Judges hailed Aimee Levitt's puffball emerald green and black dress design as "very hot" for this season.

And they said the youngster's creation – the first of the 'Aimee Lou Collections' – would not have been out of place at London Fashion Week.

Aimee, from Hebden Bridge, was one of nine who won through to Saturday's finals at the White Rose Centre out of a record 1,500 entries from children aged nine to 16.

The competition was run in conjunction with the YEP.

The nine lucky youngsters' sketched designs were made into real outfits and paraded on the catwalk by professional models.

Aimee plans to use her £500 first prize of White Rose shopping vouchers to buy a tailor's dummy and cloth for her next dress designs.
She said: I want to be a fashion designer, and design and clothes not just for women but for men as well."

Aimee's mum Caroline said: "She has been interested in fashion from an early age. She is always designing things, but this is the first competition she has entered and she is thrilled to win."

Head judge, Brad Taylor, a fashion designer and stylist to stars including Catherine Zeta Jones, said: "For such a young age she is so forward thinking, her design is so different."

Judge and event organiser Mel Hurley said: "It really flowed and looked nice on the catwalk. This is very hot for this season."

Model Sarah Lucas who wore the dress on the catwalk said: "I love it – I would buy this dress, it's just so comfortable to wear. It's even more amazing that it has been designed by someone who is only 11."

Runner up Poppy Jay Palmer, from Hemsworth, designed a black and white sundress with jacket and was awarded £250 in gift vouchers.

Poppy Jay, 15, a pupil at Crofton High School, Wakefield, said: "I wanted to create a vintage Audrey Hepburn style look."

She added: "I thought they did a great job of making the dress from my design, it looked awesome."

Judge Mel Hurley said: "It was very sophisticated and a very good interpretation of today's fashion. Also, her drawing was fantastic."

The third judge was international fashion designer Colin Wolfenden.

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