Episodios

  • The Brow Queen: In Conversation with Brow Aid Founder Kim O'Sullivan
    Mar 25 2025

    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.


      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

      Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell

      Styling: Johanna Dooley

      Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy

      Public Relations: Align Agency

      Content Creation: Kinsman & Co

    Más Menos
    47 m
  • Lia Cowan: A Fashion Brand Rooted in Romance and Ballet, as worn by Derry Girls' Nicola Coughlan
    Mar 18 2025

    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.


    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

    Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell

    Styling: Johanna Dooley

    Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy

    Public Relations: Align Agency

    Content Creation: Kinsman & Co

    Más Menos
    46 m
  • Building the Future of Irish Luxury Handbags with Silvana Landa
    Mar 11 2025

    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.


    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

    Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell

    Styling: Johanna Dooley

    Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy

    Public Relations: Align Agency

    Content Creation: Kinsman & Co


    Más Menos
    48 m
  • From Direct Provision to Miss Ireland: The Unstoppable Pamela Uba
    Mar 7 2025

    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.


    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

    Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell

    Styling: Johanna Dooley

    Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy

    Public Relations: Align Agency

    Content Creation: Kinsman & Co


    Más Menos
    42 m
  • Creating the Future of Fintech for Luxury Shopping Experiences with Prommt CEO Donal McGuinness
    Mar 3 2025

    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.


    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

    Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell

    Styling: Johanna Dooley

    Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy

    Public Relations: Align Agency

    Content Creation: Kinsman & Co

    Más Menos
    40 m
  • From British Vogue to the BBC and Beyond: Fashion, Media and AI with Anne-Marie Tomchak
    Feb 28 2025

    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.

    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

    Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell

    Styling: Johanna Dooley

    Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy

    Public Relations: Align Agency

    Content Creation: Kinsman & Co

    Más Menos
    42 m
  • Live from Abu Dhabi: How the Middle East Holds the Future for the Luxury Industry with Akash Mehta, Dr Vali, Jamie Ray & Magee
    Feb 25 2025
    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 FundDr. Shawana Vali – Founder of By Dr. Vali, skincare & beauty innovatorJamie Ray– Founder of Buttermilk Agency, the community-first creator agencyRosy Temple– CEO of Magee 1866, driving the future of heritage fashionAnneliese 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.
    Más Menos
    47 m
  • Fashion OG Lorraine Keane on the Xposé Days to Fashion Relief and Speaking Up About Menopause
    Feb 3 2025

    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.

    Más Menos
    48 m
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