Feb 26, 2002/FWD/ --- Tanya Ling showed yesterday that the fine line between art and fashion is as blurred as ever, when a private art buyer bought a single hand-decorated shoe from her debut fashion collection which was on display at The Mayor Gallery on Cork Street, London's premier surrealist gallery.

"It's amazing, and I'm so pleased," she told FWD. "I was really happy when the gallery agreed to let me install my collection here for the day. I do feel that my work harks back to Schiaparelli and the whole idea of surrealism and the connection with designers and art."

But don't think that Ling's collection is full of the bizarre and the experimental.

Instead, she has put together a series of super-soft cashmere jumpers and scarves, incredibly flattering knee-length day dresses in turquoise and navy needlecord, and luxurious Harris tweed coats, all cut with the eye of someone versed in ‘50s and ‘60s design.

Each piece has clever detailing, be it in the cut or in the cashmere hand appliqués.

Ling has made a collection so desirable that every piece should fly off the shelves.

Ling's connections with the art world include a close friendship with the acclaimed young British artist Gavin Turk.

The pair met through Ling's art dealer husband, and Turk's first exhibition was held at the Lings’ home, while Ling's first show of fashion drawings took place at Turk's studio. p> So, Ling was delighted that Turk agreed to install her collection in the gallery for her Fashion Week presentation.

She probably didn't imagine that he would assemble a crazy cat's cradle of strings in the air, and then suspend her pieces with clothespins over it.

Turk told FWD, "Working with Tanya is always a joy. I feel that the connection between fashion and art should be encouraged, and this project is just really enjoyable."

Turk's work is now immortalized in one of Ling's pieces - a fawn cashmere cardigan with his famous ironic imitation of a blue English Heritage plaque embroidered on the front.

Ling graduated from Central St. Martins ten 10 years ago, but took a decidedly different career step when she married, had children and became involved with her husband's art business.

But after working for several years as a fashion illustrator, she decided to produce her first collection.

"After a few years as an illustrator, I began to know instinctively which pieces of other people's collections I was drawing would and wouldn't sell," she told FWD last week as she planned her presentation at the gallery.

"It was fantastic being able to draw all these wonderful clothes for magazines like Vogue, but I've really gone full circle now, going back to the fashion career I had planned when I was studying at St. Martins."