A NEW ‘Fat Face’ has resulted in big grins among young fashionistas.

The grand opening of Macclesfield’s latest clothing store, on Mill Street, was greeted with a unanimous thumbs up from shoppers the Express spoke to – and photographed in their own trendy outfits.

The Fat Face brand bucked the trend of the recession by opening a new branch last Saturday, August 8, and creating nine new jobs in the town.

Hip and happening and complete with a local twist, the store features images of White Nancy and Joy Division’s Ian Curtis.

Manager Andrew Smith, who lives in Bollington, said: "As a local I think it’s a really good thing for Macclesfield.

"If you look around there are quite a lot of shops closing down, I’m hoping that we can attract more quality retailers to the area and people will stay in Macclesfield to do their shopping rather than go over to Manchester. We’ve had a really good response so far."

Diane Worthington, 50, a teacher from Pedley Hill, Adlington, is a seasoned Fat Face customer who previously travelled to Wilmslow for the label.

She said: "It’s nice to see something opening in Macclesfield with so many places closingn. Macclesfield does need more clothes shops, especially ladies and kids, and hopefully one new shop will encourage more to come."

Music technology student Alaistair Bower, 18, from Bollington, added: "There never used to be any really good shops but recently I’ve noticed a few good ones opening up here. It’s quite pricey, so I won’t be shopping here everyday, but I do like the stuff and it’s nice to have it here on your doorstep.

"I usually go into Manchester. I’d definitely shop here more often if there were more decent shops like this."

Student Lydia Wheeldon, 18, from Priory Lane, Macclesfield, admits to being a fan of more unusual clothes shops than those available in Macclesfield at present.

She said: "It’s nice to see shops like this here and I’ll definitely be shopping here again, it would be great if places like H&M came to some of the empty shops because we would come and shop here a lot more often."

Sophie Taylor, 18, from Hamble Way, Macclesfield, is also a student, who said: "We’ve been looking forward to it opening because we really like the clothes.

"We go into Manchester where there’s H&M or to Wilmslow for Fat Face, we wouldn’t normally come to Macclesfield to do loads of clothes shopping."