Ashley McDonnell is an Irish business leader at the intersection of the luxury and tech industries. Recently moving back to Paris, she’s rarely in one city for too long and her outfits usually consist of pieces by both big-name designers and small Irish artisans alike. Here she shares a week in her wardrobe.
MONDAY
My work as a director with luxury group PUIG, chairperson of Digital Business Ireland and as host of my podcast, Tech Powered Luxury, opens up incredible experiences, from business and strategy-focused meetings to events, conferences, seminars and travel. A wardrobe staple for me is a suit – I have them in all colours, cuts and textiles. This suit, in particular, is very special to me as it’s a custom-made design from Sharon Sweeney, created in Ireland with dead stock wool and hand-made, painted porcelain buttons. I’ve worn this suit to the Forbes Women’s Summit in Abu Dhabi where I met Hilary Clinton and for my podcast’s Season 3 album cover. I love to pair it with black accessories, like I have here with the August Night bow bag and Prada loafers. I always make an effort to wear Irish design – if not a full look, I’ll always have an accessory or finishing touch to an outfit with something from Ireland.
TUESDAY
It’s Tuesday and I’m leaving the PUIG office on the Champs Elysees for an hour at lunch to attend a fashion show for Paris Fashion Week. It’s another wool suit, but this time in yellow and from French fashion house Patou, paired with the Prada loafers again which are a wardrobe staple for me, my Paco Rabanne 1969 handbag and Tag Heuer Aquaracer watch in turquoise from Paul Sheeran Jewellers. I met with the fabulous Christine Quinn at the Patou show, known for her role on Selling Sunset. I hope to see more of her in the European fashion scene – she has incredible style and isn’t afraid to go wild with her fashion week looks!
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday in the office means another suit – this time it’s a full look from Paco Rabanne, one of the brands I work with at PUIG. The suit is corduroy and I have a silk Paco Rabanne cami top underneath. We’ve recently launched Rabanne makeup and it’s definitely inspired people at the office to be daring with their makeup – gold and silver eyeshadow is now a norm! I’m wearing gold star earrings from Loulerie. I’ve worn this suit for my TedX talk in South Africa which was a career highlight, I’ll always associate that moment with this vibrant print.
THURSDAY
It’s Thursday and I’m back in Ireland for my role with Digital Business Ireland, so I’ve taken a few days of annual leave from PUIG to enjoy Dublin, record podcast episodes and attend events. First stop is the Nicki Hoyne pop-up at Chupi’s boutique in the Powerscourt Shopping Centre. Of course, I had to wear both brands for the occasion: the viral Pink Bow shoes from Nicki and the 1993 Stag Necklace from Chupi. My blue outfit is from an independent Turkish designer I discovered in a boutique in Istanbul. It’s incredibly comfortable and I’ll definitely be buying it in other colours too.
FRIDAY
I start the day in the Green Room at Iconic Offices with Shana Chu, CEO of fashion-tech company Tailr. Our conversation is all about style, textiles, tackling sizing inconsistencies within the industry and finding more sustainable fashion solutions through technology. I’m wearing a sweater from IrelandsEye, a 100% made-in-Ireland knitwear brand. I spent a couple of hours the previous day discovering their factory in Baldoyle, Dublin, and their whole production method which is high-tech and sustainable – incredible to see in Ireland! A special mention to Shana who wore a vintage Mugler blazer for our recording, a rare find that she sourced at an auction in Paris.
SATURDAY
For the weekend, I’m back in one of my favourite places – Cannes. I’m wearing Irish designer Sorcha O’Raghallaigh who has incredible creativity. I always feel glamorous when wearing something designed by Sorcha, and I’ve paired the dress with turquoise earrings from Irish jewellery designer By Beth, as well as my Paco Rabanne 1969 bag, which despite its impracticality and weight, gets a lot of wear!
SUNDAY
It’s Sunday and I’m enjoying another day away before getting back to business in Paris. Here I’m wearing a dress that I found in Ibiza at a boutique called Mirage. It turns out the dress I chose was designed by the boutique owner, a fabulous French woman. I paired the dress with pink suede Christian Louboutin heels, a purple handbag in the shape of a pear with a golden leaf from Lanvin, and necklace and earrings from Irish jewellery designer By Beth. My turquoise watch dial finishes the look and ties the colours together from the jewellery to the green tones of the dress.
Imagery provided by Ashley McDonnell. We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
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