In true diva fashion, the lego version of Amy Winehouse delayed the opening of the Croydon Fashion Festival for two hours, while her creator wrestled with artistic issues.

The plastic pop star, created entirely out of Lego, was meant to launch the festival at noon on Saturday, but was fashionably late.

The full-sized Lego model was commissioned by the organisers to celebrate the week-long series of style events, which takes place from June 20th to 28th.

Croydon’s Lego sculptor extraordinaire, Craig Stevens, built his life-sized creation last week.

The finishing touches to his creation were done in Croydon town centre on Saturday.

“Amy”, a former Brit School student, posed for photos alongside glamour models and Miss Surrey to help officially launch the festival.

Mr Stevens said: “It’s been a while since Amy has been in town and obviously she is now a big star, but I’d like to think she learned a lot during her time in Croydon at the Brits.

“Amy’s distinctive features made her a good choice to make out of Lego.

“I’d like to think she would approve of my handy-work.”

Visitors to the week-long series of free catwalk shows and events set to light up Croydon this week will be able to enter a competition to guess the exact number of Lego bricks used to make the model.

The lucky winner will receive £150 in shopping vouchers.

Over the weekend fashionistas took in the series of shows and style workshops.

Recycled fashion is firmly at the forefront of the exciting programme of events.

Croydon company Mondial are getting into the green spirit of things by hosting a show where their employees will showcase the results of an in-house competition to come up with fresh, original and recyclable designs.

Their lively show takes place on Thursday, June 25, in Croydon town centre.

The two winning designs from the Mondial showcase were in Central Croydon on Saturday at the launch of the Festival.

The dresses, one made from recycled coke cans, drew interested looks from passers by.

On Thursday models are due to be strutting their stuff on the Whitgift Centre catwalk from 12.30pm until 6.30pm.

On Friday afternoon sewing masterclasses will take place in the Green Dragon pub and more sewlutions will be on offer in the Croydon clocktower all day Saturday.

For the full programme see croydonnfashionfestival.com

To celebrate Croydon Fashion Festival we have teamed up with stores at Centrale to offer shopping vouchers worth £500.

Aldo, Miss Selfridge, French Connection, Zara, and Joy in Centrale on North End are offering the prize as the second Fashion Festival begins.

To win £500 in vouchers, answer this question? Which famous supermodel is from Croydon?

A. Naomi Campbell B. Kate Moss C. Claudia Schiffer Send a text to 80360 starting with FASHION leave a space and then your answer, name and contact details.

Texts cost 50p plus your normal operator text charge. Text voting lines open 15/06/2009 and close 30/06/2009 at noon. For full terms visit newsquest.co.uk/ terms. Service provided by Newsquest Media Group.