'Trinny and Susannah paved the way for us'

THERE is a slightly awkward pause at the beginning of the interview. The question posed - the often thorny one of age - has clearly caused some consternation. Just like a seasoned politician, Belinda talks her way around it. "You can say we're over 50 but we don't like to give our ages because fashion is too ageist," she says authoritatively... and there isn't room for argument. Gail adds: "We'd rather people think 'gosh, I wonder how old they are'. We're a little bit older than Trinny and Susannah."

The business partners and best friends - theirs is the sort of close relationship where they end each other's sentences - run Fashion People, a comprehensive style consultancy. Their list of clients is impressive, including shops and major companies, and just today at Seaham Hall (they're now relaxing in the drawing room), they've held a corporate day for Barclays. The women's currency is advice - no matter what your image hang-up, they claim that they can offer help. It is a dangerous presumption, as they are only too aware.

"It's very hard to market because basically what we're saying is 'I think I'm brilliant at dressing people' and that's a hard thing to sell," says Belinda. "Luckily, Trinny and Susannah paved the way for us." Gail adds: "We were almost up and running when they suddenly appeared and made everyone aware of what we did. It was just good timing."

The business started seven years ago and while it's now expanded greatly, it first began with personal shopping. With long experience of fashion, their knowledge is extensive. They've both had glamorous careers as catwalk models. "I modelled part-time from 18 and I was on an agent's books as I got older," says Gail. "I did quite a lot of photographic and catwalk work in my 30s. I was like Twiggy - I was tall and skinny with long skinny legs just like her. People used to call me Twiggy."

Gail also worked in local radio, for what was then called Radio Tees (now TFM), and ran a business selling jewellery and then another selling clothes. She and Belinda first crossed paths when they were modelling in Newcastle.

"We met about 20 years ago," says Belinda. "We were both booked for a fashion show and got to know each other and became friends, but we went our separate ways."

With each absorbed in her career, and having children to take care of, it took a while for Gail and Belinda to form the partnership. Until her marriage to a northerner, Belinda's base had been in London.

"I'm Welsh but I modelled in London," she says. "I used to do a lot of catwalk shows and I went to Paris, Germany and Hong Kong. I worked for an agency called Whittakers and one of its companies made clothes for the Queen, so they used to take me to Buckingham Palace. It was great fun."

But life was not all glitz and glamour. Just like in modelling today, there was a pressure to be skinny. "I had one friend who only used to eat two hard boiled eggs a day," says Belinda. "That was in the early 80s, and there were people starving then. I suppose we all did diet - hardly anybody ate a lot. I had a sugar bowl and I used to have my All Bran on a morning out of it, and it was about that size (she makes a tiny circle)."

Once she had come to the North-East (both she and Gail now live in North Yorkshire) she formed the Alexander Agency and started representing models. Through Fashion People, she's still involved in staging shows. "We do presentations all over and we organise fashion events and shows, which we've become quite well known for now - quite large events as well," says Gail. "We sometimes bring in people to work with us." Belinda adds: "When it comes to individual clients, we do whatever we think is appropriate, but one thing we have to be is sensitive to people's budgets."

The pair have bases at two venues - the large store Barkers, in Northallerton, and in the middle of the MetroCentre - where people come to seek their help. Their service is free, and clients book them for an hour in which they're guided through the clothes rails. They'll even visit people's homes.

"We do a wardrobe detox where we go to people's houses and help them part with the old, which has often been there for 20 years," says Gail. "The first thing we normally do is sit down and have a coffee and talk through the client's needs."

While the majority are women, they'll work with any sex and age. It's often those who've reached a milestone who feel in need of fashion help. "It isn't very often the 21-year-old with the perfect figure who goes to Topshop, although they might be going to a wedding and want to get their outfit right," says Belinda.

"We had a girl from Ireland who went onto the internet, saw that we were at the MetroCentre and booked us to get her a prom dress, and she was only 18," continues Gail. "But equally we could have an 80-year-old-plus lady who still wants to look good who wants help. There are a lot in the middle where someone's reached 30, 40, 50 or 60 and at each point they feel they've reached a bit of a change time, or they could be going through a relationship break-up, or perhaps they've been ill.

" There are lots of reasons why people want some help."

Of course, it's vitally important that Gail and Belinda look the part, and sure enough, they're both immaculately turned out - Gail wears a chocolate brown ensemble with contrasting buttons and a belt, while at her side, Belinda dazzles in a striking leopard print dress. The outfits look like they're designer, but Gail says style can be a snip. "There is a lot of very inexpensive clothing available now that's very, very good," she says. "It's not necessary to spend a lot of money." Belinda interjects with: "Part of our thing is to mix expensive or better quality with high street because you can achieve a fabulous look doing that."

What the two women are keen to stress is that no matter what your age or how much money you may have, with time and effort, you can look good. For them the best part of the job is seeing how their clients blossom. "It's lovely - people ring us or send us a card or a note," says Belinda. "They're all happy and they just can't believe it sometimes." Gail adds: "Sometimes the change is so evident that it's even surprising to us."

www.fashionpeople.co.uk