London Fashion Week, Feb 2009

Our girl Sarah Young is hot-footing it around town for London Fashion Week, and reports back from the front row.

London Fashion Week, the  glamour, the shows, the characters, THE FASHION. And day one certainly did not disappoint. Up and out of the house at 10.30 and off  to the first show of the day in the British Fashion Council tent to see Caroline Charles.
What I love about Caroline Charles shows is that the models smile and look radiant. There is no pouting or drawn miserable looks which is very refreshing.
Rich reds, embellished bohemian tunics styled with leather leggings, and mini tuxedos dominated the runway. The label is very classic and for the more discerning clientele but the brilliant styling of the show sexed it up with the last few models giving the photographers a glimpse of their hold ups and panties. Ooh la la. All in all a lovely and more cutting edge show, which is no wonder with such a great creative team behind the brand.

Then onto Vauxall Fashion Scout which is a section of fashion week where new cutting edge talent showcase their collections. First show Julia Smith, a cute label and an utterly cute collection, full of long white dresses covered in red knitwear bows and statement button head pieces.
No rest for the wicked, onto the Kangst Show where to a hard electro mix  models strutted down the runway in faux shimmery leathers, loose fittings dresses, rich velvets , gothic blacks with sportwear style tops and chain- looking wool reigning supreme.

 A hop and skip over town to Ashish  at the amazing venue of the Hippodrome, I was greeted by a circus themed collection full of sequins, clashing colours, angular cuts and crazy bobble hats. And although Ashish made heavy references to the American trailer trash style, the collection had a distinct British punk undertone which the Kool Klub Kidz in the front seemed to adore. Another cool element of the show was that, Ashish chose to replace the standard mix CD with  a live band fronted by singer of the moment VV Brown .

The next show de jour -  and with what seemed like a mile long queue - was Central St Martins,  where 18 graduates of the MA course debuted their collections. World famous alumni include John Galliano, Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson, Stella McCartney and Gareth Pugh.
 Next to me on the front row sat Erin O’Connor, Camilla Fayed, and Hilary Alexander. Model Tyson Beck presented the show, although he could hardly get any words out ( better when models dont speak I think.) The event was truly a visual treat, with a refreshing abundance of colour, textures and an over- riding sense of fun with many of the designers referring to cartoons and Pop Art for inspiration.

As night fell so did the inevitable after- parties. And so to Bungalow 8 where the music and fashion set happily mingled including style maverick and recording artist Master Shortie and ( again ) Tyson Beck.

Skip five hours of dancing in six inch heels ( after a 10 hour day) and three hours of sleep, and I somehow found myself at the second day of Fashion Week.

First stop John Rocha, and again structure and the idea of playing with and manipulating  the  shape of the figure featured heavily. Shoulder pads, mixed with giant wire tutu skirts and tweeds paired with beads and sequins established the collection as fierce yet feminine. I was also impressed by the racially diverse set of  models in the show, which in my opinion we need to see more of at London Fashion Week.

Another show which stood out was Romeo Pires at Vauxall Fashion Scout. The concept behind the collection was to take the front of the figure and switch it backwards. So back- to- front kaftans, Doctor Who style warrior masks worn on the back of the head and impossible- to- walk- in, back- to- front shoes.

So impossible that every single model bar three fell or tripped over, one even ripped her dress and then ripped the carpet off the runway, much to the horror and joy of the audience. More concerned about the models safety than the rather cutting edge collection it was definitely a show to remember and a rather brilliant PR stunt.

In the next column: gossip from backstage, Vivienne Westwood, Basso and Brooke, Betty Jackson and the PPQ after party.