From draping her dolls and teddy bears in the frills, flounces, oversized jackets and tight leather of the New Romantics she saw on Top of the Pops as a child in the ‘80s, Linda Blissett, from Barnet, has always dreamed of being a designer.

And now she is realising that dream – having set up her own fashion textiles business last year, the former Middlesex University student is now appearing at London Fashion Week, in the Fashion’s Finest show for up and coming designers.

“I was always drawing as a kid,“ says Linda, 39, “ever since I saw the New Romantics on TV and was gobsmacked by the fashion. My mum said I was weird ever since I saw that! But it was unique and it got my little brain going and ever since then I’ve wanted to design.“

Linda got started by making herself accessories and clothes on her sewing machine when she was a teenager, and decided to make a career out of her passion, doing a B-Tech in fashion, art and design at Barnet College, and then textiles at Middlesex and textiles for fashion at Portsmouth University.

During her studies she worked at various department stores and, on graduating in 2002, worked at House of Fraser, working her way up to merchandising and a management position.

Last year she decided to set up her own business, Bliss Studio Textiles, from her studio in Wimbledon, to make and sell her handwoven scarves and accessories.

For her debut at London Fashion Week, she has created her first ever collection, which combines her weaves incorporated into accessories like scarves, bags and belts, and garments like dresses and corsets, using fabrics including chiffon, silk, lace, cotton and velvet.

The collection is inspired by another of Linda’s long-held passions, for the Pre-Raphaelites, drawing on the imagery and atmosphere of such mythic Arthurian heroines as Guinevere and Tennyson’s Lady of Shalott and making it fresh and relevant for today.

“I’ve created a lot of work for myself,“ Linda laughs, “but it’s something I’ve always dreamed about. I’m excited but very nervous at the same time – who knows what it could bring?“

  • Linda Blissett’s collection will be at Fashion’s Finest, London Fashion Week, The Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, WC2B on Saturday, September 13 at 2pm. Details: blissstudiotextiles.co.uk