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Why Monton’s at the heart of A-list style

Emma Fitzgerald
7/12/2006

IT might be a far cry from Alderley Edge but a Salford boutique is pulling in A-list celebrities from far afield.

Wayne Rooney's fiancee Coleen McLoughlin, Liverpool FC footballer Harry Kewell's wife Sheree Murphy and Coronation Street and Hollyoaks babes have all paid visits to Monton's Fabric store.

Owner Leigh James-Dyson has become quite accustomed to mingling with the stars and was recently asked to style Girls Aloud for a special Most Haunted programme they were filming with Yvette Fielding.

Before opening Fabric six years ago, Leigh worked as a stylist on pop videos and movies and has lived in Athens, Hong Kong, Japan, Europe and Italy.

With her parents Thomas and Elaine Greeley back in her childhood home in Kensington Drive, Weaste, the former St Patrick's RC High student, finally decided to settle back in Salford and open up her own boutique.

The Monton Road store has since become a roaring success and is making a name for itself among the fashion world's biggest followers.

Customers have included Coronation Street actresses Tina O'Brien and Samia Smith, Hollyoaks stars Gemma Atkinson and Kelly Greenwood, Casualty's Angela Lonsdale and Trisha Penrose from Heartbeat.

Leigh, of Dales Brow, Swinton, said: "Coleen came in before going away for the World Cup. She came in very discreetly. It was about 5pm and she parked her Range Rover around the corner.

"She bought quite a few bits and spent quite a lot but it wasn't as much as Wayne earns in a week. She's got good manners and didn't ask for discount. She was so sweet."

Having famous people in the shop has proved quite an attraction to some customers.

The 41-year-old and her colleague Phillipa Pearson styled Girls Aloud and Yvette Fielding for a show that will be aired on ITV2 on December 12. That encounter created problems of its own.

Leigh said: "It wasn't easy. The one with the red hair was the most awkward. She was saying 'I'm not doing this, not doing that'. She was happy with the clothes but was just letting us know that she was a star."

One person who's had to get used to her career path is husband Allan, 45, who owns Saxon Building Contractors.

Leigh said: "I have to go to lots of show abroad in places like Italy and I drag my husband along to those. He's a builder so it's all a bit strange for him but I think he's getting used to it now."