House of Fraser party night in Bristol

Model Yasmin Le Bon was the star of the show at last night's launch event at the landmark House of Fraser store in Cabot Circus.

Yasmin, now 45 and a mother-of-three, stepped out on the catwalk to model autumn and winter fashions while the DJs for the event were singer Sophie Ellis Bextor and her husband Richard Jones.

Yasmin and store manager Emma Simpson were due to cut the ribbon to welcome shoppers to the store at 12.30pm today. A special guest last night and at today's opening ceremony was Maureen Rowley and her guide dog Gus.

Guide Dogs for the Blind is House of Fraser's chosen charity of the year.

Yesterday afternoon Yasmin put on a blindford to walk round the store to gain an understanding of the everyday difficulties faced by the visually impaired.

Mrs Rowley, 57, from Sea Mills, who lost her sight after a fall when she was 12, said having a guide dog made all the difference to her life.

She said: "I trained with Gus five years ago. With a white stick you have to find all the obstacles yourself, like cars parked on pavements, but Gus guides me round them."

It costs £10,000 to train a puppy as a guide dog and 16 are needed in the Bristol area.

Other guests including House of Fraser card holders enjoyed a champagne preview of the store last night.

The 170,000 sq ft anchor store at the heart of Cabot Circus has four levels and 89 brands under one roof - including House of Fraser's first ever 2,000 sq ft Redchat Aveda Spa as well as fashion from All Saints, Karen Millen, Diesel and its own brands Linea, Therapy, Episode and Untold.

Yasmin, who chatted to guests in the store's Zest restaurant, is a fan of Untold dresses.

Checks were a feature of the catwalk shows along with the ever popular litttle black dress which comes in a multitude of styles.

Guests were shown round the world of shoes and handbag heaven which boasts such brands as DKNY, Mulberry, Diesel and Mimco.

There is also a beauty hall where staff will be giving makeovers and treats today.

The store has a bra fitting service as well as personal shoppers for men and women.

On the second flood Times lifestyle journalist Damian Barr gave his take on what will be cool in men's fashion next year while in the technology section the lastest flatscreen TVs were on show.

Manager Emma Simpson said: "We are thrilled to have Yasmin officially open the store.

"Our team has worked very hard to ensure that our customers will be delighted from the moment they walk through the doors."