Navan boutique represents Meath in Irish fashion stakes

The top award winner at the inaugural Meath Style Awards this spring is set to represent the county in a fashion 'Battle of the Counties' on TV3's Ireland AM next week. Debbie Harper of The Glass Slipper and Mrs Harper's Boutique in Navan will go head-to-head with a stylist from Labella Boutique in Cork city next Wednesday morning, 3rd August, between 8.30 and 9.30am. This monthly fashion competition sees two stylists from popular boutiques in each county go up against each other. Each stylist prepares three ensembles and dresses TV3 models for a runway show on the programme. The audience votes by text to crown the winner. Debbie's designs will feature new pieces from the new autumn/winter collections which aren't yet available in the store. She plans to give her models a more 'hands-on look' rather than simply placing the clothes from the hanger onto the model. "I will be adding my own touch to the outfits," said Debbie, "giving them a little twist - that's what we do here." For example, Debbie plans to use a custom-made headpiece by Gibbstown milliner Helen Moriarty for one of her outfits. Tune in Wednesday morning to see what funky and fun outfits Debbie puts together for the show! Debbie opened the Glass Slipper shoe boutique at Preston Place in 2008. Following on its success, she opened her fashion boutique in the lower level, with an entrance at Kennedy Place, last September. This spring, she was crowned overall winner of the Meath Style Awards, sponsored by the Meath Chronicle and Headfort Arms Hotel in Kells, beating off stiff competition from around the county. In order to ensure success in next week's competition, Debbie is depending on lots of Meath support when the episode airs, especially as Cork city and county represent such a large population. Text lines will be open from 8.30am to 9.30am on 3rd August, when supporters should text the word 'MEATH' to 53131. See www.theglassslipper.ie for more.