Fashion: Stars turn to Yorkshire designer for the wow factor

TV presenter Ruth Langsford was one of three celebrities who made sure they dressed to impress at last night’s National Television Awards by stepping out in gowns created by Halifax designer Kevan Jon.

Ruth showed off Kevan’s striking, red, off-the-shoulder, floor-sweeping gown when she stepped onto the stage not once but twice, collecting gongs for both This Morning and Strictly Come Dancing, in which she starred last year. Her look was voted one of the top four of the night by today’s ITV Lorraine show.

Kevan told the Yorkshire Post it was the first time that he had dressed the presenter, whose stylist had approached him with a particular dress in mind. “One of out stockists had the dress that she was looking for. She tried it and loved it. The colour suited her, the style suited her. It’s one of our best-selling classic dresses. We’ve actually dressed brides in that dress in cream. A local girl from Huddersfield had it in ice pink for her wedding last November.

“It suits women, as in shapely women, and it suits a whole range of ages.”

The dress in question is the Kyoto Ball Dress, £345, and it is available online from stockists at Kevanjon.com. In Yorkshire, Kevan Jon’s collection is stocked at Accent in Leeds and Chique near Doncaster.

Kevan also dressed Coronation Street’s Jennie McAlpine, who is already a fan of his label. Last night she wore his Kyoto Wrap Pencil Dress in violet. “I said, the pantone colour of the year is ultra-violet and we’ve got a new dress going into stores in February that nobody has seen yet, and you’ll be the first to wear it,” said Kevan. The £265 will be with stockists on February 7.

Actress Lisa Faulkner also wore a Kevan Jon dress, but was unable to make the awards because a taxi failed to arrive on time to take her and partner John Torode to the event. Instead she posted a picture from her kitchen, all dressed up with nowhere to go, wearing Kevan Jon’s Sian pencil dress in black with red back detail.

Kevan, who launched his label 26 years ago, specialises in glamorous but wearable special occasion fashion – always with a twist that gives every creation an edge. His creations regularly guest on the red carpets, with clients including Loose Woman presenter and former Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati and Emmerdale’s Lucy Pargeter, plus lists of loyal, long-standing customers who rely on him to keep coming up with beautiful and striking new designs, season after season.

Born in South Africa and raised in Huddersfield, Kevan began his training at Batley College of Art & Design, then went to Epsom School of Art and Design in Surrey. After graduating in 1991, he launched his first collection at the London Show in September 1992. He designs all his clothes in Halifax.

“I love dressing women that feel comfortable, elegant, sophisticated, chic, classic. The feedback that we get is unbelievable, how women do feel in our dresses, and that’s what we aim to do.”

Kevan launches his autumn and winter 2018 collection on February 10 to buyers at Pure in London.

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