Louisa Murphy wins Bollinger Best Dressed on Day One of the Punchestown Festival!

Louisa Murphy from Tramore, County Waterford, has won the opening event of the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition at the Punchestown Festival today.

Wearing a carefully curated look, judges Jess Colivet and Jennifer Wrynne were not only taken by the stunning look itself but also the level of planning and sheer determination that was involved in curating today’s winning ensemble.

Louisa first saw the headpiece online during coverage of the Melbourne Cup and reached out directly to the lady wearing it via social media. “It took three Instagram direct message attempts before I got a response from her and I begged her to sell it to me and thankfully she did, so my headpiece has come all the way from Australia to be here at Punchestown today” she explained. Her sea foam green dress with floral detail was purchased from Vinted was teamed with a rental handbag from Luxe Library and her shoes are her “go to gold heels that go with everything”.

The proud mum of two recently got engaged to horse trainer John Flavin and they will be racing every day at the festival. Despite John not having any runners at the festival this week, he’s already got a winner on the board on day one in Louisa! The proud Waterford woman has the week off from her hairdressing business for Punchestown. She has two salons one in Tramore and one in Wexford and she also owns a luxury rental company called Saints Style Society. “I just love fashion and honestly can’t believe it! I’ve been coming here for years and its always been a dream to be in the line-up but to then go on and win it, it really is a dream come true!” she said.

Widely regarded as Ireland’s most prestigious style competition, The Bollinger Best Dressed competition takes place across the first four days of the festival from Tuesday 28th April to the final on Friday 1st May inclusive. Today’s winner, Louisa Murphy has been fast-tracked to the grand finale on Friday when the overall Bollinger Best Dressed Winner for 2026 will receive a ‘money can’t buy’ trip for 2 to the Bollinger Estate. The overall prize includes flights to Paris, 5* Hotel, Michelin Star dining, private chauffeur, an exclusive Champagne Bollinger experience including private tour of the cellars, vineyards, gardens, house and overnight stay in the beautiful capital of the champagne region Reims plus a year’s supply of Bollinger.

ENDS.

For Further Information Contact:

Carey Ann Lordan, Red PR

M: 087 9270730         E: clordan@redpr.ie               T: 052 6184343

Shona Dreaper, Punchestown

T: 045 897704          E: sdreaper@punchestown.com

Editors Notes: 

Pics attached | No repo fee (Michael Chester)

PIC Caption Suggestion: “The Bollinger Best Dressed winner Louisa Murphy from Tramore, County Waterford shines brightest on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.”

Tuesday’s Bollinger Best Dressed Judges:

Jess Colivet @jesscolivet

Based only a stones throw from Punchestown,  in county Kildare, Ireland, Lead Judge Jess Colivet is a renowned personal stylist and content creator known for her inspiring fashion insights on Instagram. With a postgraduate degree from Trinity College Dublin and a Personal Styling qualification from the London College of Style, her impressive career includes serving as Head Dresser for Paul Costelloe at London Fashion Week, working with esteemed designers such as Richard Quinn and Rixo. Jess has collaborated with Tory Burch, LK Bennett, Bollinger, Trinny London, Boodles, Punchestown, Paul Sheeran and more. Jess’s impeccable style has been highlighted by SheerLuxe, The Gloss, and Image Magazine in their “A Week in My Wardrobe” features.Sustainability is at the heart of Jess’s fashion philosophy. She advocates for quality over quantity, encouraging mindful fashion choices and inspiring her followers to embrace slow fashion.

Jennifer Wrynne @jenniferwrynne

Entrepreneur, designer, and digital creator, Jennifer Wrynne has cultivated a distinctive presence within Ireland’s fashion and lifestyle landscape, underpinned by an innate sense of elegance and attention to detail. Alongside her work in fashion, she is also a milliner and designer not to mention Mum to four young children! Beyond style, Jennifer has recently shared a deeply personal chapter of her life, navigating and overcoming breast cancer with honesty, resilience, and grace. Through this experience, she has connected with her audience on a more profound level, using her platform to raise awareness and inspire strength in others. Her content reflects a life that balances family, creativity, and modern luxury grounded in authenticity and a strong sense of self.