Former The X Factor star, Kitty Brucknell, has ditched singing to flog vintage frocks.
The singer, real name Kimberley Dayle Edwards, shot to fame on the ITV talent show in 2011.
She finished seventh after being mentored by Louis Walsh in the Over 25s category.
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But the one-time Lady Gaga tribute act has turned her back on pop to launch a career making and selling early 20th-century-style dresses.
Now 40, Kitty is shifting her creations on eBay under the name “timelesstitanic”.
Among the priciest items is an antique 1880s fur coat with a £2,200 price tag.
She’s also listed a 1930s green satin costume dress for £240, a 1910 wedding dress for £180, and a 1930s blue silk gown for £560.
The Cheltenham-born star shows off her designs on Instagram, posing in her own creations, as reported by What’s The Jam.
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In one snap, she beams in a long black and pink gown with the caption: “This was so much fun. Yes, I made that dress.”
In another, Kitty models an ankle-length black and white frock, writing: “My most insane project yet.
“I found this dress on Facebook, and although the bones were there, the chiffon quickly died as soon as I put it on the dress form.
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“So I carefully cut the dead material away, but apart from the net spotted embroidery and the velvet black cuffs, nothing could be saved.
“So I had to recreate the entire dress.
“Originally, it was a 24′ waist and had a high neck, which I’m not really a fan of.
“Adjusted the waistline to 28” and made it more 1912ish, which felt historically accurate, added an inner lining of China silk.
“Sleeves are in silk charmeuse and lined with English net.
“Did most of the sewing either by hand or on my 1937 hand-crank singer machine.
“No patterns. Pinned on a dress form and trialled, and errored or copied what was left of the original.
“Totally unhinged project that took three plus months and dollars in silk, but I’m super proud of the result.
“I actually need a more lightweight corset as it felt a bit restrictive, which stopped the flow of the dress, but I wore it for six plus hours, and it was very sturdy.
“I need a new project. Send me your destroyed 1912 evening gowns.”*
Her eBay bio adds: “Welcome aboard! I’m Kimberley, a lifelong vintage fashion collector, Titanic historian, and curator of forgotten elegance.
“My shop is a tribute to the beauty and craftsmanship of bygone eras – from the lace-trimmed lawn dresses of the Edwardian age to the velvet decadence of the Gilded Age and the sparkle of 1920s Deco.”
Before chasing The X Factor stardom, Kitty appeared as a Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Gaga impersonator – and even popped up on the first series of ITV’s Dinner Date in 2010.
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