Fashion front-runners have grand designs

"I was just so shocked. I couldn't even hear everyone clapping. It's like everything went quiet for that moment!" she says smiling.

The contemporary Design Award is a first for all - a first for Bombay Stores who launched it as part of their 40th anniversary celebrations, and a first for the talented designer who won it.

Four days after the lavish ceremony at Bradford's new wedding and conference venue, The Rio Grand, which was elaborately transformed be-fitting Bombay's expertise, (their fabrics famously created the stunning backdrop for Coronation Street's first Asian wedding), Holly is still buzzing about the occasion. Even more so when she lifts the beautiful trophy out of its presentation box, no doubt for the umpteenth time!

When we met she was smoothing down her winning design, an opulent silk and diamond embellished mini-puff ball skirted pinafore dress and accompanying cowl hood, on a mannequin standing among the creations of her competitors in the boardroom - the hub of the UK's largest Asian department store.

All the beautiful bold and striking fabrics used to create this showcase for some of the county's talented young fashion designers were sourced from the rolls of fabric displayed and neatly wrapped and stacked within the vast warehouse stretching beyond the boardroom's glazed frontage.

This behind-the-scenes operation has helped turn a corner shop into a globally-recognised brand staffed by generations of the family who are carrying on from where their founder - Abdul Kader - left off since his semi-retirement.

His children and their children have all been given the opportunity to be part of and develop a unique brand which they are now using to promote Yorkshire's young fashion designers of the future with the launch of this very special award.

Managing director Saleem Kader, son of the company's founder, understands how encouragement and determination can lead to greater things. Bombay Stores and the global brand it has become is testimony to that.

"Bombay Stores started off as a small corner shop with grand ideas. We can recognise there is so much undiscovered fashion talent out there operating on limited budgets. We want this creativity and individual innovation to be acknowledged. We now have the resources to celebrate and encourage those in the industry helping them progress to the next step of their career and showcase their designs."

Holly modestly can't believe she won but it's easy to see why her entry caught the judges' eyes. She tells me she wanted a contemporary look reflecting this season's fashion. But what sets her style apart is it isn't strikingly Eastern, nor is it solely Western. It's a perfect blend of both.

"I like things that are really different. I like things from the catwalk but toned down so you can wear them on the street," says Holly.

And her inspiration? "Westwood and Dior," she replies.

I doubt the aforementioned Dame of British fashion or Dior would be expected to spend £100 on fabrics for their creations - you certainly couldn't buy the finished garment for that without adding a few more noughts - but that was the budget Bombay gave and Holly and her fellow fashion competitors had to stick to it.

"My bill came to £99.23," says Holly proudly.

"And mine was £1 over so I had to put something back!" laughs fellow competitor and competition runner-up Amina Kayani.

The competitors are also students at Batley School of Art and Design. Speaking to them in the company boardroom with its huge leather topped table and stylish black leather chairs it's evident they've built up a great rapport. I discover their shared ambition - to launch their own labels.

The 19-year-olds tell me they've loved fashion since they were young. "When I was little I made clothes for my Barbies!" laughs Holly, from Huddersfield.

Amina discovered she had an eye for style when she began customising her clothing. "I always wanted to look different," she says pointing to the additional embellishments she's sewn on to her traditional Egyptian-style belted kimono top.

"The best thing for me is when somebody says oh wow! Where did you get that?' and I've made it myself. I like a reaction!"

From those early days spent tinkering with styles, Amina was determined to follow fashion as a career. "I've always read magazines so I've always been into it and I know what's in this season."

Amina's competition piece is a beautiful, eye-catching organza and chiffon mini-dress in striking citrus with embellishments and intricate detailing worn over orange leggings.

"I want to use Asian material to make Western clothing so both cultures can relate to it. Fashion goes round and round and it's little things you can do that make it different."

Seeing their outfits sported by models during the ceremony, the girls say, was one of the highlights of the evening. Amina compares it to what fashion designers must feel after styling A-listers for the red carpet.

"It was amazing," she says. "Normally you see the models walking up and down the catwalk but this was better because the models were sat with us wearing our designs."

The girls also mingled with some familiar faces - Bradford-born Look North presenter, Christa Ackroyd was the compere and the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Coun Robin Owens, was among special guests.

Says Amina: "I think it is really good that Bombay Stores did this because it gives us young designers the chance to showcase our work and it's brilliant they have done this."

Other students who participated in the competition were: Hafeefa Akbar, Nazbeen Asghar and Uzma Bashir from Bradford College and Nargas Hussain from Batley School of Art and Design.

The designs will be displayed in Bombay Stores throughout the coming year.

"We have had customers coming in from the colleges for years and we'd been thinking about doing this for a long time, promoting fashion and for the youth to come along and be encouraged.

"Obviously we appreciate what they do and it has been fascinating and inspirational to see our fabrics coming into these wonderful creations," concludes Saleem.