Why me?

The clothes line

Last week, a second-year college student sold a pair of her own design pale blue pearly loafers for pounds 5,100. Women regularly fork out pounds 200 for their spindly Manolo Blahniks, but more than pounds 5,000 for some strange- looking footwear designed by a mere student?

These were no ordinary shoes, however. They were designed for Jarvis Cocker, the gangly, bespectacled singer of the pop group Pulp. His unnatural penchant for footwear gave the shoes an added edge of desirability. Also sold were a bandage and blood outfit made by students for David Bowie (for pounds 1,100), a Sellotape dress designed by New RenaisCAnce for Bryan Ferry (pounds 1,600) and numerous other fashion items made under the direction of members of the pop world to raise money for War Child, the charity that sends aid to children in Croatia and Bosnia. The clothes are now on show in the windows of Fenwick, in New Bond Street.

It was Jarvis who stole the show as he creaked his way down the catwalk feigning old age by carrying a walking stick. All eyes were on the shiny baby-blue shoes designed by Cecilia Vanman, a student at Cordwainers College of Shoe Design in London. It must be reassuring for Jarvis to know that if he is ever short of a few bob, he can always try his hand at shoe design.