My Week with Celia Holman Lee: Laurel Hill shines on the catwalk

IN A SEA of sequins and fabric, fashion houses from across the county arrived in Limerick’s Strand Hotel for a night of glamour for the annual Laurel Hill Schools spring/summer fashion show.

The Holman Lee Agency and I had the honour of meeting and mixing with students, teachers and parents for the yearly event, which took place on Thursday, April 18.

The joint event is run by the Parents Council of Laurel Hill Secondary School and Laurel Hill Coláiste and it is always a truly special occasion which the models and I look forward to every year.

Being that the two schools are all-girls, the interest in fashion is truly inspiring and the willingness to participate is so heartwarming. The air was thick with excitement, when the 38 students from fifth year joined my models from the Holman Lee Agency on the runway.

The students shone in clothes from local fashion houses, including Be Fabulous, Dani’s Closet and Glowing Girlies.

We chose boutiques such as Ber McNamara, Earls & Pearls, Ivory Lane, Lady Penelope, Sinéad’s Boutique and more for our Holman Lee Agency models, to add a more mature edge to the night for the adults in the audience.

The annual Laurel Hill Schools Fashion Show has been running for over 40 years and is the largest fashion show in Munster, attracting in excess of 500 people to the event. The spot prizes were nothing short of fabulous on the night.

When the night drew to a close, we knew we had marked another successful year but indeed, one like no other, as the applause from the crowd thundered and the excited energy failed to be quenched.

What a night it was, and how I adore celebrating the youth of these wonderful students - hopefully inspiring some to pursue careers in the fashion industry, or perhaps, future Holman Lee Agency models!

-Xx Celia