The popular British soap opera Coronation Street has never been known for its trendsetting style. But it seems the enduring series is finally having an effect, albeit a somewhat inglorious one, on high street fashions.
Retail giant Dorothy Perkins has withdrawn a red anorak it had on its racks, after one of Corrie's characters took to wearing the item. Viewers of the hit soap will be familiar with Hayley Cropper, the nerdy transsexual who never goes anywhere without her Dorothy Perkins jacket.
Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh bought the garment from her local outlet when she landed the role of Hayley back in 1998. But bosses at the company, who paid large sums of money to have Helena Christensen and Yasmin Le Bon promote their collections, seem rather unimpressed with their latest celebrity endorsement. "The anorak is definitely not available in our stores any more," said a spokesman.
Julie, meanwhile, was a little surprised to have become an anti-style icon. "It is amazing the controversy it has sparked. I got a letter from a woman saying 'please get a new anorak'. She had bought one and said she couldn't wear it any more."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
