Byline: Patrice Harrington
PAURIC Sweeney and I are sitting on a terrace outside Florences famousCibreo Caffe, drinking red wine and eating spicy olives, when a typically sexyItalian womanall dark hair and high heelsclicks past, bag slung over her shoulder. Thats one of mine he says, casually,of the black snakeskin tote that set the fashion-conscious senorina back around?2,000.
Can the Donegal designer and celebrity darling please explain why women havebecome so obsessed with handbags lately?
Ohhhh, I wish I knew, he laughs, dodging the question. Its like men andfootball, maybe. It must amaze him that so many of us are willing to stump upridiculous wodges of cash to get our hands on what effectively amounts to afancy hold-all?
It delights me, he replies, carefully.
And why wouldnt it delight him? The 35-year-old admits that he is well off. Heowns a penthouse apartment overlooking the mountains in beautiful Florence,where he lives with his Japanese fiancee and their four-year-old son, Oscar. Herecently bought a renovated, 300-year-old mill in Wexford, near where hismother lives.
Not bad for a drapers son from remote Falcarragh in north-west Donegal who has,with a mix of foresight, hard work and good fortune, become a cult name infashion, his handbags lusted after by some of pop cultures most influentialicons.
Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Roisin Murphy, Madonna, Victoria Beckham, Courtney Love,and Lindsay Lohan are all fans, Silver Dangle Earrings which might explain why he was recently offeredan obscene sum to sell his nascent business, Pauric Sweeney Bags.
Then theres the top secret deal with a major global force in the United Statesto become their creative director. Once the details are thrashed out, that willbe another sweet pay day for a man who already commands sizable fees forconsultancy work at other billion dollar fashion houses.
If such high achieving depresses you, take hearthe only manages to squeeze in two hours sleep on the night before we meet.
On the upside, the elegant red-head has decked out his 6ft 2in frame in a Diorcoat, Colombo cashmere jumper, Raf Simons jeans, Pierre Hardy shoes and Zegnascarf. Thats one hell of a pricey rig-out for a day at the office.
And what an office it is, with its high ceilings, modern art and chandeliers.
Were moving into another studio thats four times the size of this one soon, hesays, proudly. Its on the Piazza Santa Croce, he adds, name-checking a famousFlorentine square a short stroll away.
Though it is modern and stylish, a walk through his five-roomed studio mightmake the animal lovers among you rather queasy. A stuffed fox stands on aplinth, its jaws clenched around the bent neck of a very dead pheasant. Theantlers of a long-gone gazelle protrude from one wall and a massive boars headfrom another.
Pinned to a cork board are dozens of exotic skin sampleslizard, snake, crocodile, alligator, ostrichwhich have all found their way into Paurics avant-garde designs.
Has anyone ever asked him to lay off the snakes?
Fashion SetNo. Never. he says, a little defensively. On the contrary, when the blackpython bag was paraded around Hollywood by Lindsay Lohan recently, itcatapulted sales.
The 21-year-old actress was pictured on her way to rehab. Her snakeskin bagwith its woven brown leather strap
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