Building Future Heritage Brands: Fashion, Beauty, Jewellery and Spirits

After a whirlwind of live shows across Dublin, Paris and Abu Dhabi, the Tech Powered Luxury live podcast show finally made its way to Galway City, hosted at the vibrant Hyde Bar. This event celebrated Irish heritage brands and brought together a community of creatives and entrepreneurs under the theme: Building Irish Heritage Brands. ✨Galway’s own Ashley McDonnell, brought the evening to life, leading insightful conversations with some of Ireland’s most exciting brand founders: Aoife McNamara, of her namesake B-Corp certified sustainable fashion brand; Chupi Sweetman of Ireland’s leading fine jewellery brand Chupi; Pádraic Micil of the sixth-generation Micil Distillery; and Charlene Flanagan of Ella & Jo, award-winning Irish skincare brand. ✨The evening didn’t stop at conversations; it also included a showcase of Galway’s finest local brands and retailers: Ór Jewellery, Les Jumelles, Emily Jean Atelier and The Fashion Studio.This is the debut episode of Season 7 of Tech Powered Luxury, thank you for listening! Stay up to date on our community events, live shows and episode by https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications! This week on Tech Powered Luxury, we sit down with the Queen of Brows herself, Kim O’Sullivan. With over 14 years at Giorgio Armani, training under industry legends like Pat McGrath, and now expanding her brand globally, Kim has built an empire rooted in expertise, passion, and an obsession with perfect brows.Kim fell into the beauty industry at 19 while working at Brown Thomas, where she was hired by Giorgio Armani Cosmetics - marking the start of a 14-year career with the luxury brand.✨Training with beauty legends like Pat McGrath and Linda Cantello shaped her philosophy on beauty and service, setting the foundation for her own business. 🤍Leaving Armani was a bold move driven by her desire for flexibility as a single mother, she took the plunge into entrepreneurship, starting out by renting a chair and building a loyal client base. 💫Now, she owns Dublin Makeup Academy, has launched BrowAid in over 70 retailers across Ireland, and is expanding internationally. 🌍With a goal to be the number one go-to brow brand, she’s focused on slow, steady growth, aiming for global reach through big retailers like Sephora and Ulta. 🚀For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our⁠ ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.You can visit them at⁠ ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.ABOUTSeason 6 of ⁠Tech Powered Luxury⁠ is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur ⁠Ashley McDonnell⁠. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDSEach week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: ⁠https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/⁠THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAMProducer & Host: Ashley McDonnellVideography: Ben O’Neill Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline GillespieProduction Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia SkierskaSocials and Newsletter: Laoise O’ConnellStyling: Johanna DooleyStyling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison MurphyPublic Relations: Align AgencyContent Creation: Kinsman & Co

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications! This week, we’re diving into the world of fashion, sculpture, and bespoke bridalwear with Irish designer Lia Cowan. Known for her statement-making designs, worn by none other than Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, Lia’s journey from sculpture student to art teacher to fashion designer is incredible.Lia’s fashion journey took an unconventional path - she studied sculpture at NCAD, dreamed of becoming a teacher, and even spent three years teaching art in secondary school before realising something was missing. 👗A nudge from her fiancé, Max, who gifted her a sewing machine, set her on a new path. From making scrunchies to launching her namesake brand, Lia Cowan, she’s now a rising star in the fashion industry, moving into the bridal space with a bespoke approach. 👰🏽‍♀️Her designs, often sculptural and performative, draw inspiration from movement, ballet, and theatrical costume. With a slow fashion model, she creates custom, one-of-a-kind pieces that aim to continue pushing the boundaries of occasionwear. 💫For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.ABOUTSeason 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDSEach week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAMProducer & Host: Ashley McDonnellVideography: Ben O’Neill Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline GillespieProduction Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia SkierskaSocials and Newsletter: Laoise O’ConnellStyling: Johanna DooleyStyling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison MurphyPublic Relations: Align AgencyContent Creation: Kinsman & Co

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications! This week, we’re diving into the world of brand building, luxury retail, and international expansion with Silvana Landa, the founder of LANDA and a powerhouse in the fashion industry. From Brown Thomas and L’Oréal to launching her own leather goods brand, Silvana has built a career many aspire to.Silvana started her career in fashion at Brown Thomas, quickly moving from the shop floor to brand management before joining L’Oréal to lead major luxury brand launches, including Biotherm and Kiehl’s. 🧖🏽‍♀️Inspired by her Spanish-Argentinian heritage in leather craftsmanship, Silvana launched LANDA with a vision to blend timeless design with modern functionality, learning invaluable lessons along the way. 👜From selling prototypes on launch night to securing international distributors, she shares the realities of growing a fashion brand beyond Ireland. 🚀Travel retail, influencer marketing, and omnichannel strategies—Silvana reveals what she learned from working with top global brands. ⭐️For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.ABOUTSeason 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDSEach week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAMProducer & Host: Ashley McDonnellVideography: Ben O’Neill Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline GillespieProduction Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia SkierskaSocials and Newsletter: Laoise O’ConnellStyling: Johanna DooleyStyling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison MurphyPublic Relations: Align AgencyContent Creation: Kinsman & Co

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications! For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.ABOUTSeason 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDSEach week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAMProducer & Host: Ashley McDonnellVideography: Ben O’Neill Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline GillespieProduction Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia SkierskaSocials and Newsletter: Laoise O’ConnellStyling: Johanna DooleyStyling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison MurphyPublic Relations: Align AgencyContent Creation: Kinsman & Co

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications! This week, we’re diving into the world of mobile payments, luxury retail, and user experience with Donal McGuiness, the CEO of Prommt. If you’ve ever wondered how tech is shaping the way we shop for high-ticket items or how luxury retailers are making payments seamless for their customers, this episode is a must-listen! Payments in luxury need to evolve to match the elevated customer experience. Clunky, unbranded payment methods can ruin the luxury journey. 💫 Prommt is revolutionizing payments by offering secure, branded mobile payment solutions that streamline high-ticket transactions via SMS, WhatsApp, and Zoom—making the checkout experience as seamless and premium as the service and customer experience that accompany the products. Social commerce is reshaping luxury retail. Platforms like WeChat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok Shop are now powerful sales channels, allowing luxury brands to engage and sell directly to consumers through these platforms. For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.ABOUTSeason 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDSEach week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAMProducer & Host: Ashley McDonnellVideography: Ben O’Neill Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline GillespieProduction Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia SkierskaSocials and Newsletter: Laoise O’ConnellStyling: Johanna DooleyStyling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison MurphyPublic Relations: Align AgencyContent Creation: Kinsman & Co

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications! This week’s guest: Anne-Marie Tomchak, journalist, broadcaster, and expert on fashion, sustainability, and AI.Anne-Marie’s career spans British Vogue, documentary-making, and co-founding ShareJoy, a platform combining storytelling with sustainable fashion.AI is making an impact on trend forecasting, supply chain management, and even design itself, while sustainability is becoming a critical business pillar.AI vs. craftsmanship: Will we value artistry, or will speed and scalability win?Exclusive reward: Win a 30-minute mentorship session with Anne-Marie! Head to our substack to find out more.For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.ABOUTSeason 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDSEach week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAMProducer & Host: Ashley McDonnellVideography: Ben O’Neill Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline GillespieProduction Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia SkierskaSocials and Newsletter: Laoise O’ConnellStyling: Johanna DooleyStyling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison MurphyPublic Relations: Align AgencyContent Creation: Kinsman & Co

On February 13th Tech Powered Luxury brought together thought leaders and changemakets in Abu Dhabi to discuss the future of luxury fashion and beauty in Ireland and the Middle East. We gathered over 300 hundred people at the Ambassador’s Residence in Abu Dhabi for an inspiring evening focused on showcasing Irish design in the Middle East. Hosted by HE Alison Milton, Irish Ambassador to the UAE, in partnership with Tech Powered Luxury, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Into Kildare, the event celebrated Irish creativity on a global stage, highlighting the synergy between Irish design and the Middle Eastern market through thought-provoking discussions and stunning fashion showcases. Meet Our Expert PanelAshley McDonnell moderated a live panel discussion with five leading voices in fashion and beauty who shared their insights, including: Akash Mehta – CEO & Co-Founder of Fable & Mane, Founder of The Fable Fund Dr. Shawana Vali – Founder of By Dr. Vali, skincare & beauty innovator Jamie Ray– Founder of Buttermilk Agency, the community-first creator agency Rosy Temple– CEO of Magee 1866, driving the future of heritage fashion Anneliese Duffy – Founder of Fashion ConnectIreland & Designer ofLinen Shirt CompanyThis diverse panel blended global brand strategy insights with Irish fashion expertise, perfectly complementing the event’s mission to bridge design, innovation, and luxury across markets.Read more about the event and how we created this concept with a full creative team of Ireland's brightest talents and brandshere.

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications!  This week, we shine light on Lorraine Keane - broadcaster, entrepreneur and champion for sustainable fashion and social impact. From interviewing A-list celebrities on red carpets to creating impactful charitable initiatives, Lorraine’s story is one of pure passion. From her early days on AA Roadwatch to becoming a household name through TV3’s Xposé, Lorraine carved a path that took her across the globe - dancing with Bono, singing with Paul Young, and rubbing shoulders with Victoria Beckham. Pivoting to freelance work allowed Lorraine to create Fashion Relief, a sustainable fashion initiative that has raised over €250,000 for charity while promoting conscious consumption. ABOUT Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders. NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/ THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell Videography: Ben O’Neill  Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell Styling: Johanna Dooley Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy Public Relations: Align Agency Content Creation: Kinsman & Co If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it. You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.

Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications!  FFFACE.ME is leading the way in blending AR and retail by integrating AR mirrors, phygital clothes and virtual try-ons into offline and online shopping experience. Dmytro shares how his introduction to AR wasn’t exactly love at first sight - but how, over time, he discovered its true potential and developed powerful use cases for the luxury fashion and beauty industries. Dmytro emphasises the need to adapt marketing strategies to the cultural and psychological needs of the next generation, rather than chasing every new technology trend. The main takeaway from this episode is that brands need to balance heritage with thoughtful innovation that add value, boost brand awareness, and drive sales. For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch. If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it. You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications. ABOUT Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders. NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/ THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell Videography: Ben O’Neill  Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell Styling: Johanna Dooley Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy Public Relations: Align Agency Content Creation: Kinsman & Co