Cut from the same cloth: Irish designer Deborah Veale ups the ante for new collection

Deborah Veale is an accomplished veteran of corporate workwear, famous for her tailoring. This season, for her eponymous womenswear label, she worked alongside her daughter to create a sleek and stylish collection, writes Bairbre Power

Gold lame knit shift dress, €325. Photo: Barry McCall

Black velvet jacket with grey pinstripe, €345; grey pinstripe wool flannel crop wide-leg trousers, €225, styled with hat from River Island and gold top from Zara styled back to front. Photo: Barry McCall

Grey melton wool coat with black contrast sleeves and funnel neck trimmed with leather tab, €525. Mesh ankle boots from Zara. Bag is model’s own. All earrings from H&M. Photo: Barry McCall

Melton wool short coat with pleated eco leather sleeves, €400; gold and black checkerboard skirt, €250

Green and black shimmer velvet strap dress €425.00.

thumbnail: Gold lame knit shift dress, €325. Photo: Barry McCall
thumbnail: Black velvet jacket with grey pinstripe, €345; grey pinstripe wool flannel crop wide-leg trousers,  €225, styled with hat from River Island and gold top from Zara styled back to front. Photo: Barry McCall
thumbnail: Grey melton wool coat with black contrast sleeves and funnel neck trimmed with leather tab, €525. Mesh ankle boots from Zara. Bag is model’s own. All earrings from H&M. Photo: Barry McCall
thumbnail: Melton wool short coat with pleated eco leather sleeves, €400; gold and black checkerboard skirt, €250
thumbnail: Green and black shimmer velvet strap dress  €425.00.

Deborah Veale has been responsible for more corporate suit and workwear outfits than most Irish designers.

There's a reason why CEOs and millionaires-on-the-up-and-up return annually to the Dubliner. It's her genius ways with sleek tailoring and this also transfers to her eponymous womenswear line, Deborah Veale  The Label which this season factors lots of desirable features, from softly structured easy-to-wear pieces to lean sculpted silhouettes.

For added point of difference, there's a nostalgic nod to the 90s, a stylish decade which thankfully erased the nightmare fashion mistakes of the previous one.

This is a collection of pieces with the objective of working cleverly together but perhaps not with what you might expect and the textures surprise too!

Melton wool short coat with pleated eco leather sleeves, €400; gold and black checkerboard skirt, €250

The collection offers the input of two generations as Deborah is now working with her daughter, Sorcha. While they have different viewpoints, their aesthetic is absolutely the same, with the objective of making the modern woman feel really comfortable as she steps out to look wow.

Green and black shimmer velvet strap dress €425.00.

There are some seriously gorgeous dresses such as the shimmer velvet dress, above,  which has a delightful dual aspect - green at the front and black at the back and there is a luxury green lace pencil dress with stunning scalloped neckline which costs €825.

Melton wool short coat with pleated eco leather sleeves, €400; gold and black checkerboard skirt, €250

I was particularly drawn to their take on the 'coat' (above) which some might regard as a long jacket. The starting point for this was our "strange weather", so they gave the jacket more weight which enables it to take on the duties of a normal - but shorter - coat. The seven buttons end at the waist and it then "falls away" to the side which gives a super-flattering silhouette. For added interest, the textured sleeves are made from an eco/vegan leather.

Grey melton wool coat with black contrast sleeves and funnel neck trimmed with leather tab, €525. Mesh ankle boots from Zara. Bag is model’s own. All earrings from H&M. Photo: Barry McCall

A second coat look, the short sleek grey one (pictured above) features sleeves in a contrasting black melton wool and a funnel neckline with leather tab collar. The look is effortlessly chic and an example of what happens when the next generation styles the look, says Deborah.

Easy silhouettes come by way of a collarless black jacket  in stretch jersey edged in butter-soft napa leather. The addition of a swish grosgrain belt adds a lovely touch of luxe.

Speaking of grosgrain, Deborah cleverly uses it as a feature on the shoulders and down the sleeves of her gold lamé dress with semi-polo neckline. This dress is a perfect example of the less is more school of design and would be a winning addition to wardrobes in need of some day-to-night dresses in the run-up to Christmas. Favourite pieces include a black velvet jacket with a very subtle grey pinstripe.

Green and black shimmer velvet strap dress €425.00.