Shoemaker to stars steps out at Palacefor OBE honouring services to fashion

Celebrity shoemaker Tamara Mellon, founder and chief creative officer of Jimmy Choo, has received an OBE for services to the fashion industry.

Dressed in a figure-hugging black polka dot Dolce and Gabbana dress and wearing stiletto heeled shoes made by her company, the businesswoman said she was delighted.

She added: “Some of the younger royals do wear Jimmy Choo. I founded the business in 1996 and we became so successful because we have innovative design and quality.”

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World renowned artist Paula Rego was made a Dame Commander and described the honour as a “wonderful experience”.

The Portugal-born painter has been creating her magical pictures based on her childhood memories and fairytales for more than 50 years.

Her works now sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds and are in collections owned by famous names like Charles Saatchi and Madonna.

The artist is judged by some as Britain’s greatest living female painter.

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Professor Brian Cox, who first found fame as the keyboard player with 1990s pop group D:Ream received an OBE for services to science.

Since leaving pop stardom behind he has become a popular presenter of factual programmes and is a professor of particle physics at the University of Manchester.

The physicist has become a popular television figure and has presented a number of Horizon documentaries, but he said it was important for academics to be “visible” in order to promote their discipline.

He added: “In general, science is clearly part of the future of the country. So it needs to be seen as something that kids want to do, it needs to be seen as a career that you can attain.”

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Actress Vicki Michelle, 59, best known as Yvette in the hit BBC series Allo Allo, was presented with an MBE for her charity work during the ceremony.

She is a patron of the Dream Factory, which grants “wishes” to terminally-ill youngsters, and president of the Essex Region of The Lady Taverners.