Love the fresh red floral print?

Now take a second look.

Fashion student Sophie Roach took her inspiration not from the flower beds of high summer, but from joints of meat on a butcher's slab!

It goes to show that, when it comes to fashion, you can cut the mustard with just about anything – and it's proof of what a creative bunch they are at Chesterfield College.

Budding talent on Chesterfield's BTEC National Diploma course have just presented their end of year catwalk fashion show.

The show was part of the annual Chesterfield College Arts Festival, now a cultural highlight in the town's calendar, with a two-week programme of events including art and sculpture exhibitions, dramatic performances, hair and beauty shows.

And, as it is every year, it was yet another sell-out event at the Winding Wheel.

Among the crowd-pleasing scenes were Sophie's meaty little dresses. Cut to resemble Japanese fashions, they showed she has the talent to carve out a career in fashion.

"I'd like to study at the London College of Fashion and become a photographer or a fashion stylist," said the 17-year-old from Shirebrook.

Why cuts of meat? "I wanted people to look twice and work out what the print was really all about. And it's my way of making a statement about the meat market that modelling can become for young girls," said Sophie. She had to search for meaty images on the internet, then enlarge them and turn them into stencils to make her print. Thankfully she isn't a vegetarian!

Also showing her designs on the catwalk was BTEC Student Liz Farley from Tibshelf.

Liz is getting used to applause – recently she was selected as one of the best student designers in the country by the Annual Bridal Buyer Awards.

She beat over 160 students from across the UK to reach the final four, and was chosen to produce her floaty, lilac and ivory silk design for a special show at the British Bridal Exhibition in Harrogate. The dress formed part of Liz's final collection, Pretty Vacant.

Incredibly for something so pretty, it was inspired by punks and moths.

Past Bridal Buyer Awards winners have gone on to develop their own fashion labels, land jobs with top designers and exhibit at London Fashion Week. But despite her success, 18-year-old Liz doesn't want to create dream dresses for brides-to-be.

"Doing so well in the competition was brilliant and such a surprise. But I'd really love to be an illustrator," said Liz.

When it comes to creating good, innovative design, inspiration is key...
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