Having once been described as a “poster girl for all things Celtic Tiger”, it’s hard to align Pippa O’Connor’s photocall image with her current status as leading influencer, denim designer and doting mum.
As drastic as her journey away from the days of Krystle nightclub and Andy Quirke now seems, there’s no denying that Pippa has managed to remain relevant in the increasingly competitive circles of Irish fashion.
In addition to ditching the false tan, “bad hair extensions” and “too short” clothing, the 32-year-old has made a number of clever career moves which have enabled her to become the celebrated fashionista she is today.
Blogging: While pregnant with her oldest son, Ollie, in 2013, Pippa launched her award-winning blog, pippa.ie. Presenting her approach to fashion, beauty, lifestyle and motherhood in a relatable style quickly enabled Pippa to gain an impressive social media following, which currently enables her to reach around half a million people per day. By 2015, this “accidental” success story enabled its founder to retire from modelling and focus on her entrepreneurial endeavours.
The Pippa Palette: Truly placing the Kildare native on the pathway to commercial success, the Pippa Makeup Palette has been sold 150,000 times since its release last year. Produced by Blank Canvas Cosmetics and retailing for €34.99, the Pippa Palette features six wearable eyeshadow shades as well as blush, highlighter and contour powders.
Fashion Factories: In the last two years, Pippa has entertained around 40 different gatherings with her Fashion Factories. In a recent interview with the Irish Independent, the mum of two described how running these fashion, beauty and lifestyle events helped her deal with the untimely death of her own mother, Louise, who passed just a fortnight before Pippa’s Fashion Factory debut.
TV Presenting: While her husband, Brian Ormond, remains one of Ireland’s most recognisable television presenters, Pippa herself is no stranger to life on the small screen. Having been open about her desire to try presenting, last year she joined TV3’s Xposé as a guest host. She returned to the channel this August to front The Seven O’Clock Show with Brian.
Becoming an author: In September this year, Pippa released her first book, Pippa: Tips to Live Beautifully. Channelling her interests in fashion, beauty and lifestyle into a series of easy to apply tips, Pippa’s book aims to help others discover their own personal style while enhancing their sense of self-confidence.
National advertising campaigns: Adding yet another string to her bow, the busy blogger starred in the first TV advertising campaign for Connacht Gold Half-Fat Butter this October. The ad – which sees a very glam Pippa posing in an oversized butter tub – has been played on RTÉ, TV3, 3e, Sky and E4.
POCO: Last month, Pippa began to tease her latest entrepreneurial project across her social media channels. It was quickly revealed that said venture was a five piece range of jeans called POCO, which had been designed by the model herself. Just as her book is filled with advice learned through her own life experiences, POCO was created to counteract issues Pippa has previously had while finding jeans. This is especially obvious when it comes to the ‘Mama To Be’ style, which features an “ultra comfort” band that sits beneath the expectant mother’s bump. POCO is currently available at pocobypippa.com. Prices range from €85-€110.
