Live Blog: The Launch of The Shoe Garden at Arnotts

Shoes, glorious shoes…

Regular readers may have noticed that the resident fashion fans at Her.ie love shoes. It’s a true love, that embraces ballerina slippers and wedges, winter boots and platform sandals, and tonight a sort-of wonderland for fellow shoe fans is declared officially open.

We’re at Arnotts, Dublin, for the launch of The Shoe Garden, and we’ll be here all night to bring the action to you, Happy Shoesday!

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20.55 - Well there you have it! A fab night spent with some very glamorous ladies, we're loving The Shoe Garden at Arnotts. Now we're off to join the party... and maybe even buy some shoes! X

20.45 - We chatted to fashion stylist Cathy O’Connor, who was also in shoe heaven… She said: ‘It really is phenomenal. I defy any woman not to find what she’s looking for in this shoe department. It’s a real mix of edgy and wearable from skyscraper stilettos to everyday styles.’

Stylist Cathy O'Connor looking great at Arnotts

20.35 - Lorraine Keane is yet another familiar face enjoying The Shoe Garden at Arnotts.

Lorraine Keane, pictured at the launch of The Shoe Garden, Arnotts

Lorraine told Her.ie: "I’ve never been into getting my hands dirty but this is one garden I’d happily spend an afternoon in! I was here last week with my two little girls, and it’s such a pleasant shopping experience."

20.27 - The show might be over, but the party is just getting started! We just spotted model Pippa O’Connor looking super stylish.  

 

Pippa is loving The Shoe Garden too - she said; "It has everything under one roof from high-glam heels to ballet pumps. It really is a one-stop shoe shop! The first time I was in here I bought the Carvela boots I’m wearing and I spent over an hour in here trying on different pairs!"

Pippa O'Connor is sporting Carvela boots tonight...

20.17 - Alesha Dixon's hit 'The Boy Does Nothing' is playing, and the lady herself is bopping along with the models!

Models/dancers at Arnotts tonight performing to Alesha Dixon's hit single 'The Boy Does Nothing'.

20.13 - Her.ie caught up with Amanda Brunker, who says she doesn't always look so glam! She told us; "I’m a total slummy mummy – I spend my days in tracksuits. When I go out I love to get dressed up and put on my heels." 

Amanda Brunker looking fab at the launch of The Shoe Garden

Amanda continued: "I’m a northsider, so it’s great to have such an impressive selection of different brands available in Arnotts."

Amanda is sporting Alexander McQueen shoes tonight, we like...

20.07 - Song 2 is 'Blue Suede Shoes', and the routines are seriously impressive - these shoes were made for dancing...

20.01 - Fashion show starts with a choreographed routine to These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ – amazing!

20.00 - Alesha delcares The Shoe Garden officially open - and the fashion show begins.

19.59 - Melanie is spealing with Alesha Dixon, special guest tonight, who says she is a heels over flats girl - 'Always, definitely!'

19.57 - Melanie Morris, editor of Image magazine is speaking to guests, says we are all 'long overdue a really good party' - we concur! 

19.55 - The speeches have started! Bosses at Arnotts are thanking staff for all the hard work put into getting The Shoe Garden ready. It looks amazing - the hard work paid off.

19.51 - The (many!) guests here at The Shoe Garden at Arnotts are sipping prosecco and strawberry cocktails and munching on yummy cookies from the fab Clodagh Mc Kenna.

Celeb chef Clodagh has been hard at work baking for tonight's guests

19.40 - Her.ie just bumped into Saoirse Ronan’s fashion stylist Grace Moore who thinks The Shoe Garden is ‘really impressive’. We’re loving her newly-dyed pink hair and fab Miu Miu brogues 

 

Grace Moore, right, stylist for actress Saoirse Ronan

Grace is sporting some super-stylish Miu Miu brogues

19.23 - We’ve been chatting to the Xposé girls – and it seems they’re loving The Shoe Garden just as much as we are…

Karen Koster told us: “I’m a massive Kurt Geiger fan. I can’t do heels day to day when I’m running around for work but when I do go for heels – I like a platform sandal.”

Lisa Cannon was even more enthusiastic! She told us: “I’m a shoe-fiend! I was dying to see what The Shoe Garden at Arnotts was all about. As a woman I think heels make you feel and look more like a woman.”

Lisa's shoes, left, are from Carvela, while Karen's, right, are from Kurt Geiger

19.14 - The gorgeous Alesha Dixon has arrived, she’s at the entrance to The Shoe Garden chatting to Xposé presenter Karen Koster. Her.ie spoke to Alesha earlier today and she told us she owns 'about a hundred pairs of shoes'.

 Alesha, pictured in the window of Arnotts, Dublin earlier today - she's a lovely mannequin!

 

19.04 - Normal business for the day has finished and invited guests are coming through the door showing a similar enthusiasm for shoes as we’re feeling! The crowd is mostly made-up of uber-fashionable women sporting killer heels – of course!