HOW does a humble apple bought from a market in Bradford find its way onto the shelves of Harvey Nichols and Harrods, writes Tori Monkman?

The answer lies with Sarah Feather, a designer from Burley Woodhead, whose hallmark of sliced fruit, pocketed within silk chiffon has appeared on all manner of things from wedding dresses to lamp shades, cushions and greetings cards.

Sarah, 29, describes her workshop near Ilkley as, "a complete mess."

In fact, with leaves, grasses, dried flowers and feathers strewn on the floor and sheer, delicate fabrics hanging like cobwebs from the ceiling Sarah's studio is reminiscent of the woodlands and natural surroundings that she uses as her inspiration.

The textile designer is currently celebrating her latest success - a large order for home-wares store The Pier, in Leeds.

Kate Crawford, Product Co-ordinator of The Pier, says, "Sarah Feather's designs fit perfectly into our range, being unique one off pieces that are all hand-crafted."

Although her work captures the minimalist look that became fashionable during the mid nineties Sarah, a former Bradford Girls' Grammar School student, first used fruit for her final year degree show in 1993. Her business grew rapidly after she left Staffordshire University with a first class Honours degree in surface pattern and was picked from hundreds of applicants to exhibit at the highly influential Chelsea Craft Fair. Sarah says, "I was shocked by the speed at which it all happened - within six months I was employing people."

Sarah's designs have since appeared on the pages of magazines such as Vogue and Elle and in the windows of high street shops such as Jigsaw and Monsoon. She also supplies stores in Japan and New York and has seen her pretty designs capture the attention of romantics everywhere from the infamous Lady Bienvenida Buck, who ordered a dress, to Valentine's Day shoppers who snapped up her fruit based cards with slogans such as "You are the apple of my eye".

When held up to the light the designer's fabrics appear translucent - unfortunately this also means that Sarah still has to slice the fruit herself as she has yet to find anybody who can cut it to the wafer thin degree that is required. The whole fruit is used, pips and all, and amongst apples, pears, kiwis and tomatoes the star fruit is Sarah's particular favourite. Some of her materials come from America while others are supplied locally - her parents grow the pansies in their greenhouse.

With her continued success it is likely that Sarah will soon be putting down new roots in London - a prospect she finds daunting given that where she goes her studio goes too.

While leopard skin and lame are unlikely to appear on her designs, Sarah's latest collection sees bright blues and purples springing up amongst the more usual neutral colours. For the first time she is incorporating feathers into her designs. In the future she hopes to carry on designing products for the home and to collaborate with other designers - possibly in the world of fashion. We could soon see kiwis and star fruit winging their way down the catwalks of Paris and Milan.

The method that allows her to preserve the fruit is a secret known only to Sarah herself - and a bemused GP who contacted Sarah to ask if the fruit was edible after a worried mother informed him that her son had swallowed a greetings card! This fruit is definitely forbidden.

Sarah Feather Design can be found at Cadeaux, Victoria Quarter Leeds; JOandO, New Briggate, Leeds; The Pier, Headrow Centre, Leeds and at Castle Howard. She also does mail order. Sarah Feather (01943) 864500.