THE style spotlight will be turned on Leeside this week when the biggest fashion event of the year in Cork gets underway.

Emer O’Mahony and Vivienne McCarthy, co-founders and owners of award-winning model agency Lockdown Models, are gearing up for Mercedes-Benz MSL Cork Fashion Week 2016.

Now in its ninth year, the 2016 event includes shows, talks, presentations and a fashion hub across Cork city and county from this Friday, October 14 until Saturday, October 22.See more at:formal dresses online

Earlier this year, Emer and Vivienne were honoured at a surprise reception by the Lord Mayor in City Hall to acknowledge their contribution in the fashion industry by generating business for local retailers and by promoting and nurturing the growing talent of designers and models.

“In 11 years of working together, myself and Viv never really sat back and gave ourselves a pat on the back or anything. We were never retrospective, so January last was the first time we ever did that and to be honest it was very emotional,” says Emer.

The first major event of Mercedes-Benz Cork Fashion Week 2016, A Celebration of Irish Design at the five star Castlemartyr Hotel on October 14, will see eight talented design finalists battle it out for the covetedMercedes-Benz MSL Designer of the Year Award; and a trip to Paris, sponsored by Shandon Travel.

The event, which has a strong Cork contingent of emerging designers, will be hosted by Brendan Courtney and judges on the night include Irish designer Heidi Higgins, fashion journalist and author of The Happy Closet Annmarie O’Connor, and Sonya Lennon of LennonCourtney and owner of FrockAdvisor.

The Fashion Hub, which welcomes all ages, takes place at Cork Opera House on October 16 from 1pm to 6pm. Model, stylist and internet sensation Eimear Varian Barry, originally from Deerpark, will fly in from the UK to headline panel discussions on all things social media and fashion. Eimear, the face of Mothercare, has 60,000 Instagram followers. She will be joined by Snapchat king James Kavanagh and fashion journalist Jo Linehan to give advice on how to use social media effectively to generate work in the fashion industry.

Fashion author Annmarie O’Connor will host a Wardrobe Wellness Clinic followed by a signing of her book The Happy Closet. Other events throughout the day include a beauty seminar by Therapie, a hair show by celebrity stylist Michael Doyle along with Fashion Shows featuring Opera Lane, Penneys, Independent boutiques, vintage stores and many more.

“Both Viv and I went to the Vogue Fashion Festival in London last year and we are modelling our fashion hub on what they did there. We want to test the water by doing it here in Cork city,” says Emer.

The Best of Cork Fashion Show will take place at one of the city’s most historic buildings St. Peter’s Church, North Main Street, on October 22, featuring collections from the best of Cork independent boutiques, high street and vintage. Emer says that she looks forward to this event every year.

“It is always our favourite night out of the year. We usually have an after-party where all the boutique owners, designers, models and everyone come along. It’s a lovely networking opportunity.

The fashion network in Cork is unlike any other network around the country. Everyone works together rather than viewing each other as competitors. It is a really modern way of doing business and that why we are all still around.”

Emer and Vivienne are busy working mums who are successfully juggling their careers and motherhood. I ask Emer how they manage it all. “We have fantastic experts on our team who take care of the social media and marketing side of things which is really helpful. After that, it’s just time-management. We bring our babies with us to everything! Viv’s little boy and my little girl are little fashion apprentices and not by choice!” she laughs.Read more at:http://www.marieaustralia.com/cocktail-dresses