Feature

In the depths of Portobello Market, beyond the antiques and hustle bustle of the fruit and veg stalls, lies a world of fashion just waiting to be explored. Everywhere you look there are colourful, customised and innovative items, one-off buys that make your party outfit stand out from the run of the mill "Topshop Totties" flooding the dance floor in most clubs today.

The obvious originality of the designers at Portobello Market has not gone unnoticed by the fashion world either. In fact it can be a great place to rub shoulders with some of the big names in fashion design. One person who knows this is stallholder Selena Francis-Bryden, who ran into fame by mistake and nearly missed it!

27-year-old Selena has held a stall at Portobello Market for nearly 9 years now, starting off just selling secondhand, vintage clothes. However, she soon started her own label, "FrannyB", customising clothes from charity shops and antiques markets. Her speciality is customising vintage fur coats - turning them inside out and painting motifs on the suede. One thing that might shock a lot of her customers is that the fashionable mum of two doesn’t even have any fashion background! "I can’t even sew!" she admits. "If I can’t tie, button or pin it together I just fray it. It works for me!"

Selena still remembers the day that changed her life. It was London Fashion Week and just pure chance that she was working. Usually only opening the stall on a Saturday, she decided to open on Friday as well, in hope of some extra business. The day was going pretty slowly until, a "larger than life character with bright red hair and a matching outfit" came bouncing through the marketplace.

"I had no idea who she was but I knew she was a somebody", recalls Selena. She went straight for the fur coats that Selena is renowned for - a size 14 with two 20’s flapper girls painted on the back. "I love it, I’ll have it" squawked the croaky American. Since the coat had been on the stall for 2 months, Selena was desperate to sell it - letting it go for just £80. It wasn’t until after she had walked away that Selena’s friend bounded over to her to inform her she had just sold a coat to Patricia Field - stylist for Sex and the City! Understandingly gobsmacked, she phoned all of her friends to tell them the exciting news, but thought nothing more of it.

That was until fame came calling again. Two months later whilst doing some more customising at home, she received a call from Molly Rogers, assistant stylist for Sex and the City. "She was calling from New York to let me know my coat had been used in the promotional shots for the final series", remembers Selena. "I was so excited I could hardly breathe. Not only was my coat being used to promote one of the most stylish shows on TV, but Sarah Jessica Parker had worn it!"

And that’s not Selena’s only brush with fame. She can now add Dolce & Gabbana to the list of owners of her now infamous "FrannyB coat" - and not just one, but four! One of Selena’s favourite designers, Paul Smith, is also a regular face at her stall and has bought several items from her customised clothing range. "He’s lovely - he gave me a shoulder massage when I was pregnant!"

Selena has remained down to earth and unfazed throughout her brush with fame, but still dreams of what the future may hold. "I’d like to stock my label in a few more UK boutiques and it’d be great if someone offered me a job as a fashion designer." With talent that attracts the gaze of some of the most important people in the industry, you can be sure she won’t have to dream for too long.


Franny B
opposite Fallafal King
Portobello Road

or call Selina on 07958 611428  

Verity Burns, MyVillage, 10th December