In 1994, Ridley Scott and his wife Donna were awestruck by the work of a Brighton costume designer.

The Hollywood director asked Jools Elphick if she wanted to help with a project he was working on.

With young twin boys taking up most of her time, she declined.

Jools, who has a workshop in Kemp Town, includes actress Cher and Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr among her clients.

More recently, Brighton's Working Links gave her the confidence and practical financial support to relaunch her business.

The Brighton, Hove and Lewes Enterprise Agency's support service helped her to make a successful return to business with a new company, Design for the Theatre of Life.

Jools said: "I have been down the road of manufacturing before and my head-dresses were in danger of becoming simply hats.

"This time, I intend to fully explore their theatrical nature with a view to working more in films, theatre and television."

To launch the Theatre of Life project, she aims to create an interactive exhibition of enormous knitted creations at the Tate Modern in London, preceded by an event in Brighton.

This will bring head-dresses, old and new, together under one roof, giving the public a chance to see them as individual works of art.

She draws her inspiration from different cultures around the world and from history. Each piece is unique, using extraordinary and rare materials from farflung shores.

Jools is looking for experienced machine knitters to help prepare pieces for the exhibition.

She can be contacted on 01273 628307.