A Keighley fashion designer said he was “overwhelmed” at the prospect of having his work showcased in London next month.

Meesam Kazmi, who lives in Stockbridge, is finishing a BA in fashion design at Bradford Art College.

He has created a collection inspired by the legendary story Anarkali in which a courtesan at a Mughal emperor’s court is put to death as punishment for her illicit love affair with the crown prince.

Mr Kazmi said the collection, called Religion of Love, includes five eye-catching gowns for women as well as a male outfit. He said the different colours and styles of each outfit represented the heroine’s progression from courtesan, to lover, to tragic victim. The clothes feature a blend of western and South Asian influences.

The collection will be displayed at Graduate London Fashion Week, in Earls Court, during the first week of June and again at Bradford Art College later in the month.

Mr Kazmi, 22, a former Bingley Grammar School pupil, paid tribute to his mother and brother for encouraging him to pursue his interest in fashion.

“I didn’t think I’d get this far when I first started – I couldn’t even sew in a straight line!” he said. “I’ve worked really hard for the past three years.”