With a couple of hours spare and not a stitch to wear to the Outburst prom I managed to dive out and pick up some bin liners before the shops closed. I wanted black but could only get this striking shade of blue, a lucky turn me thinks.
Settling in to make a start on the dress I noticed my mother hovering, albeit hunched over and wacked from her medication. My mum used to love to sew but now suffering advanced Parkinson's disease she sadly had to let that talent, along with many more creative pursuits, slip.
However, as I laid out the plastic bags a very interesting thing happened. Mum transformed from this crippled old lady to the commanding dress designer extraordinaire of old. Take away the sewing machine, fabric and pins, replace them with sticky tape, scissors and an assistant, my partner Pip, and Mai Hughes is a force.
This most wonderful of collaborations I've experienced also reminded me how utterly spoilt a child I was to have her as my personal seamstress. The only issue, Mum wasn't pleased that her hair hadn't been set for the shoot.
Documented by the talented Anya Van Lit anyavanlit.com/ who could also be seen making some modesty prevailing repairs throughout the night.