Mayor presented with new robe from star dresser

A mayoral robe created by a fashion designer who has dressed the likes of Jay-Z and Lady Gaga has officially been handed over.

The Charter Trustees of the City of Carlisle decided to replace the 45-year-old garment last year at a cost of more than £12,000.

As well as creating the new robe, Lee Paton restored the original so it could be put on display in the civic centre.

Paton, a local designer and robe maker who has worked in London for about 20 years, said the new ceremonial garment had been made with the "same skill and attention" and would last another 50 years.

He said: "When I was appointed to take on the work, it was a pleasure to come in and collect the old one.

"And not just creating the new one but also working with the old one gave me a great appreciation for the project itself."

During his career, he has produced ceremonial pieces for the Royal Family, pop star Paloma Faith, and dancers for the Bolshoi Ballet and the Royal School of Ballet in London, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Paton said the old robe was "holding itself together quite well" but the team had to use strict conservation techniques on the old fabric.

He also involved fashion students from Carlisle College in the project.

"I went in and spent a few days with them, both training them in initial techniques, various techniques relating to the small embroidered rosettes that are embroidered with gold spangles, which is metal sequins, that are only three millimetres in diameter.

"We ended up embroidering thousands of those into tiny rosettes. They probably take good 15 to 20 minutes per rosette to make. The students' patience was tested with something that was new. But it's the pleasure also of teaching people heritage skills."

Labour councillor Jeanette Whalen, the current Mayor of Carlisle, which is a ceremonial role, said it was "an absolute privilege" to receive the new robe.

She said: "Considering the state of the previous one and we've had to do multiple repairs over the years. It's become quite a patchwork quilt to be honest.

"It'll be great for the future mayors of Carlisle to have a new robe and for it to last a long time.

Whalen said the old robe was "absolutely key to the history of Carlisle" and people could visit it at the Mayor's Parlour.

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