Firstly, what a wonderful job they do each week in such a short time. I know there are some nit pickers on here re costume as there are re music. However its easy to sit in your arm chair and be snitty.

Do the BBC sub design out to her and her team or is she a member of BBC wardrobe?

Pretty sure she is freelance, she has been working on Vincent and Flavia's tour costumes as well. There was an article in one of the missus' mags about one of the seamstresses working on SCD who is freelance as well, I remember the missus mentioning it.

I really admire her. As someone who also sews, I haven't got the imagination that she has in the designs and in the combining of the different colours, fabrics and trimmings. Some of the dresses are awesome.

There is much more information about the Strictly costumes here:

http://www.dsi-london.com/site/?acti...t&section_id=4

Many of the dresses used in the series are available to buy! Start looking here:

http://www.dsi-london.com/site/?acti...pe=20&sub_id=5

I believe DSI (DanceSport International) have been behind the Strictly costumes for some years.

Janet

Am not a dress expert, nor looking to purchase .

But I do recognise the dress, second row, right column (yellow with black stripes) as the dress Frankie wore at Blackpool.

And Judy Murray's blue tartan ensemble (from her Mull of Kintyre week) is very conspicous on page3.

Someone with a better memory may be able to identify all of the rest.

If you click on the thumbnail, it takes you to further details about the dress, including who wore it.

Vicky Gill is an employee of DSI who currently hold the contract for providing the dresses for Strictly.
In the early series this contract was held by Chrissanne but the BBC cut their budget to the bone so much that they gave up the contract after (I think) 3 years.
All the dresses worn on the programme are sold unless they are cannibalised to make another dress but those sold can regularly be seen on the ballroom and Latin circuit.

Was interested to read Vicky's also a former dancer and dance teacher.

I know the guy that used to make and provide the tailsuits and mens tops for the show, He said that they had cut the budget back so much, he no longer makes for the show. They could not afford him.

The huge numbers of dancers on the floor at one time for the opening numbers will also eat into the budget.

In the early years they used to make the costumes for the final 'blingier' versions of the originals too.

Is that you, Vickie?
Rippy, trippy and grey. Dis-aster, darling.