Damsels On A Catwalk

“Girls, hurry up!”  Madame Delacy hurried around the dressing room, adjusting her model’s outfits and checking they had all the accessories in place.  “Shirley, you should have a bronze scarf with that dress.  Change it, please.”

“Oh, really?  Sorry about that.”  Shirley quickly changed the scarf and went to stand by the catwalk entrance, tweaking aside the curtain so she could see the audience.  “Oh wow!  Full house tonight!”

“Yes, including a lot of the fashion industry’s main buyers.”  Madame Delacy replied as she fixed a decorated comb into Ruth’s auburn curls.  “Okay Ruth, you’re ready.  Bunty, what are you doing with that jacket?  Here, let me straighten it.”

“I can’t find my bag!”  Erica called out as she searched frantically through a box of handbags.  “I had it ten minutes ago.  Can anyone see it; the blue one with the gold buckle.”

“It’s here.”  Ida threw it across the room, earning a disapproving look from Madame; the bag was worth a lot of money and the designer would have been furious as the way it was handled.  “Sorry, Madame Delacy.  Um, how much longer do we have?”

“We’re about to start!”  Shirley had been watching the stage while the other girls were applying the finishing touches to their outfits and had seen the announcer heading for his podium.

“Okay girls, you’re ready.  Now remember, big smiles and hold the poses like we rehearsed, so that the photographers can get the most flattering shots.”  Madame Delacy smiled at her girls.  “This will be the best Spring collection for years!”

“Here goes!”  Shirley stepped forward on cue, into a world of music and flashing lights.

---

Two weeks later

“Stuart, have you seen this?”  Edgar Trevallen slammed the newspaper down on his assistant’s desk.  “Fashion for the rich and famous!”

Stuart scanned through the article, while Edgar stomped around the office impatiently.

“I don’t understand why you’re so upset.  The collection was well received by the fashion critics and press.  The outfits were meant to be luxurious and several leading actresses have been snapped wearing our outfits.”

“The expensive chains will buy them but the high street retailers aren’t selling them; customers think they’re too pricey for anything other than special occasions.”  Edgar groaned.  “All my designers work the high end of the retail market and with the current financial climate, we need something suitable for the more modest spenders.  Can’t any of them think about something suitable to be worn every day?”

“Well, if you’re looking for compromise style for affordability, what about checking out this new designer.  She’s trying to make a name for herself with a range suitable for ‘damsels’, so it says in her letter.” Stuart snorted scathingly.  

“Call her; set up a meeting and we’ll see what she can do.”  Edgar beamed suddenly.  

“Seriously?”  Stuart scowled.  “I was joking!”

“Yes, seriously.  Perhaps this undiscovered talent will rescue the situation, perhaps not, but there’s no harm in meeting her.”

---

“…so you see, there are so many young ladies these days that become amateur detectives; some have turned that amateur hobby into a profession and others just have a habit of getting into trouble, though the job they do or the places they frequent.”  Jessica Fairbanks sat back in her chair, her long blond hair curling around her shoulders.  “I aim to cater for these girls, who need hard wearing, comfortable and practical outfits for when they are working but still want to look good, whatever the situation.”

“Hmm, seems like rather a niche market, my dear.”  Edgar studied the girl in front of him, her deep blue eyes shone with enthusiasm and she was obviously a designer who was going places.  “But you definitely have potential here.”

“And of course, my clothing range would be suitable for everyone, not just damsels likely to be in distress.”  Jessica grinned.  “It would appeal to so many people, especially as my designs won’t break the bank.”

Edgar smiled broadly.  “Miss Fairbanks, you’ve convinced me.  I want to put your designs into a special collection fashion show in May.  Can you be ready in time?  You’ll have use of my team of manufacturers and models, to use as you see fit.”

“Absolutely!”  Jessica stood up and shook Edgar’s hand.  “I’ll get to work right away!”

---

“Welcome to a very special show, dedicated to all those young ladies who enjoy snooping and sleuthing!”  Bernard Griffiths glanced at the notes in front of him as the music started.  “We have several ranges of clothing to show you, so sit back, relax and enjoy!”

Bunty and Erica appeared from behind a curtain and walked slowly to the end of the catwalk, stopping to pose for the photographers.

“Here we have Bunty, looking resplendent in a simple, navy trouser suit and white blouse, while Erica wears the skirted version, in light grey.  This design, perfect for office managers and secretarial staff alike, it gives you the style and elegance you need, but at a very reasonable price.”

The girls turned and headed back up the catwalk, as Shirley and Ruth moved gracefully down the catwalk.  Bernard glanced at them as he began to speak.

“Now, Shirley is wearing a gorgeous, full length sun dress with a floral print, with chic wedge sandals.  This will keep you cool on the beach and looking fabulous!”  Bernard paused as the girls changed position.  “As you can see, the dress also comes in a much shorter length, are there are several prints available to choose from.  Doesn’t Ruth look lovely in the mini-dress beach print version?  Again, this range is very affordable and set to become the latest trend.”

The girls turned back up the catwalk, rolling their eyes, which was seen by Madame Delacy as they took their places.  She hissed her disapproval but was shushed by Jessica, who was watching with a frown on her face.

“I need to speak to Edgar; this is not going how I envisioned it at all.”  Jessica watched as another set of models set out.  “Bernard is just waffling, the audience will be put to sleep.”

“My dear, this is how we do a fashion show!”  Madame Delacy stated, shocked at Jessica’s opinion.  “We’ve been running these shows for many years and know how to make it look professional.”

“This approach is the same as all the other fashion houses; it won’t work for my designs.  The whole point of them has been missed.”  Jessica sighed and left the dressing room, thankful that this was just the dress rehearsal.  Maybe there was still time to fix this.

She found Edgar watching the rehearsal from the auditorium.  He waved her over and shook his head as she sat down.

“I know what you’re going to say, Jessica.  This isn’t what you wanted, is it.”

“No, far from it.  I don’t think your production team has any idea what I’m trying to do.  Madame Delacy just said that this is how things are done.”  Jessica bit her lip.  “I’m sorry, I know she’s been on your staff for many years but it’s like she’s twenty years in the past.”

“I agree, my team needs to start living in the modern world.  Tell me what you want to see and I’ll arrange it.”

Jessica quickly outlined her plans for the show.  Edgar nodded his approval and with a mischievous grin, led the way backstage.

---

“I won’t do it!”  Bernard fumed.  “It’s the most ridiculous think I’ve ever heard!”

“I agree with Bernard!”  Madame Delacy complained.  “Don’t expect my girls to join in with your plans either.  Isn’t that right, girls?”

“Well, actually….we want to do it!”  Bunty and Shirley had sounded out all the models and, with the promise of extra pay, all the girls had quickly accepted.  “Sorry Madame, but we think this could be fun.”

“Well, you can do it without my help!”  Madame Delacy stormed off, with Bernard following.

“Right, that’s got rid of those two!”  Edgar was enjoying himself hugely.  “Okay ladies, Jessica is in charge of the show now.  Let’s get ready!”

---

The audience were taking their seats when the music began.  Edgar walked up to the podium and introduced Jessica, who took his place, ready to comment on her designs.  She saw the signal that the first girls were ready and smiled at her audience.

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen of the fashion industry, the press and of course, to our lovely damsels who are here by special invitation.  I have designed a clothing range which should suit everyone in the target range, while being easy on everyone’s purses; but especially the clothing was designed with plucky damsels in mind.”

“Fed up of clothing being ruined when you’re out snooping?  Want to avoid those rope marks on your skin?  Take a look at our first models.”

Shirley and Ruth set off down the catwalk, to gasps from the audience.  Both girls had their wrists bound behind their backs with white rope.  Their ankles had been tied too, but with enough slack to let them slowly walk to the front of the catwalk and posed for the press, who were eagerly snapping pictures.

“Shirley is wearing dark blue jeans, tailored to flatter the curves of today’s women. They have been pared with a red hoodie, warm and comfortable.  Both pieces are thick enough to prevent rope burn and are made from hardwearing materiel so they’ll last a long time; a must if you spend your time snooping around old abandoned warehouses or chasing crooks!”

“Ruth is wearing black leggings, a soft material which is comfortable and less restrictive then denim, yet still provides protection from rope, and indeed tape bindings.  Her long sleeved sweatshirt comes in various colours and will keep out the chill while protecting her arms.”

The two models moved slowly to the side of the stage as the next two began their trip down the catwalk.

“Work in an office?  Want to look more professional than amateur?”  Jessica grinned as the audience sat forward in their seats.  Having got over the shock of seeing the first tied up models, they looked excited.  Several of the specially invited amateur detectives were taking notes and smiling.

“Bunty and Erica are showing off the office ensemble, a chic set of mix and match suits perfect for secretaries to managers!  These elegant, wrinkle resistant fabrics will look great in any setting, including being tied up while some villain steals your company secrets; the jackets can be worn with skirts or trousers and again, they come in several colours.  I also have a wide range of blouses, as our lovely ladies are demonstrating.”

Both girls were tied the same as the previous models, white ropes a sharp contrast to the darker materiel of the suits.  They took their places on stage, as the next girls arrived.

“Of course, if you’re out and about late at night, you need something practical to wear, to hold your phone, notebook, torch and other, oh so useful, items that might be needed if you’re caught while snooping.  Ida is wearing a deep purple jumpsuit, full off handy pockets within easy reach, while the lovely Noelle is wearing burgundy cargo pants and a black leather jacket.  She also carries a rucksack, again with plenty of spaces to tuck away all your snooping supplies.”

Jessica paused while the last two girls appeared, one wearing cheerfully coloured trousers and a long-sleeved t-shirt, the other in a floral print dress.  Like all the other models, they had been bound hand and foot and they made their way up the catwalk, grinning happily.

“Of course, you don’t have to wear dark colours if you’re out and about.  Indeed, sometimes a splash of colour is called for.  You may not even be out on business but get caught up in a situation, but by wearing these clothes, you know you’ll be comfortable and well protected, while you wait for rescue or escape.  And of course, you’ll look simply fabulous!”

With all the girls stood on stage and he audience clapping, Jessica signalled the guys that were waiting.  They rushed on stage, all wearing black trousers and shirts, and, amid gasps and a few surprised yelps from the audience, moved to stand behind the models.

“Ah yes; ladies, you all know how important it is to accessorise properly.  We have a wide range of gloves, handbags, boots and shoes, all of which will be available for you to view close up at the end of the show.  However, I would like to draw your attention to the wonderful range of scarves on offer, in a variety of colours and styles, as being demonstrated by our guest villains!”

As Jessica spoke, the men pulled out a rainbow of coloured scarves, rolled them into a long band and quickly cleave gagged their chosen model.  The colours had been carefully chosen to compliment the outfits and Jessica smiled at a job well done, as the ‘villains’ picked up their model into a classic rescue lift and escorted them off the stage.

“And there we have it, ladies and gentlemen.  This was our amateur and professional range.  But of course, every damsel needs some downtime and so, after a short break, we will be pleased to present our leisurewear collection.  If you would like to make your way to the room next door, refreshments are being served.”

---

Two weeks later

“Simply amazing!”  Edgar was reading the reviews and comments from the fashion show.  “Jessica, you’re gonna be a star!  Look at this; production can’t keep up with the supplier’s demands, mail order companies are reporting this to be the best selling clothing line in years.”  Edgar handed Jessica a glass of champagne to celebrate.  “You’ve been a breath of fresh air.  Would you come and work for me full time?”

“Edgar, I think this is the start of something huge.  How could I say no?”  Jessica laughed.  “Now, if you have a few minutes, I’ve a few ideas on how we could expand the line further….”