DESIGNING vintage-style lingerie is a world away from running the line of a football match on a cold and wet Sunday morning but these days Leighton entrepreneur Andrew Frost prefers lacing up sexy corsets to his son's football boots as he kicks off a new lingerie company.
Andrew, 51, got the feel for his new business Stockings And Romance, while holding one of his wife's suspender belts.
After a life-time working in the rag trade, including troubleshooting for international design brands Karen Millen and Aquascutum, the father of two had turned his back on the clothing business to follow his passion for football.
For more than a decade Andrew, of Lathwell Way, ran football leagues and coached both junior and senior sides for clubs including Leighton United and Town.
But a horrific sports injury put paid to his son, Michael's, playing career and turned the disillusioned father towards a fresh challenge.
Said Andrew: "I just couldn't hack it any more," said Andrew. "Standing around in horrible weather, the infighting, the increasing violence. The last straw came when Michael was hurt.
"I had hold of one of Kim's suspenders one day and I said, I could make something better than that.
"So she said:'Why don't you?'"
It took more than a year to get the business up and running, sourcing factories in the north of England to make the stunning range of corsets, girdles, stockings and suspenders.
The bras are based on the bullet and whirlpool designs from the 1940s and 50s, that give wearers a distinctive pointed silhouette. Once worn by the likes of Madonna the style has become super fashionable by women wanting of all ages and sizes wanting to emulate the style of burlesque dancer, Dita von Teese.
"I've always loved the 1940s and 50s styles. Women had curves. I'm not interested in designing for size zero models. I like women to look like women," said Andrew.
"My inspiration comes from a time when ladies wore nylon stockings, dresses, pencil skirts and flirty blouses.
"In those days armed with an hour glass figure and a pair of high heels, every woman was ready to face the day.
"Many of our styles promote the wearing of stockings, accentuating femininity and making every woman feel feminine and glamorous."
The designer's products hit the internet and high street at just the right time. Burlesque and pin-up wear has become high fashion with younger girls wearing the corsets as tops to go night-clubbing and older women reliving their youth with the aid of sexy support wear.
The range is marketed around the world with demand for certain products selling faster than they can be made.
"All our products are manufactured in England. I would love to have them made locally as Leighton has such a history in the lingerie business – but there's no-where available," he added.
They sell mainly through internet retailers but there are two shops in Leighton - Ollie Vees and Petticoat Lane – and another in London's Carnaby Street that stock the ranges and Andrew is hoping to expand by opening concessions in department stores.
"We are currently available through niche independent stockists, the high end boutiques.
"A lot of shape-wear on the market does the job but doesn't make you look very attractive when you take your clothes off.
"Our products come in a range of styles and colours. Pin-up and burlesque has become massive with girls as young as 16 getting into it.
"They give a girl a fantastic shape and we even go up to an FF size in the bras. The bras give you that sweater girl look and we constantly sell out."
A big seller this Christmas is expected to be the Pussycat faux leopard fur range that includes a girdle, an all-in-one body shaper and bullet bra.
Another line to watch out for will be Seduction, a sheer body shaper available in black or black and gold, and Fatale, a stunning new waist cincher in black, giving the wearer a definitive hour glass figure.
He has just started attending trade fairs but got more than he bargained for when he attended London Fetish Weekend recently.
"Wow, did we see some sights!" he said. "It wasn't really our sort of thing but it was a learning experience. We even discovered a new market for some of our corsets."
Yes, gentlemen of a certain persuasion can also order from Stockings and Romance with some lines fitting a 44-inch waist.
"We're hoping to do Harrogate next year which is the premier lingerie trade fair.
"We're on our way to building a global brand. I hope the success will continue."
For more information about Stockings and Romance check out their website www.stockingsandromance.co.uk or email: info@stockingsandromance.co.uk