A 28-year-old fashion designer from Birkenhead is on a mission to change how the fashion elite view Scouse prinny style—a bold, hyper-feminine aesthetic she says has long been dismissed outside Merseyside. Melissa-Kate, founder of her eponymous label, has shown at London Fashion Week and collaborated with legendary designer Jimmy Choo, yet her work remains far from accepted in the industry.
What Is Scouse Prinny Style?
Scouse 'prinny', short for princess, is a signature high-glamour look associated with Scouse women. It is defined by fake tan, blow-dries, manicured nails, towering heels, and designer handbags. Melissa-Kate explains that the style is unapologetically hyper-feminine, partly inspired by WAG (wives and girlfriends of footballers) culture from the 2000s and early 2010s. "It was all about ultra-platform heels, big rollers and makeup piled on," she said. "If everyone around the world thinks you look tacky, to us that's beauty and looking our best."
Designs and Craftsmanship
Melissa-Kate's designs feature bright pink tank tops, plunging necklines, high hemlines, and plenty of volume, sparkle, and embellishment. Every piece is handmade, with hundreds of diamantés individually glued by hand. Alongside couture commissions for fashion shows and loan pieces for stylists, she releases ready-to-wear collections online, including fluffy scarves, voluminous dresses, and statement tops.
Fighting Against Class and Fashion Biases
Despite a surge in hyper-feminine styles partly driven by the Barbie movie, Melissa-Kate says Scouse prinny style is still looked down upon. She believes class plays a role: "People look down on the ultra-feminine, but they also look down on the working class. Put those two together and you have the ultimate tackiness in the eyes of the media." She notes that WAG style was always portrayed badly, with paparazzi shots of girls getting out of cars with underwear on show. "We embrace that," she added.
Inclusive and Rebellious Shows
Melissa-Kate works with models of all sizes and genders, choosing people for their "vibe" rather than conventional standards. Her runway shows often feature party-girl-inspired collections with models taking tequila shots, creating an atmosphere more akin to a night out. One recent show, titled Blood, Sweat and Hair Dye, featured white Hollywood glamour gowns stained with blood-red hair dye, showcasing that hyper-femininity and rebellion can coexist.
Return to Birkenhead
After working in London, Melissa-Kate returned to her hometown. She showcased a collection titled London, Paris, New York, Birkenhead at Future Yard earlier this year. "I got to a point where I thought, 'I'm not going to come down to you - you can come to me.' There is fashion here, it's just not all in one hub," she said.
Melissa-Kate, who studied fashion design at Northumbria University and completed an MA at the Jimmy Choo Academy, describes her work as "hun couture"—a tongue-in-cheek term celebrating unapologetically camp, glamorous, and working-class style. "As long as it still isn't respected, I'll keep fighting to get people to understand," she concluded.
