Talented Birr artist's magnificent coat was inspired by Surrealist geniuses

A TALENTED Birr artist's Surrealist-inspired evening coat has been the recipient of considerable acclaim during recent months.
Anne Moonan's creation was part of a very successful Fashion Show which took place in Thurles last April. The coat also wowed viewers when it went on public display in August during Birr Vintage Week.
Anne's impressive creation was inspired by a coat which was designed and created by two leading figures in the Surrealist movement in Paris during the 1930s, Jean Cocteau and Elsa Schiaparelli. In 1937 Cocteau gave Schiaparelli a drawing which inspired her to create the coat, which featured in her Haute Couture Collection that year. The back of the coat is a trompe l'oeil (optical illusion) where the two faces in profile can also be seen as a vase with roses placed along its top.
Anne told The Midland Tribune that she was “self employed in the corporate world for a number of years and when my contract was completed, I took some time out, during which I decided to follow a creative path, a decision which I had put off for a long time. I took a bold step at 54 and signed up for a 1 year ETB (Education and Training Board) course in Fashion Design in Thurles.” Anne loved the course. Some time after completing the course she was inspired to redesign the Schiaparelli-Jean Cocteau evening coat which she showcased in a shop window during Vintage Week. “My soul came truly alive,” she remarked, “as I was able to use my new found creativity and breathe new life into a much-loved garment. I now set anyone the challenge to put down their phone and start getting creative!”

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