Lucie's new designs on lingerie

Lucie's final catwalk collection at university revisited the early 1990's grunge look

Lucie Anderton from Clitheroe is starting an exciting career as a lingerie designer after graduating this summer.

Lucie designed garments for her final assignment on her degree course on the theme of "Dirty Pretty Thing", inspired by natural colours and textures.

Fabrics such as silk satin, chiffon and dupion sit alongside metallic fastenings and trims in her collection.

"Sexiness is no longer at odds with comfort and practicality," she says.

Lucie studied the Contour Fashion course at De Montfort University in Leicester, a specialist course that focuses on lingerie, swimwear, corsetry, sportswear and bodywear and is the only course of its kind in Europe. It is highly technical as well as focussed on design.

"I have really enjoyed the combination of disciplines. The course has been such hard work and long hours but it was worth is to see my final collection on the catwalk and to get a first class honours degree," explains Lucie.

Her final catwalk collection at university revisited the early 1990's grunge look, developing it into a new glamorous and edgy take on the original by using soft fabrics such as silk satin and chiffon, with cotton tulle mesh and metallic fastenings and trims.

Organic and urban

She combined the grey structural aesthetics of urban landscape with the fresh green free flowing essence of the natural world.

"I chose to use the colour theme of chartreuse green, khaki, taupe and mushroom grey with accents of antique gold and neutral, to accentuate the conflicts between organic and urban forms."

"A lot of time and dedication goes into the making of a collection, so it was really rewarding to see my final work get such a good reaction at the catwalk show."

Badly fitting bras can cause a range of health problems Lucie Anderton

Since graduating Lucie has employed as a junior designer at Quantum Lingerie which is a supplier for Marks & Spencer.

"Is is the first step on the ladder. I realise how lucky I am to get a job doing what I've trained in, given the current economic climate. My current role focuses my time on creating computer illustrations, assisting the designers.

"I feel I am gaining real insight into the industry. From past work experience placements, I feel I would like to design for a brand. But I am looking forward to any opportunities that may arise."

So what are Lucie's top lingerie tips?

"It is important to remember that different styles of bras and different brands fit differently, which means that you are not always the same size.

"The most common fitting mistake is that women wear bras that are too big round the band and too small in the cup. You can see this by the underband riding up at the back, straps digging in on the shoulders and the wire resting on breast tissue at the sides.

"Women should always get fitted by a professional. Badly fitting bras can cause a range of health problems such as bad backs, breathing problems and bad posture. This needs to be done on a regular basis as your size can fluctuate often."