Raising for the Macmillan Cancer Support, the Usual Suspects Hair Salon put on a fashion and hair gala with local design talent at Digital Club. With such distinguished guests such as the Mayor the night was a huge success.

T. Elaine Saunders, also known in Burlesque circles as Therese La Tease, sauntered down the catwalk with raunchy elegance. Wearing a halter neck corset in gold threaded tweed and a bias cut fishtail skirt in bronze liquid satin she whipped the audience into a veritable frenzy. Elaine is one of my favourite models, she has an aura of total class about her, which was specifically need to carry off this oufit. We came up with a character for this outfit...a feisty, naughty lady of the manor, truely eccentric with an air of dominatrix about her. I had shown each of my beautiful models the layout of the club earlier and instructed them to simply do their thing on stage, to take their time and make my clothes look good. I was so pleased when I watched Elain walk onto the stage. There is always a feeling of great anticipation for a designer just before their models goes on, and mine was of jubilation.

As Elaine was finishing her walk, with her riding crop under her bosom and snarling at the audience Chloe Williams came on stage wearing an all black number which had been only a bit of flat fabric the day before! Chloe's style is of youthful sass, and she played with the audience cheekily. Her skirt and corset evening combination was all black, the skirt in sequinned taffeta was bell shaped and made that lovely rustling noise with it's net underskirts. The corset, in scroll brocade was trimmed with satin ribbon, ostrich feather and beaded and sequinned lace. For this outfit I really wanted the drama to be in the play of light on the textures of the details.

Lastly and most dramatically Arwen Matthews used her formal acting talent and incredible sass to wear a glorious gown inspired by Marie Antoinette. Dressed in a side bustled skirt and corset of ivory duchesse satin with a six foot peacock feather train. This outfit has gone through some serious re-designing in the week running up to the show. Originally I wanted this to be more dramtic, and in red and white, but a fortuitoius run in with a previous client mant that I got to borrow back the peacock feather train I had made over a year ago. So Marie-Antoinette changed into a peacock. Funny that.

And did she ever! Arwen totally embodied the idea of the outfit, and haughtily sneered her way down the catwalk lie the queen she is! With only a fleeting rehersal on a stairwell Arwen strutted and posed to perfection what had only been in my mind til then. And although in the dressing room Arwens outfit, toppd with full-on Marie Antoinete wig had caused several giggles the resulting reaction on the catwalk was all worth the effort we had all put in.
Image by Tim C Richardson: