Recession chic

YOU could be forgiven for doing a double take when you go into Mimi, the dress agency which has just opened up in Barnard Castle, Teesdale.

There behind the counter is a stylish woman looking at a handbag and some good-as-new clothes with a customer.

And over there is another stylish woman, sorting out the chic and funky fashions on the rails.

And they both look exactly the same.

These are twins Gill Ashman from Staindrop and Maureen Hall from Ingleton and while there’s no doubting the mirror image, Maureen – who’s wearing a sassy purple, animal print coat – says they both have their own individual styles.

I veer towards the hippy, the Gothic, the medieval, while Gill’s tastes are much more classic,” she says.

“I’ve got a thing about handbags and shoes, a bit Imelda Marcos. I love Jordache; my sister’s favourite label is Dior. So we are very different, but the two sides complement each other.”

Which comes in very handy now they’ve gone into business together.

The twins, now 50, have both been lecturers in the arts at East Durham and Houghall College and have always been interested in fashion and design, so opening a dress agency on home turf seemed a logical step. The location is the Horsemarket in Barnard Castle, and the timing couldn’t be better. “The main street has been suffering a bit with Woolies and other shops closing, so people are happy to see something new opening,” says Maureen.

There’s no doubt they are an asset.

The window of the former ice cream parlour is full of tempting party dresses, bags and shoes, all at fantastic prices. “As an agency, we are determined to be selective – we are not a junk shop – and we are determined to keep up standards,” says Maureen.

The boutique will take labels from top high street stores and classic designers, from Principles to Gucci, Jaeger to Dolce and Gabbana. Nothing is more than two years old, profits are split 50/50 between the shop and the customer and if they don’t sell in six weeks, the clothes are handed back.

This is perfect recession chic.

“How many of us can honestly say we haven’t bought something for an occasion and then never worn it again?” asks Maureen.

Because Mimi is an agency, everything is one-off. If your size isn’t there, tough luck. The fun is to rummage through the rails on a regular basis and keep your fingers crossed that someone has just brought in something special.

There’s a second string to the twins’ business that also highlights their creative side: themed costume.

“We’ve got 700 costumes stored in a barn at the moment and we’re going to have a flat screen in the shop so people can scroll through and choose whatever they fancy. We can cater for historical and theatrical” – everything from Abelard to Abba, in fact – “and we will also be on hand for the Shakespearean plays at the Bowes Museum.”

In the changing room, two costumes are hanging up waiting to be tried on: the first is an Abba all-inone with flared trousers, original vertiginous Seventies platform boots and Stephanie wig; the second an original German uniform for a murder mystery night.

As if on cue, the would-be German marches in and disappears into the fitting room to try on his uniform.

Out front, at the counter, another customer proffers some animal print oufits for sale.

“My sister loves animal prints,”

says Maureen. “Everything she has, even the glasses. She wears them all the time.”