Material Girl: Series 1 - Episode guide
Lenora Crichlow and Dervla Kirwan star in BBC One's new six-part drama Material Girl, a romantic comedy about a young fashion designer battling an evil ex-boss, a sexy-but-devilish business partner and snobby fashionistas to get her break in work and love.
> Buy the DVD on Amazon.
> Take a look at our Series 1 preview.
Set in the bustling, creative hot-bed of Brick Lane, Leonora Crichlow (Being Human, Sugar Rush) is Ali Redcliffe who sets out to make a name for herself as a fashion designer, in the only way she knows how, through sheer hard work and talent.
Dervla Kirwan (Doctor Who) is Davina Bailey, the scheming designer of the moment, who isn't about to give up her crown as queen of fashion, and the designer every hot star wants to be dressed by. Alongside Ali is Marco, played by Michael Landes (Love Soup), the mercurial and brilliant business partner who wants to make Ali a star.
> Read our interview with Lenora Crichlow.
> Read our interview with Dervla Kirwan.
Episode 1
Thursday 14th January 2010
A hectic Paris Fashion Week kicks off. Backstage, at the Davina Bailey show, the stress levels peak. A creative flare-up between Ali and Davina prompts Ali to make the rash decision of walking out, leaving a furious Davina in her wake. As the weight of her actions sink in, Ali is thrown a life-line by revered fashion critic Mitchell Crompton. He promises her a fantastic job in return for a new level of intimacy. Shocked, Ali rebuffs Mitchell, making herself another powerful enemy.
Back in the UK, Ali searches for a new job. Entrepreneur Marco offers her the opportunity to design her own label. However, aware of his unscrupulous nature and warned off him by friends Alex, Mimi and Lydia, Ali is cautious. It's not long before Ali and Marco clash over which celebrity to dress at the upcoming BAFTA awards ceremony. But Ali finds that Marco comes through and she relaxes into her business relationship.
Meanwhile, Ali meets gorgeous Chris. Keen to pursue a relationship with Ali, Chris is disappointed when he's given the brush off. However, when Ali has her first taste of business success, she feels ready to take a chance with Chris.
Episode 2
Thursday 21st January 2010
Things are hotting up with Ali and new boyfriend Chris, but the situation makes her as nervous as she is ecstatic. Ali fears that she'll mess everything up by being mistrustful. A second date goes off without a hitch until she secretly reads a text message asking Chris to meet someone the following day.Ali makes an ill-judged decision to follow him and is totally thrown when she spies a young girl calling him daddy!
Chris is appalled by her antics and Ali fears she has totally blown her chances with him. After much soul-searching with best friend Alex, she realises she's the one that can't be trusted, not Chris.
Meanwhile, Ali's faith in Marco is dashed when she discovers they have no financial backing for their business. Well, they might have if Ali manages to impress powerhouse couple Caroline and Nick. But they insist on having a creative input in the form of a "synthetic fabric" that Ali has to use in her collection. Ali is furious, but Marco insists this is their only option if they want to have a business. At the same time, Davina is trying to sue Ali, so it looks as though Ali's business dreams are in tatters on all fronts...
Episode 3
Thursday 28th January 2010
As far as Lydia's concerned, life couldn't be better. She's the face of Pure Grace, a new perfume, there's a glamorous party to launch it and she has all her friends around her. Marco has just announced that he's applied for a slot at Fashion Week – and they have their first big order. Ali is delighted but things quickly turn sour when Mitchell Crompton starts cussing Ali and Lydia has him removed from the party. A humiliated Mitchell seeks revenge... When Lydia eventually staggers out of the party, she is met by an aggressive paparazzi attack set up by Mitchell. The following morning, newspapers are emblazoned with the photos and she is swiftly dropped from the perfume campaign.
Feeling responsible, Ali vows to support Lydia as she throws herself into a voyage of self-discovery by putting her name to a human rights charity and organising a large charity auction for it, calling on all of her contacts including celebrity Alex Zane. But Ali and Lydia's friendship is tested when an ill-judged business decision of Marco's jeopardises Lydia's role at the charity. Marco has used a sweatshop to manufacture some of Ali's designs.
Ali is furious and kicks Marco out of the studio, but he has realised that Mitchell and Davina are responsible for whistle-blowing his shady dealings to scotch the auction. In a last-ditch attempt to save Ali and Lydia's friendship and his business, Marco visits Davina and convinces her to speak to the charity.
With the auction back on, Ali makes a dress especially for Lydia. Realising that together they are stronger than ever, Lydia relents and arm-in-arm they attend the ball – and get the last laugh when the highest bid for Davina's dress appears to be from a drag queen!
Episode 4
Thursday 4th February 2010
A week before her debut at Fashion Week, it's back to the drawing board for Ali when key pieces from her collection are stolen. As Ali digs deep for inspiration, Marco investigates the theft as it looks like an inside job. If life wasn't hard enough for Ali, enter Jed Nicholls, her ex. After two years in New York, Jed is back and Ali's life is turned upside-down.
Having spent the last few years obsessing about him – the man who broke her heart – and is now finally forced to confront her demons when she bumps into him. Fortunately for Ali, she has her best friend, Alex, to support her. That is until, on a hunch, Marco visits Davina's studio and spots Ali's stolen designs, placing Alex at the scene of crime. Sparks fly when Ali discovers Alex's game and kicks him out of their flat. Without her best friend there to protect her, Ali ends up making a total fool of herself by losing her cool with Jed at the launch of his new store.
Fed up with being kept in the dark, Chris has reached the end of his tether with Ali and pulls the plug on their relationship. At an all-time low, Ali focuses on her work but it's Mimi who gives Ali inspiration for her new collection for Fashion Week. Realising that she really needs Alex in her life, Ali finally forgives him.
Meanwhile, Marco has spotted an opportunity: with Chris no longer in the picture, could he be about to make a play for Ali's heart? And, as Mimi's affair with her boss takes a dramatic turn, her career as a stylist finally takes off.
Episode 5
Thursday 11th February 2010
It's Ali's big day – the catwalk show – and tensions are running high at the studio. Davina has engineered a show clash which could put pay to Ali's audience. Fighting for survival, Marco hatches a plan to "un-clash" the shows. Despite the stress, Ali is surprised to find that Marco is the one who makes her giggle – that is, until they arrive at the venue and Ali bumps into her estranged mum, Christine. Ali is utterly shell-shocked. It's been more than two years since she saw her mum following a disagreement over her new husband.
Ali wrongly assumes Christine has come to make the peace and an almighty row ensues when the truth comes out. Dejected, Ali asks her mum to leave and throws herself into her work, but her visit casts a shadow over Ali's mood – so much so that she buckles under the stress and runs out just before the show starts. Not about to give up, Marco races after Ali and tries to talk her round. Marco displays, for the first time, a sensitive and caring side and, at the 11th hour, he convinces Ali to return to the venue.
His plan to un-clash the show has also come to fruition and, as the show is about to begin, Christine walks through the door. Marco, realising that Ali needed her mum, talked Christine into staying for the show. Ali sees Marco in a new light and realises she wants him. For Mimi, it marks an abrupt end to her crush on Marco, as she cottons on to their chemistry.
Post-show and riding high on its glory, Christine and Ali make the first steps towards a new relationship. Life for Ali couldn't get much better ... until she catches Marco, as she mistakenly sees it, in a clinch with a woman. However, when she then bumps into Chris, she is completely confused about the men in her life...
Episode 6
Thursday 18th February 2010
Following bad reviews from Ali's debut at Fashion Week (engineered by Davina and Mitchell), she and Marco head to Paris to try to sell her collection to buyer and fashion legend Sylvie Montrose. Unbeknown to Ali, Marco has been planning to sweep her off her feet. But before she leaves on the train she has a surprise visit from Chris. He is on a mission to win Ali back and on a whim asks her to marry him. Caught up in the romance of it all Ali says yes! Ali and Marco's trip to Paris subsequently ends in disaster when they don't manage to sell the collection and Marco's true feelings eventually surface.
Back in London, Ali, Chris and the gang celebrate their engagement but as a toast is made to the happy couple Marco rushes in and whisks Ali away. He's heard that Sylvie is in London and needs Ali to help him track her down. But as the pair seek Sylvie out, they grow increasingly closer. Struggling to head off her feelings for Marco – particularly when Chris cottons on – Ali calls off the engagement.
But still without a buyer their ship is sinking fast ... that is until Davina throws them a life-line. Ali is sceptical, but Marco sees the offer for what it is – a great opportunity if agreed on their terms. But hell hath no fury like a woman scorned – and as Marco pitches her the terms of their deal he is suddenly faced with one of his toughest decisions yet: Davina will put money into the business but on one condition – that he walks away from Ali. What happened between Marco and Davina in the past that has made her want to do this?
As Marco decides whether to make the ultimate sacrifice and sell out to Davina, Ali celebrates her success with friends, unaware that her world may be about to come crashing down around her...
