Martin Fry, 43, lead singer of ABC has a real soft spot for his gold suit. He agreed to stick it on just for us so we could give it that `look of love'.

Byline: Text by Jazz Thwaite.

`I was burgled while I was in France a few months ago. Immediately, I thought, "I bet they've nicked my gold suit." I was so relieved when they hadn't, I'm not sure why. But it was only then I realised how much I value it. It has a spiritual value, it's my talisman, my suit of armour, but you've also got to have bloody balls to wear it.

`Obviously, I've got a history of wearing gold suits and I did have two back in the '80s when we were touring. But one got stolen in Coventry in '83 and I flushed the other one down the loo in Japan at the end of a tour. Don't ask!

`Whenever we've done tours since, everyone comes up and asks me where the suit is. So when we got asked to support Robbie Williams I went to see my old mate William Hunt, a designer on Saville Row, and said, "I need some stage clothes. Y'know, something a bit subtler than what I used to wear. I'm older and wiser and I've fathered two children." He pulled out this material which was sparkling gold, looked at me with a glint in his eye and said, "C'mon Martin, let's have this." I couldn't refuse.

`There's a magical quality about this suit. People get really excited when they see it. I used to feel trapped in it, like I was wearing a mask, but now I'm completely comfortable, probably because I'm confident within myself. When I'm wearing it my wife says she's never seen me looking more relaxed and happy - pure showbiz!

`A lot of musicians before me have worn gold suits and there'll be more after me. It's only a matter of time before Robbie's in one. To top it all, it hasn't been dry-cleaned so it has my, er, fragrance on it - that's the smell of pure hard toil, that is.'