Two lingerie designers have created sparkling frocks for curvy television presenter Fern Britton.

Mum-of-four Fern wore the crystal-encrusted gowns made by Stevi Jelbart and Emma Sandham-King at Saturday's Soap Awards and the previous week's TV Baftas.

The pair, both 24, formed the label Ophelia Fancy after graduating from the University of Brighton last year. They have created couture corsets and frilly ballet knickers for dancers, showgirls and burlesque performers.

Fern, 49, is their first celebrity client. They got the job while Stevi, of Gloucester Place, Brighton, worked as a wardrobe assistant on ITV1 chatshow This Morning.

Stevi said: "We talked about it before I left and she said she was thinking of having dresses made for the awards ceremonies. I didn't really think anything of it at the time because people always say that and nothing happens.

"The phone rang about three weeks before the Baftas and then we worked really hard to get them finished. There were a couple of all-nighters."

Both dresses were made from stretchy black fabric with a fishtail hem to accentuate Fern's hourglass figure. The Baftas dress was covered with peach and gold Swarovski crystals and had a chiffon ruched collar and long train. The second dress featured a plunging neckline and dark blue lapels, again covered in crystals.

Stevi added: "We took it in turns to do different bits. Emma did most of the sewing and I stuck all the crystals on. My fingers got numb from doing it and I ended up burning them a few times."

Fern told The Argus: "I chose Ophelia Fancy to make it because Stevi worked with me on This Morning. It just shows you don't have to have an expensive designer label to make you feel fantastic."

Stevi and Emma won the Swatch Individual Designer Award at Alternative Fashion Week in London in March. The £1,000 prize helped them set up a studio in New England House, Brighton.