Holly's collection, which was showcased in the uber cool Urbis museum in Manchester, is compiled of an eclectic range of fabrics from various types of silk, stretch satins, pig suede leather and flesh coloured sequinned chiffon that gives a shiny second skin effect to the body. Keeping in with the Autumn/Winter 09/10 trends, extravagant and exaggerated shoulders are a key theme of Holly's designs. Although it's not the usual padded or puffed shoulders, featured by many of the mainstream designers this season, that make the shoulders on Holly's designs stand out, but hair extensions and beetle-wings.

Beetle-wings may not sound the most glamorous of materials, but these strangely beautiful wings were imported from Tokyo and project an iridescent supernatural sheen of electric blues and metallic greens that glisten over the shoulders and sleeves. In addition to the ‘back to nature' theme there are also futuristic and scientific influences in Holly's work.

‘I worked with an American astronomer, Robert Gendler, to source galaxy images that I then adapted into digital prints. I wanted to mimic textures and patterns that are found in the Universe.'

Listing Christopher Kane, Gareth Pugh and Hannah Marshall as designers she admires, Holly states she's always had an interest in fashion and style. Even when the designer was young she spent most of her time adapting clothes to create an individual and fresh style. It now seems that all her hard work has paid off; Holly starts an exciting placement with the design team at Topshop in November and then hopes to secure a placement with her designer idol Christopher Kane. Next year she wishes to study for an MA in Fashion, Womenswear and ultimately design her own label in the future. Good luck Holly!

‘I am a very ambitious person and have always known what I wanted to do and that has always been fashion.'

You can contact the designer on holly.russell@hotmail.co.uk

Words by Sophie Gardner