The impact was, in the words of a Montegonian who would rather remain nameless, "leggy and amazing". For the majority of females in attendance it was a veritable fashion wow.

Rosa: A creation of cotton voile double layered, dip-dyed, hand-painted rose petals

For designer Michelle Simone Clarke, her SIIM creations gave her an opportunity to create wearable art. So she opened her atelier European style and dressed eight of the country's tallest models (one gorgeous model was 6'3" minus shoes. In her heels she towered over many at an amazing 6'6") in her 2005 haute couture collection.

Juxtaposed against established and much in demand artist PJ Stewart, it was easy too for Clarke to get her wish for her work to be seen by an elite art set who would not, for the most part, have attended a fashion show.

No red dots signalled that any of the six creations had been sold, but we suspect a bidding war would have erupted had paddles been available and the threads included the leggy Saint International beauties. When the impact of the motionless mannequins had subsided, "Anthuria" had been sold and much interest expressed in designs from the House of SIIM.

This type of show, a melange of art and fashion (the first took place two years ago at Bellevue Great House in Smoky Vale) seems the path to which Clarke will now stick closely as she thrives to distinguish herself as a fashion architect of note.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World