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Stoke Newington's first charity fashion gala features frocks, food and lots of fun. By Sarah Dallas Images from The Stoke Newington Gala fashion show are now online

'I'm tearing my hair out. Nothing is ready, and we've only sold ten tickets. I'm worried this will be a flop!' Roseanne Berry, the statuesque brunette who runs Rosa, Stoke Newington's lingerie boutique, is a bundle of nerves.

She has two weeks to prepare the neighbourhood's very first charity fashion show. And much remains to be done. For a start, Roseanne must persuade as many clothes shops as possible on Church Street to parade their latest fashions in the community hall and donate hundreds of items for goody bags and a raffle. Local bars and restaurants are also being roped into the neighbourhood's very first 'gala'. And all for charity-the proceeds of the show will go to Breakthrough for Breast Cancer.

Roseanne is banking on punters forking out £20 for a night of fashion and food. Her aim: to raise £5,000. 'The idea started out as a small fashion show to show off our new Elle McPherson range of underwear', explains Roseanne.

'But then other clothes shops wanted to get involved and the whole thing snowballed. When I looked for a charity to support, Breakthrough for Breast Cancer seemed the obvious choice because of my work with bras.'

Fast forward two weeks, and we're at Abney Hall for the first (and only) dress rehearsal. A motley crew of 'models' lingers nervously by a makeshift 

Two nights later, guests are pouring in to Abney Hall. A staggering 200 tickets have been snapped up and restaurants such as Clicia and Barracuda are laying out a mouth-watering buffet. As the DJ cranks up the sound system, Emily Ovenden, the hall manager, hovers anxiously. 'We mustn't get too noisy', she says. Emily and Hassan, the hall owner, are engaged in a dispute with neighbours, who apparently would like the hall closed down.

As the audience rifle through their goody bags ('These are great', exclaims a local estate agent, holding up a scanty G-string), the catwalk lights up. Rob Spindley, Roseanne's business partner, opens the show-and we're off. A riot of sequins and furs, courtesy of vintage shop Ribbons and Taylor, makes a stunning opener. Then it's slouchy streetwear from the comfy crew at catwalk. 'The nearest I've come to modelling is wearing a kilt at a mate's wedding', jokes Julian Korosec, who runs GK Locksmith on Church Street. 'But I love being part of events like this. It's great to see the community getting together.'