Fiona McCade: It's perfect news for the woman-about-Milletts

Published on Monday 25 May 2009 18:59

ALTHOUGH I can scrub up quite nicely and am pathetically grateful for any opportunity to look even vaguely glam, if I'm being honest I'd probably describe my personal fashion style as "Liam Gallagher meets medieval peasant".

Most of the time I'm not really trying, so I live in long-sleeved T-shirts, zip-front tops, utility trews and pull-on shoes. Fleece and Velcro loom large in my existence. It's a bit sad, but it all goes in at 40 degrees and what can I say? The three-year-old can't destroy it.

I've certainly never considered myself to be a model of modishness, but my early-Oasis look might be about to take the world by storm again, for the second time in 15 years. Liam Gallagher himself, the physical embodiment of the 1990s, launches his own fashion label next week, and on the back of it, I'm looking forward to being vaguely hip again.

Liam's certainly enthusiastic about his new venture, which he's called Pretty Green. "Clothes and music are my passion," he says, which is surprising, because I thought his passion was pretending to be John Lennon. "I'm not here to rip anyone off and I'm not doing it for the money either. I'm doing it cuz there's a lack of stuff out there of the things I would wear."

Well, that's not strictly true, Liam, love. There's loads of stuff out there you could wear. I should know, I've been buying it and if you want a tip, get yourself down to Millets. It's absolutely us.

But I'm just glad that, finally, a rock star with some sort of wearable style is putting out a collection. Every bleedin' year, some overhyped pop poseur unveils rails full of tat and we're all supposed to applaud, as though the mere fact of being able to hold a note automatically means you've got fashion sense.

Why would I want to look like someone just because they can sing? I don't remember Pavarotti trying to shift tuxedos and a luxury handkerchief range, but these days it feels like every X Factor failure's got their own ready-to-wear label.

Notable recent choral couturiers include Madonna – whose clothes for H&M looked like they'd been specifically designed for Elizabeth Hurley in a spy movie – and Lily Allen, who put out a collection of prom dresses for New Look which really only looked good on people who were under 18 and under eight stone. A demographic which, in a nice twist of irony, didn't include Lily. Gwen Stefani, JLo and Kelly Osborne are among the many that have also tried, but none of their stuff registered on my radar.

I hate to admit it, but I liked what Victoria Beckham did – possibly because it was Roland Mouret for beginners – but still, I couldn't afford it. If it weren't for Liam, I'd be waiting for the Susan Boyle Collection to get me some real rock chic.

Even Katy Perry – who always looks like she's the love child of Dita Von Teese and the Man from Del Monte – is bringing out a fashion line. I honestly don't know if there's a market out there for Hello Kitty corsets and fruit-fetish-wear, but I think it's sad that the trend for letting pop stars run riot in the haberdasher's has come so late in the day. The present generation isn't up to much when compared with the great style icons of the past.

Take the Beatles, for instance. Their look was always cutting-edge, but also constantly evolving and totally innovative.

In seven short years they tried just about everything, from sharp, Pierre Cardin-type suits to kaftans, Victorian militaria, and invented the corduroy boot along the way. John Lennon was the first man to wear a sporran with irony. As masters of both invention and re-invention, the Beatles make Madonna look like Queen Victoria.

If only performers had been asked to create clothing ranges in the past; I bet they'd have come up with some amazing stuff. Abba would have produced some stunning sateen knickerbockers and who wouldn't want a leotard designed by Kate Bush?

I'd also love to see Elton John do a collection – just a line of designer wigs and spectacles would do. I still don't understand why Specsavers haven't signed him up.

But sequins, spangles and Spandex are wasted on me. I'll settle for no-frills-meets-natural-fibres, so I've got high hopes for Pretty Green.

This first collection is only meant for men, but I've never shied away from unisex tailoring, so if Liam ever needs to shift any Extra Small stock, I'll be more than happy to take it off his hands.