A FAMOUS fashion designer is to give a Darlington student a taste of the industry.

Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College student Alison Bolton has been offered work experience with fashion icon Zandra Rhodes.

Alison, 18, will work in the London fashion house between August 15 and 31. The A-level student from Manfield, near Darlington, will be in London when she learns the results of her examinations.

She is hoping to do well in her A-levels in art, theatre studies, general studies and A/S levels in performing arts.

If she is successful, Alison will spend another year at the sixth form college on the pre-degree BTEC Art Foundation Course.

She hopes to go on to win a place at St Martin's College, in London, to study fashion and print.

She said: "It's a good job I can be cheeky at times. I just rang the fashion house up and asked to speak to Zandra Rhodes. Normally, she only takes post graduates for work experience but, talking about my work, I managed to persuade her to give me a chance."

Alison's own work has been influenced by the designs of Zandra Rhodes and Alexander McQueen.

She said: "I want to see how much you can use print and fashion together.

"It's an incredible opportunity. Zandra Rhodes is an amazing artist, and I've got a great deal of respect for her.

"I hope to learn a lot. I'm confident and I don't get star struck."