Style spotlight on Alessandra Rich

The London-based Italian designer has been making waves dressing Diane Kruger and Natalie Massenet with her swathes of neon lace. She might not yet be a household name, but for those in the know, London-based Alessandra Rich is fast becoming the go-to designer for a red carpet gown with a difference. Her covetable designs were first spotted on the stylish Net-a-porter.com founder Natalie Massenet back in March, who cut a striking figure in a black, dégradé cotton and silk gown adorned with fluorescent green lace to the 'Green Auction' in New York, from the spring/summer 2011 collection. Fast forward to the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Preview Party earlier this month, and Massenet's off-white column dress embellished with green Chantilly lace, cinched with an orange neoprene belt, had Rich's distinctive design style stamped all over it. "Natalie stays at the Ritz Hotel when she goes to Paris Fashion Week, which is where I showcase my collections," Rich explained to us. "She bumped into one of my models who was wearing a dress from my new range, and came to my suite and bought up the spring/summer 2011 range for Net-a-porter , which has now almost sold out." Stylish guests at the Royal Academy of Arts party Rich, who operates from an office in Mayfair and a studio in her native Italy, has only produced three collections so far and has no formal fashion training, but has already caught the eye of Hollywood. German actress Diane Kruger made her Alessandra Rich debut (in the exact same dress just worn by Massenet) at the 'Liaisons Au Louvre II' charity gala dinner in Paris last night. "I was so surprised and so pleased to see Diane in one of my creations," said a delighted Rich. "She's so feminine and elegant, she was on my dream list of people of people to dress." Actress Gywneth Paltrow has also cited Alexandra Rich as a new label on her radar after her stylist sourced a jumpsuit for her to wear to a Country Strong press junket. Screen siren Angelina Jolie - who Rich revealed she would love to dress next - should look up the glamorous autumn/winter 2011 collection next time she needs to make an impact on the red carpet. The elegantly structured column gowns in ruby red, and the thigh-split, black silk dresses have her name stamped all over them.