Twiggy designs a range for M&S

In the size-zero-shaped gap between David Beckham showing his H&M underpants last week and Twiggy launching a collection for M&S Woman this week, Suzy Menkes spoke out about celebrity fashion labels.

'As a fashion editor, I have to ask myself whether taste and style are really a match for creativity and experience? Sometimes I get mad thinking how tough it is for talented young creatives to get financing while stars are lavished because they’re already famous.'

Ahem. But Menkes did go on to admit that actually this is nothing new, even Coco Chanel used her connections to get ahead in fashion. And Mrs Lawson has turned her hand to designing before, remember Twiggy Dresses in 1967?

Anyhow. I was invited to see the Twiggy collection this week, and it's not bad. The sequin blazer caught my eye immediately and the multi-talented model's trademark, slightly androgynous look, is apparent throughout the range: tailored jackets, good quality stripey t-shirts, stretch skinny jeans and some very wearable dresses.

Monochrome skirt dress, with sleeves!

Twiggy looked and smelled fantastic (when we met, she'd just spritzed her signature perfume which will be sold in America, soon!) - not scarily plumped and stretched like practically every other celebrity over 35, but naturally pretty and good for her age. The 62-year-old told me that she's been working behind the scenes on the range, with Kate Bostock and the M&S team, for the last few years. The design process included a trip round to Twiggy's London flat to go through her wardrobe, ' Well it's very important that my clothes reflect me, and they didn't know me, so I showed them my favourite things.' How very Kate Moss.

Unlike Mary Portas, Twiggy wants her collection to be ageless, ' I hate it when you're told this is for women in their  40s, 50s, 60s. There are no rules, just taste. I wanted a range that everyone could wear. See that dress over there, my daughter would wear that...'

And Twiggy's advice for That's Not My Age readers? 'Don't get caught-up in fashion, it should be fun. Be brave. Choose new shapes and styles, as well as old favourites. We tried to make the range comfortable, stylish and affordable, which is what women want. '

What with that and the Twiggy Factor (practically everything she modelled in the 2005 ad campaign sold out) I think M&S could be onto a winner.  What do you think?


Twiggy for M&S Woman launches online, 12 April 2012.