Lady Gaga paints her mark with East End Designer’ sale

THE Lady Gaga’ effect has come to London’s East End this weekend with the latest people’s catwalk’ show with top names selling off the rack with as much as 90 per cent discount at the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane

By Mike Brooke

THE 'Lady Gaga' effect has come to London's East End this weekend with the latest 'people's catwalk' show with top names selling off the rack with as much as 90 per cent discount.

Top labels up for grabs at Designer Sales UK being held today (Sat) and tomorrow at the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane include Allegra Hicks, Vivienne Westwood, Galliano and Dior for men as well as women.

Elaine Foster Gandey has been running the Designer Sales four times a year for the last 20 years, starting in Soho. She claims to have begun the first 'designer' sales to the public.

Last year she created the 'Real People' catwalk show, with customers stepping up and modelling their own choice of clothes.

Her "everyone is beautiful" sales pitch is simple and hits the mark every time.

"It's wrong that the catwalks are dominated by the tall and skinny," Elaine tells you. "Everyone who takes part gains such confidence."

She has extended the 'real people' catwalk concept this week with 'extreme' make-up by customers modelling on the catwalk having face and body 'paint' created on-the-spot by make-up artist Pamela Cochrane. It's a new trend which Pamela puts down to "probably something to do with Lady Gaga that people are going for."

The wannabe Lady Gagas include Justina with a feline look echoing the stalking patterns of her dress and Patchoulee's face all feathered to go with her peacock feather dress.