FASHION maverick Steve Cochrane, who turned to a career in retail after failing as a punk musician, has been honoured with a civic award to mark Psyche’s contribution to Middlesbrough.

The designer store on Linthorpe Road now hangs alongside Style Lab in Cleveland Mall, a new mid-market casual wear outlet, and there are still plans to open a prestigious Leeds branch in 2015.

It invested £60,000 in a new website last year after tripling its online sales and, last year, ploughed £428,000 into interior transformations with 22 exclusive new instore boutiques, including Ralph Lauren and Barbour.

Born in North Ormesby, he left school with four O levels and a passion for music and clothes. His punk band flopped but the clothes he designed proved a hit and the former ICI engineer worked on an oil rig to raise the cash to get Psyche off the ground.

The first store, called Sliced Tomatoes, after a Northern Soul record, opened in Redcar in 1982 but moved to Middlesbrough in 1984 - going on to win its first national award as UK Designer Retailer of the Year in 1995 ahead of Selfridge’s, followed by UK Retailer of the Year in 2004 and 2005.

Now living in Yarm, Mr Cochrane who employs 65 staff said: “People in the North-East are much more fashion conscious that the national press give us credit for which means we can be much more adventurous with our buying and trial up-and-coming designers.

“I’m lucky as I do something I totally love. I’m as passionate now as when I started 32 years ago.”

He was presented with a Borough Award to recognise his services to the economic, social and physical regeneration of the town centre by Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon. The ceremony, held in its arc deco Uptons store, also featured a catwalk show.

Mr Mallon said: "We need entrepreneurs with the drive, vision and ambition to take the town to the next level and that is exactly what Steve has achieved with Psyche over the last three decades.”