As the city gears up to host its first Fashion Weekend, kicked off this Friday by fashion show Brighton Frocks, Ruth Addicott talks to some of the local designers planning to take the catwalk by storm.

RENAISSANCE
Kevin Freeman and Lisa Ducie are the designers behind Renaissance. They have a background in theatre and film design and specialise in luxury corseted gowns and feminine tailoring.

Clients include The British Library, The Royal Albert Hall and Kensington Palace.

Where do you get your inspiration?
Kevin: For the new Fallen Angels Collection for Brighton Frocks we were influenced by designer Roberto Cavalli, the Ballroom Dancing Championships in Bournemouth and the carousel on Brighton seafront.

Most challenging piece to date?
Kevin: I had to make Christopher Biggins look like a Christmas present once for a show. Then there was the leopard-skin wedding, where one of the bridesmaids was a boxer dog and I had to make him a collar and lead to match the bride. And the pagan wedding where I had to push chopsticks down the front of the bride's bodice to support the weight of her bust. Another bride wanted her beautiful silk chiffon dyed in onion skins because she didn't believe in chemical dyes.


Lisa: Outdoor events always come with problems. In April we were dressing the main stage for St George's Day in Trafalgar Square at 6.30am in torrential rain. Hanging sodden velvet is no fun. Or trying to unfurl an eight-metre wide butterfly in front of the National Gallery in high winds. Last year we produced a huge catwalk show at the Royal Albert Hall with 350 amateur models on the set of Madam Butterfly with music by the Royal Philharmonic and visuals by the BBC.

The set consisted of a water garden with wooden walkways over it.

Keeping all the models on stage, lit, dry and smiling was a challenge.

Most expensive item sold?
Lisa: A bridal gown for the Saudi market for £5,500. It was gold silk duchesse, hand embroidered with cherubs in gold strass, crystal and bugle beads. It was huge and took ages. The least expensive was a blue and yellow satin miniature boxer's outfit for a newborn baby.

It cost £60.

Favourite piece?
Kevin: The Fallen Angels Collection, complete with fabulous showgirl feathered headdresses, graphic printed detail and glittering beaded and studded detail.

Most outrageous thing ever bought?
Lisa: A silver 1970's suit jacket, very Elvis. I got it from a charity shop and wouldn't have paid more than £3 for it.


Kevin: I still have a beautiful pair of hand-tooled suede cowboy boots. They cost me a week's wages and I've never been able to wear them for more than an hour as they make my feet bleed.

Best dressed celeb?
Kevin: Zoe Ball, of course - local and we'd like to make her a frock!

Otherwise, I think Kylie is brave in that she champions new and obscure designers. Nicole Kidman always looks elegant and Sarah Jessica Parker is great in that she pulls off a quirky mix of eclectic styles that really work. I'd love to get my hands on Cat Deeley.

She's tall and beautiful but always gets put in the most awful outfits.

Worst dressed celeb?
Lisa: Tracey Emin always seems to overdo Vivienne Westwood, if that's possible.


Kevin: Amy Winehouse was great fun but now just looks grubby. I don't get the Coleen McLoughlin thing and what is Mariah Carey for?

Fashion tip?
Kevin: Wear a bra that fits. Clothes sit so much better when underwear is well cut. Houses collapse if the foundations are dodgy, so do clothes.

There are also so many well cut, affordable clothes in the high street now, it's easy to make a cheap item look expensive by simply changing the buttons. Or buy a high street jacket in a good fabric and spend a little extra having it tailored to fit. Magic!


Lisa: Have fun and dress to suit your colouring and proportion.

Favourite shop in Brighton:
Kevin: I like Rio Beach for menswear.

Women have some great outlets in Brighton - I really like Coast for eveningwear and Reiss has some interesting cuts and classic fabrics.

Biggest rave at the moment, though, is Bravissimo. We recommend them to lots of our clients. They also offer a great service to confused boyfriends and husbands, whereby the shop has a database and can advise on their partner's size and preference in lingerie (providing they have shopped there before, of course).


Lisa: I'm a big fan of TK Maxx when I can be bothered to sort through everything. Outside of that, I like to find clothes which can't be identified as coming from a particular shop.

Biggest fashion faux pas?
Kevin: An electric blue, stretch satin T-shirt with a black fishnet back and polo neck. It was £3 on the Topman sale rail and I thought it would look better on. This was about 20 years ago.


Lisa: Too numerous to mention, usually wearing something out of context.

What's going to be the next big thing?
Lisa: Denim eveningwear, denim everything, probably printed with gold horses or angel wings and worn with black feathers...

How could people in Brighton improve the way they look?
Kevin: By being a tad more honest about sizing? Wear what fits and flatters rather than sticking to one dress size across a series of outlets.

And ban leggings! In fact ban anything too short, too tight or too stretchy.

All About Me
Nicola Lokko and Sorcha Bridge are the designers behind All About Me which specialises in handmade British knitwear, bespoke leather skirts and accessories. They work with knitters and crocheters and select their wool from British sheep, supporting the British Wool Industry.

Where do you get your inspiration?
Nicola: Sunshine, teenagers and museums.


Sorcha: Vintage clothes, vintage patterns, general people watching.

Most challenging piece to date?
Nicola: I made some snowmen for Disneyland Paris once and it gave me a very bad chest as all the fibres were constantly circulating. I also stitched right through my finger and fingernail and didn't want to tell anybody as it was my first day there.

Favourite All About Me design?
Nicola: A machine-knitted hooded scarf which cost £75.


Sorcha: A hand-crocheted cape with leather buttons (£180).

Most expensive item sold?
Sorcha: A leather, four-tier ruffle skirt from £350. The least expensive were wool brooches at £16.

Best dressed celebrity?
Nicola: Kate Moss.


Sorcha: Roisin Murphy.

And the worst?
Both: Kerry Katona.

Most outrageous thing ever bought?
Nicola: Nipple tassels from Bestival.


Sorhca: Purple and gold, full-length ball gown from Oxfam. I cut it up and made it into an even more bonkers dress.

What's your fashion tip?
Nicola: Wear what suits you, not what is in fashion.


Sorcha: Have fun getting dressed, go all out, never follow fashion.

Favourite clothes shop in Brighton?
Nicola: Jello (Gardner Street) and Minky (Ship Street).


Sorcha: As above and all the charity shops on Boundary Road.

Biggest fashion faux pas?
Nicola: All-in-one purple and green Puma tracksuit when I was 13.


Sorcha: Take That T-shirts and accessories - come on, we've all made mistakes!

What's going to be the next big thing?
Nicola: One colour blocking.

How could people in Brighton improve the way they dress?
Nicola: Some people here are very well dressed but a lot try and fit in with a scene and get it really wrong.

Dolly Daisy Designs
Julia Duroe is the creator of Dolly Daisy Designs and specialises in 1950sstyle dresses with full skirts, as well as petticoats, corsets, cupcakes, frilly knickers and colourful jewellery.

Julia says her pieces are "all about dressing-up, looking gorgeous and having fun". Each garment is hand created, sometimes hand printed, and custom made to fit.

Most expensive item sold?
The most I sell a dress for is £60.

I make simple tutu skirts for £15 and my jewellery starts at £5.

Where do you get inspiration from?
Inspiration centres on the 1950s with the full skirts and masses of petticoats. Burlesque corsets, cupcakes, polka dots and pin-ups with a touch of rockabilly and punk, plus bows - lots of them.

Most outrageous thing ever bought?
A few items spring to mind. The first was a furry, multi-coloured dress I wore with a hot-pink wig, bought for £30 in High Street, Kensington about ten years ago, worn only a couple of times. The second are my furry black platform boots bought for £50 from Swear in Camden. They get worn a lot and always attract comments. I still love them.

Best dressed celebrity?
I'm not a big fan of celebrities and I don't find them very inspiring but if I had to pick someone I'd choose Dita von Teese, just because I'm always impressed when someone looks so immaculate in their dress, hair and make-up. I also like the old-style glamour. I wish I had the time and energy to look like that all the time.

Worst dressed celeb?
Where do I start..? Someone like Victoria Beckham but not just her dress, more because of her overall image. She puts across the message that we should all be skinny and gaunt.

Fashion tip?
Find what suits your body shape and don't be fooled into following every fashion trend - hotpants do not suit everyone.

Favourite clothes shop in Brighton?
I like a lot of the small independent ones down The Lanes.

Most challenging piece to date?
It was probably for my degree show when I graduated from the London College of Fashion. I screen-printed a full-size picture of a garment onto fabric which happened to have polka dots all over it and a studded belt - and I proceeded to put a silver stud on every polka dot and bigger ones on the belt.

I then added chains and everything. It took ages but the effect was amazing.

Biggest fashion faux pas?
There are loads, mainly trying to wear what doesn't suit me. Did I mention the multicoloured fur dress...?

How could people in Brighton improve the way they dress?
I like the way people in Brighton dress, compared with other places. I think people are a lot more aware of who they are, without needing to impress anyone. They are unique without following trends and I think that makes people individuals.