On the 10th of August, Maria De Leon Castillejo from Sevilla in Spain was crowned Best Dressed at the RDS Dublin Horse Show 2023 and walked away with a stunning prize worth over €10,000 from the Anantara Hotel Group. The top prize is a combination of packages from both the Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel and the sister hotel in Vilamoura Algarve. Maria wore a jacket that she bought while travelling in India and her silk dress and shoes came from Spain.
Speaking about her win Maria said “To win here at the Dublin Horse Show is very special for me because I first came to Ireland when I was seven and returned for a number of summers to learn English in Bantry, Co. Cork. It is something I never expected, but my friends kept telling me that I had to enter the Best Dressed. I am in complete shock, but so delighted!”
(Maria De Leon Castillejo And Dee Maddock. PIC: ORLA MURRAY/COALESCE)
Judges Bairbre Power and Lorraine Keane said of the winning look “I think the fact that we both selected Maria and her entire look, says it all. She mixed vintage with designer to create the most stunning look, that for us summed up Best Dressed!”
Hundreds people took to the Best Dressed stage and shared their look with MC Laura Woods. This year emphasis was placed on sustainability – whether exploring vintage fashion, buying from sustainable brands or up-cycling; sustainability was key to Best Dressed in 2023.
The runner-up in the Best Dressed was Dee Maddock from Straffan, Co. Kildare who walked away with a stunning package from the Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel. Dee’s head piece made by her sister was constructed entirely out of Badminton shuttlecocks and made a big impression on the judges.
The Longines ‘Elegance is an Attitude’ winners were Maura O’Neill from Monkstown, Co. Dublin and Hariharan Rajeaidran from Northwood Avenue, Dublin 9. They won a model from the Longines Dolce Vita collection and a model from the Longines Spirit Collection.
(Left to Right) Maura O'Neill, Dee Maddock, Maria De Leon Castillejo, Hariharan Rajeaidra
