Women aged over 30 might be forgiven for thinking the high street has completely forsaken them this past few seasons.

Puff sleeves, baby doll dresses and micro-mini skirts look good on teenagers but for anyone over 25, there's a risk of looking like mutton dressed as lamb.

Now, up-and-coming fashion designer Catherine Ellis has launched her own range of fashionable but sophisticated clothing for women aged 30 and over.

Oxfordshire-based Catherine has an impressive pedigree. She graduated with a fashion design degree from Leeds University and honed her pattern-cutting and tailoring skills working for a leading manufacturer.

Since then, she has gone on to design for top high street brands including Marks & Spencer, Next, Elvi and Florence and Fred at Tesco.

"I set out to design clothes for women in their 30s who want to look pretty and need something to wear to work or out in the evening," she explained.

"My aim is to use versatile fabrics and styles to create beautiful, sophisticated clothing that is wearable and flattering," she added.

Catherine designs from her studio in Woodstock and all her clothes are made in England, something that is extremely unusual in retail these days.

Her debut collection for spring/summer 2008 was launched at the Clothes Show Live earlier this year and has been selling well.

She has just added to it with a new autumn/winter collection but stressed that she is not a slave to the seasons.

"I am quite fashion-aware but I try not to make my garments too trend-driven," she explained.

"I try to design beautiful clothes that you can wear throughout the year, not just for one season," she added.

Louise Trueman is a woman with a mission. She's only 22 but has already spent six years in the fashion business working in top retail stores such as Kookai and Oasis.

Having lived in Oxford her whole life - her father Michael runs Truemans solicitors - she spotted a gap in the market.

Louise explained: "Oxford offers high street, mass-manufactured clothing and when you go out in it you'll see at least one other person wearing exactly the same thing.

"There are no stand-out items, nothing to be proud of. Finding something special for Friday night or an occasion is a nightmare," she pointed out.

Her solution was to launch Booty, a glamorous two-storey designer boutique on St Aldates, right in the centre of the city.

The idea is to allow local fashionistas to get their hands on top labels as seen on celebrities and in the pages of the top fashion magazines, without having to travel outside Oxford.

She has even managed to persuade Marchesa (pronounced Markesa), one of the hottest new designer names, to supply her store.

A British label inspired by Asian and vintage influences, it is a favourite with A-listers such as Sienna Miller, Sarah Jessica Parker and Mischa Barton.

Customers in Booty will also be able to find the perfect pair of jeans by choosing from Californian brand True Religion, beloved by Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz and Angelina Jolie, or Victoria Beckham's label dvb.

Jeans prices range from £100-340 but Louise reckons that is a small price to pay for a pair of denims that flatter and fit well.

"It's so hard to find good jeans. They either fall down or loosen and bag, but these ranges are really great and worth every penny.

"They are the type of jeans that are so gorgeous you are going to want to wear them a million times, so they are worth it," she added.

Other top designer names to be found on Booty's racks include Marc Jacobs, Matthew Williamson and Evil, known for its range of T-shirts and vests.

From October onwards, Louise will be adding Chloe, Vivienne Westwood accessories and the WAGs' favourite leisure wear label Juicy Couture to her stock.

There will also be a range of skincare and make-up by Model Co, the Australian brand known for its distinctive white-and-fuchsia-pink packaging and used by Kylie Minogue and Keira Knightley, among others.

Add in Dolce & Gabbana underwear and Anna Lou jewellery, favoured by Kate Moss and Peaches Geldof, and Louise sees it as a one-stop shop'.

She continued: "It seems the perfect solution to open a boutique that sells all the unique and sought-after designers together under one roof.

"At last, fashion-lovers in Oxford have the chance to catch up with cities such as Liverpool and Manchester, where this has been available for years.

"It's a destination store rather than just being about clothing. So if you want a lipstick to go with your new dress, you can get it all here."

Booty, 100 St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1BT. Tel: 01865 726668