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Irene Wadsworth turned to Tartan when designing clothes for a fashion show at the Arches in Glasgow in 2002, thinking it would be a one-off. But five years later her striking red Royal Steweart range of corsets, skirts and trousers is still selling like hotcakes.

Irene, who runs Impractical Clothes from her home in Edinburgh, says she was overwhelmed by the popularity of the range that she created for the urban punk-themed Intervention fashion show.

"I didn't expect the customers to go for it that much, but it was amazing. They went nuts for it," she says. "Since then, I've developoed many more designs of my own to add to the range, but I'm still known to many people as 'the tartan lady' and they keep coming back for tartan."

Impractical CLothes is now a thriving business, specialising in glamorous, one-off garments for big occasions such as weddings and balls.

Irene uses quintessential Scottish fabrics such as tartans and tweeds and gives them contemproary twist that is tailored to the needs of each customer.

Her designs range from Baroque to rock with bustles and bustiers designed to make every customer look and feel like a million dollars.

Clients can choose from one of Irene's own designs, which will be tailored to a perfect fit, or let their imaginations run riot and suggest their own ideas which

Irene will bring to life to create their dream dress.

Among her clients are the band, Divine Divas, who are getting specially-made skirts, trousers and corsets, and a lady in Qatar who wants a tartan corset for a St. Andrew's Night ball.

She has also made corsets for showgirls from a popular Vegas nightclub, a special one-off corset for actress Nicole Ansari when she married Scottish actor Brian Cox this year, and has had her work shown at Tartan Week in New York.

Off-the-peg corsets sell for between £100 and £120 with one-off items costing more, while bustle skirts range from £120 to £200.

Explaining the appeal of tartan, Irene says: "It is very feminine, very glamorous and very flattering to a woman's curves. tartan is absolutely wonderful for corsets.

"If you cut it the right way, it can be very slimming and can make the waist look very small.

"I make clothes that fit women and flatter them. If you go to a chain store, you are hidebouond by what they have to offer, which may be fashionable, but doesn't necessarily suit you.

"I can tailor my designs to suit the individual, rather than ram her into something which doesn't suit her."

Why the name Impractical Clothes?

"These are not clothes for lounging around the house in," Irene says. "They demand to be taken out and shown a good time!"