Geraldine’s elegant dress steals limelight

The award-winning designer – who for more than 20 years has been operating a highly successful made-to-measure fashion business out of her Glenarm Road home – has enjoyed her first major exposure on the red carpet, after being asked to create a dress for her old friend Alison Millar.

Alison, originally from Cullybackey, was nominated for a BAFTA for her powerful documentary film The Shame of the Catholic Church, which investigated child sex abuse by priests in Ireland.

The hard-hitting film won the Current Affairs category – beating ITV’s controversial Jimmy Saville documentary.

And according to Alison, her elegant black satin dress was a real show-stopper at the prestigious annual TV awards ceremony.

Geraldine told the Larne Times she was “delighted” to share in Alison’s success.

“Alison and I go way back. I designed her wedding dress years ago and we have kept in contact ever since,” she added.

“She got in touch with me a couple of weeks ago and asked me to create a dress for her for the BAFTA’s. I am always very busy, but how could I pass up such an opportunity? Of course I said yes.

“Alison came down to see me and we went over exactly what it was she had in mind. We went for very elegant black satin dress with see-through sleeves, with a great neckline and a split up the thigh.

“Alison loved the dress; it suited her perfectly and gave her an extra confidence boost.

“The dress took me a couple of days to complete and it was a real thrill for me to be involved with such as prestigious event. I was over the moon when I heard that Alison had won.

“After the ceremony, Alison told me that the dress had been very well received and had got some fantastic comments. That was a great feeling for me.”

Originally from Churchill Road in the town, Geraldine was a pupil at Larne Grammar School before going on to study fashion design at University of Ulster.

She immediately knew that this was what she wanted to do with her life, but could never have dreamed how much success she would encounter along the way.

Geraldine has won the Satzenbrau Designer of the Year Award - later to be renamed Guinness Designer of the Year Award - numerous times. Her work has been seen in dozens of photo-shoots and catwalk shows from London to Australia.

But for all her success, Geraldine prefers to remain out of the spotlight and let her work speak for itself.