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By TAMARA ABRAHAM
Showstopping: Christine Bleakley in the Project D Tinsel dress at the Pride of Britain Awards last night, and Dannii Minogue, right, wearing the same dress for the X Factor results show the week before last It was Victoria Beckham who proved that celebrity-designed fashion lines could hold their own against designer brand heavyweights. Her dresses are a favourite with everyone from Blake Lively to Oprah Winfrey.
And now it looks like Dannii Minogue's Project D collection is on course to enjoy the same success, as it's already proving a hit on the red carpet with a number of stars.
Last night Denise van Outen wore the Mistletoe dress at an afterparty to celebrate her Legally Blonde stage debut, and Christine Bleakley wore an asymmetric sequinned Tinsel dress to the Pride Of Britain Awards on Monday - the same one Dannii herself wore on an X Factor results show.
The label has also won a fan in Amanda Holden, who was seen in Dannii's showstopping creations twice in one month.
The Britain's Got Talent judge, 39, wore the £485 blue sequinned Casino gown to the Olympic Ball in September, and in a navy silk version of the same dress to the GQ Men Of The Year awards three weeks earlier.
The zebra-print Poker dress (£230) has been seen on Elizabeth Hurley, Jenni Falconer and Myleene Klass, who wore it on the GMTV sofa in September.
And even actress Margo Stilley has fallen for Project D's charms, wearing the Royal Flush dress to a party during a visit to London last month - the same frock worn by Falconer to interview Gemma Arterton at the Tamara Drewe premiere.
Yummy mummies: Denise van Outen (left) in Project D's Mistletoe dress last night at the Legally Blonde afterparty, and Dannii herself (right) at Monday's Pride of Britain awards in another of her own designs 
Red carpet hit: Amanda Holden was seen in Project D twice in one month: in the Casino dress at the GQ Men of the Year awards at the start of September (left), and at the Olympic Ball three weeks later (right)Minogue, 39, and her friend and co-designer Tabitha Somerset-Webb, are both well aware of the importance of celebrity endorsement.
‘The very first celebrity picture we saw was of Elizabeth Hurley wearing our zebra print dress,' Somerset-Webb told MailOnline. 'It was such a thrilling fashion landmark moment!'
Speaking at the Pride of Britain awards, Minogue explained: 'It is essential to have the right people seen in your clothes.
'That’s the culture we live in — people see things on their favourite celebrities and they want it for themselves.'
Celebrity fanbase: Elizabeth Hurley in Project D's hugely popular Poker dress (left), and Jenni Falconer (centre) and Margo Stilley (right) in the £235 Royal Flush dress
She added that she'd love to see Alexa Chung or Jennifer Aniston wearing Project D.
'Everyone wants Alexa Chung, but if we’re talking internationally, I would love to have Jennifer Aniston on board. Whatever she wears sells in buckets.'
Valuable endorsement: Myleene Klass in Project D's Poker dress on the GMTV sofaBut the secret to Minogue and Somerset-Webb's success is not just down to celebrity connections.
The collection focuses on classic shapes and flattering cuts. Hemlines are demure enough to cross a wide customer age range, but sexy plunging necklines, interesting embellishment and lively prints that all save the frocks from falling into frumpy territory.
Online retailer my-wardrobe.com, which stocks the Project D designs has enjoyed fantastic success with the label.
'Project D is selling really well. People love Dannii,' says PR director Lauren Stevenson.
'The AW10 collection has had a fantastic first season on my-wardrobe.com. The black sequin dress that Dannii wore on the X Factor has sold out on the site in the full length version.'
Amanda Holden believes that, like Beckham, Minogue has designed for herself, rather than seeking to set or follow trends.
'She sent a lot of stuff over, and I kept thinking I could see Dannii in that, I could see Dannii in that. I think she's designed for herself,' she told ITN.
'She's had such negativity in the press and stuff over the last few years. I think it's fabulous that she has turned it all around,' she added.
source: dailymail
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