Styled To Rock - the preview

Fashion and TV go together like, well, let’s be honest, chalk and cheese. So what happened when our girl about town entertainment writer Martha Hayes got a sneak peek at Rihanna's new show, Styled To Rock? Find out here

Fashion and TV go together like, well, let’s be honest, chalk and cheese. So what happened when our girl about town entertainment writer Martha Hayes got a sneak peek at Rihanna's new show, Styled To Rock? Find out here...

Filming so far in advance + lack of budget + trying to 'make good telly' often = shows that are frustratingly irrelevant to the modern (digital) fashion eye. Let's look at the evidence.

1) The Clothes Show, groundbreaking in the 1980s for sure, went down like a lead balloon when resurrected in 2006.

2) Project Runway ends up being as much about the models as emerging designers.

3) What Not To Wear - dodgy makeover territory

The fact is we've been far more inspired by the fabulous fashion in fictional dramas like Gossip Girl or Sex And The City than we have by lack lustre creations in real time. No wonder the latest 'fashion TV show,' has been dubbed by the tabloids 'the most A-list reality show of all time.' Because it's on that premise that Styled To Rock will succeed.

Yep, Sky Living ain't stupid. Their latest show about wannabe designers (dressing pop stars this time) has Rihanna on board as executive producer.

So on the judging panel, putting 12 contestants through their paces, there's designer-to-the-stars Henry Holland, Girls Aloud's Nicola Roberts and Rihanna's stylist Lysa Cooper (who's so fierce she'll probably end up with her own show).

On top of that, every week a new celebrity guest (we're talking Cheryl Cole, Katy Perry, Pixie Lott…) because that's who the wannabes will be designing for. See what they did there? Genius.

CHERYL COLE TO GUEST STAR IN RIHANNA'S STYLED TO ROCK

I've seen the first episode and the reason Styled To Rock works is because its grasp on fashion is entirely unique. Yes, it draws us in with celebrities and you can certainly expect the usual 'reality show' tears and tantrums, but the outcome taps into our collective curiosity about how stars are styled. So while the format may be old, the concept could not be more now. Bring on the divas…

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