors have been selected by Aishling Farinella, a DCU graduate in film studies who fell in love with fashion working for a photographer, and who has for the past year been responsible for putting together this hip new venue for the Powerscourt Centre. Although it has been in operation for the past six months, today The Loft is officially celebrating its launch with music, New York-style cocktails and canapes from 1-5pm. Deirdre McQuillan