IS green the new black when it comes to fashion? One new designer making waves in the industry for her eco-garments certainly thinks so.

Zaneb Khatun, from Nelson, has created a range of versatile luxury dresses that can be worn in numerous styles with the use of magnets, doing away with the need to buy items for different occasions.

The 25-year-old — who went to the same design college as the likes of Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney — is campaigning to put an end to the throwaway fashion culture.

She said: “I want to revolutionise the fashion industry and, as a designer, I can be the centre of that change.

"I want to show how we can be sustainable but do it with style and glamour.

“At the moment sustainable fashion has a boring face and I want it to make it exciting.

"So I came up with these aesthetically pleasing designs with a sustainable concept.”

Zaneb is currently working on launching a range of 12 garments, which will retail at about £1,000 each.

She has so far had interest from Liberty in London and hopes to also feature in Harrods and Selfridges in the future.

Her graduate fashion collection, from her label Zaneb K, contains garments that are flexible, adaptable, reversible and transformable through changes in colour, pattern and shape — with one design that can be worn as a boob tube or a skirt.

Some designs feature detachable sleeves and others her trademark magnets, while all are made from luxurious and lightweight silk fabrics from fashion industry cut-offs.

Zaneb, of Pine Street, Nelson added: “As an up-and-coming designer I felt like it was my responsibility to do something about the throwaway society with its cheap disposable fashion.

"I wanted to steer the fashion industry and the consumer to more luxury items that last.

"I wanted to design one item that is versatile and has longevity.

"My pieces are investments,” she said.

The former pupil of Primet High School, Colne, has studied at Leeds College of Art and Design, followed by a degree at Manchester Met University before her masters at the prestigious Central St Martin's College of Art and Design.

At the end of the month her work has been selected to appear at an eco fashion festival in Liverpool where she will be attending to explain how her garments work.

She said: “The magnets are tiny but they are so strong and they can turn a ball gown into a party dress and then something else with ease.

"The idea came from thinking up scenarios. I created a character in my mind, who was a ‘green’ person nterested in looking after the environment.

"She wanted one thing that would suit every occasion in the day,” said Zaneb.

And her efforts to make society greener don’t stop with fashion — she has written and illustrated an educational children’s book, too.

“It is called Sustainable Activities Can Be Fun. The point is to get children to be aware of sustainability from a young age and not lthink it is boring, but fun. I have shown fun characters growing their own vegetables and that sort of thing.”

And if that wasn’t enough, Zaneb also lectures part-time at Leeds University.

“I’ve always been interested in doing something different. I’m never satisfied,” said Zaneb, the third youngest of seven children. “I'm really ambitious.

"I want to be a designer and I’m nearly there. My ambition is to get in the Paris and Milan fashion weeks.

"I want people from my area to be proud of me.

"Hopefully in a few years you’ll see me in department stores. It’s a dream but I know it will happen.”

l Zaneb’s work will be on display during Liverpool Design Festival, October 30 to November 1. See her website www.zanebkhatun.com.