When I first saw a drawing of the new Church with its glass spire I realised this was a building designed to take us into the next century. Musically the St Barnabas Choir is moving forward too, and it seemed in dress we also should be more contemporary.

I was keen to incorporate something of the Church’s design in the new robes, and eventually came up with a cassock incorporating deep inverted side-pleats which are reminiscent of the profile of the spire. The colours pick up the tones of the stained glass: the full-length cassock, with stand-up collar, is a strong rich blue; the side pleats are scarlet, as the buttons and piping on the cuffs. The robes were made up for us by Watts and Co. at Church House, who had so generously clothed our junior choristers for their appearance in Joy to the World at the Royal Albert Hall in 1993.

We felt the traditional idea of a cassock, with innovative details giving it a contemporary feel, would reflect the design of the church: a traditional idea given dramatic new expression.

Rita Shilling