Totty Rocks ordered to pay compensation over '˜botched' dress

Nicola Sturgeon's favourite fashion designers have been ordered to pay compensation to a groom's mother in a wrangle over a botched wedding outfit.

The First Minister wears a Totty Rocks outfit. Picture: Allan Milligan

Totty Rocks was ordered to £300 pounds to Pamela Roberts today over claims the company “ruined” her dress for her son’s big day.

A sheriff became so frustrated by the feuding parties’ entrenched position that he ordered them to a side room with a mediator to discuss the case.

The Edinburgh-based boutique - which is also a favourite of TV stars Lorraine Kelly and Gok Wan, model Kate Moss and singer Sandi Thom - eventually accepted liability.

Sheriff William Wood ordered the company, which has created several outfits for the First Minister, to pay £300 but gave them nine weeks to do so after they claimed not to make much money.

Pamela Roberts, 62, alleged she had been left more than £600 out of pocket after Totty Rocks messed up crucial alterations to her dress last September.

She told a small claims action at Perth Sheriff Court that the incident had left her only three weeks to find a replacement outfit and accessories for the wedding.

She said: “The dress was given to me in a very bad state for my son’s wedding and I couldn’t wear it. It’s a complete mess.

“I am hoping to be reimbursed for the cost of the dress and all the accessories I had to buy with it.”

She said she had to purchase another dress for £175 along with a new bag, a pair of shoes and a fascinator for her hair.

Mrs Roberts, of Crieff, Perthshire, had initially asked Totty Rocks to make her a dress from scratch, but after discussions with the shop, she asked them to make a bespoke alteration to a pre-bought dress.

She bought a blue outfit and asked them to add a fabric top, beading and buttons in time for the wedding last October.

However, she claimed in court that she was unable to wear the altered dress as it had been left with holes in the back, arms that were too short, misaligned buttons and poor general finishing.

Totty Rocks were set up by designers Holly Mitchell and Lynsey Blackburn.

Outside court, Ms Blackburn said: “We provide a service every day for women from 18 to 85 years old and never in ten years have we had any dispute. It was definitely not merited in this case. If anything, we are the ones who are owed money. We were more than happy to try and resolve the issue.”