London Fashion Week Daily

PHotography Burberry Prorsum by Catwalking.com
REPORT BY David Hayes

*Flash* *Pop* Oh there’s Carey Mulligan. *Flash* Kristen Stewart. *Flash* Samantha Cameron *Pop* Fizzle* The Oslen Twins. Kate Hudson. Anna Wintour. Is that really The Kooks on the front row?
Yes, the Burberry Prorsum show pulled out all the stops and dazzled London yet again; wall to wall celebrities, the luxurious mega-marquee, the black suited male models ushering guests in from the rain with outsized Burberry check umbrellas, the fake rain inside – complete with unsettling stormy soundtrack. “I wish they would turn that off,” said the magazine stylist next to me of the constant splishy-splashy sound effects. “I’m bursting for the loo and that REALLY isn’t helping.”

Ah well. You had to be there. Or did you? The big news of course was that this show was being live-steamed in 3D across the world and what I wanted to say was that there is really nothing like actually being there. The push and shove to get in, the electric atmosphere, the whiff of near-by celebrity, the almost touchable quality of the clothes. But I was wrong. I didn’t see any of the celebrities listed above (bar Samantha Cameron).

Updates from Twitter on my iphone filled in the many blanks. Thank you Twitter.

And from where I was sat It took me a while to work out that the ‘leather trousers’ everything seemed to come out layered over were actually thigh-high leather boots. Sure even if I couldn’t see the shoes, I could still see the clothes – immaculate military great coats, sheepskin flying jackets, khaki lace, purple pleated satin, a kind of Burberry greatest hits round up really – but I would surely have got a MUCH better view at home. And a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive to boot. Maybe this internet thing isn’t such a bad idea after all.

REPORT BY Anna-marie Solowij

My all time fashion bargain is a chocolate brown Hermes Kelly bag, found in a second hand designer boutique in 1988 for £70. Every few seasons, it comes out to make its obligatory tour, then goes back to handbag rest home during any off trend lull. This winter, the Kelly came into its own again, but I decided mine needed a little updating.

I wanted to wear it slung across the body rather than tucked close ‘laydee’ style. I have never had the shoulder strap for this bag so I went to Hermes to buy one. Following an examination of the bag, I was advised to consult Mustafa, to discuss my requirements (which I had thought were quite simple – a long strap). Escorted to the back of the Bond St store, I was introduced to M, who has his own ‘repairs’ den, a

fascinating little lair where distressed and broken bag, belts and wallets could be mended in the Hermes hospital.

Read more

PHOTOGRAPHY Nathan Jenden BY ANNA BAUER

Report by Anna-Marie Solowij

It’s time to get wise to the beautifying potential of fashion. The LFW Daily has discovered that certain articles of clothing have hidden powers. So, from the head down…

Hats: use a tightly wrapped scarf or a knitted skullcap as your short cut to Richard Nicoll and Basso & Brooke’s sleek hair styles. Go one further by applying a hair mask instead of gel for conditioning and styling in one.

Scarves: mist a favourite fragrance (Meadham Kirchhoff fans might like to try one of their favourites from Penhaligon’s) into the air and waft the scarf through it. In a season when subtle is the watchword, this is the new fashion way to wear fragrance.

Bag: ideally you need two, equally laden; so, purely for the purposes of assonance, a vintage Gucci Hobo and Alexander Wang’s Coco. Fill each with your daily essentials – mobile phone, BlackBerry, iPod, notebook, iPad and make-up bag. Hold one in each hand and do bicep curls when no one’s looking.

Legs: embrace the benefits of the new body Pro silhouette by slipping on a pair of Lipo Contour Elite Capri pants underneath a voluminous pair of trousers. The ingenious textured neoprene lining helps stimulate the circulation as you walk, speeding up fat burning.

Shoes: who knew that Uggs could somehow be beautiful? After a week of wearing perhaps the ugliest footwear imaginable, your nails will thank you. The equivalent of being on holiday in the Caribbean, the internal microclimate of the Ugg makes nails grow quicker. I know because it happened to me.

PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Pilotto BY ANNA BAUER
Report by David Hayes

Not that they’re pitching, but Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos sent out an assured collection  that could set the curtains twitching along Rue Cambon…

Let’s play a quick game of fashion musical chairs. Imagine, just for a moment, if Peter Pilotto got the main gig at Chanel? Yes, I know what you are thinking, but bear with me. What would they do with all those classic tweeds, butter-soft leathers, gilt chains? Perhaps it would look something like their latest catwalk outing. In the tough concrete of Selfridges car park, the designer duo – that’s namesake Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos – sent out their most accomplished collection to date, patchworking light-as-air tweeds with random inserts of leather, slivers of metallic silver patent and a peppering of crystal studs into sleek tailoring with a savage edge. And those gilt chains? What better way to string a strap of fur across the body of a digital-print draped and folded dress? It was strong creative statement – but it also made perfect commercial sense. Cool and covetable? Maybe Mr Lagerfeld should be a little worried.

PHOTOGRAPHY Basso and Brooke BY MARCUS DAWES
Report by fiona campbell

It’s been a jungle out there this London Fashion Week. Elaborate animal prints with a revved-up Jungle Book soundtrack at Mulberry, feral looking models reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are dominated the Unique show, and there were roars of approval for Nathen Jenden’s Lion faced dress and zebra stripes.  As expected design duo Basso and Brooke put their own graphic spin on the animal-tastic trend putting out a collection of Ethnic looking digitalised prints contorted to look like the furs of fictional animals.  “We wanted to create furs that don’t exist, so we invented them!” And the result? A fiercely textured collection of fantasy furs merged together to create an alien-like pelt, all without a dead animal in sight!

PHOTOGRAPH BY SHANIQWA JARVIS

Marcus Dawes, staff snapper for the LFW Daily, celebrates the last day on planet fashion….

COMPOSED BY GEORGE RYAN FOR MEN’S DAY

Who was awarded NEWGEN Men in August 2009?

Which designer studied drama at The Actors’ Studio in Washington DC in 2001?
Which label’s clothes appeared in 2001: A Space Odyssey?

Who published the ABC Book of Mens Fashion in 1964?

Where is Gieves & Hawkes located?

What is Japanese for suit (brownie points for Japanese characters!)?

Who famously tailored Admiral Lord Nelson’s uniform?

Read more

Team LFW Daily has a key member this week, in the form of Gregory, our Mercedes driver. George Ryan caught up with him during a traffic jam to find out just what makes him tick:

Read more

In a grand setting in Whitehall, Julien Macdonald continued to set the pace of change in his label. Thanks to new backing, in the space of a year, he has revved it up to modern luxury status. From the off, we recognised that the equestrienne was an inspiration, as girls with bedroom hair and come-hither eyes strode out in tobacco riding capes bonded with black leather over leather and suede panelled jodhpur leggings; or extravagant looped Aran sweaters with a grey pegged trouser and fierce, high ankle boots. Then came the great coats, a biker-and-coat combo, and shredded knitted dresses only Julien can do best. The curveball? Sexy negligée dresses – and what fine filigrees they were in black and pink or navy and black; long and short; pleated and fluted. What was the sexy horsewoman doing with a bare breast on show beneath gauzy black lace under her riding cape? Backstage, Julien’s inspiration became clear: “It was Jilly Cooper’s novel, Riders,” he grinned. “By day, they ride horses, and by night, they do naughty things to men in stables.” Don’t you just love Julien?

report by melanie rickey

Catwalk · 22/02/2010

A ripple of excitement went through the crowd as the lights went down for Todd Lynn yesterday – and then the paparazzi descended. Who were they here for? I spotted Marc Almond sitting next to Roland Mouret, but as the show commenced, a beam of light hit Mouret’s other neighbour – Janet Jackson! The show went on to be what you’d imagine the undead in a fashionable bar in True Blood would wear. Forget studs and chains – these vampires would be wearing Todd Lynn while standing around looking serious yet sexy. Todd designs brilliant jackets and slim trousers – a modern urban uniform of androgynous cool. His outfits operate on a one-colour basis; the colours in this show were pale nude, honey, tobacco brown and grey. Fabrics included suede, leather, wool and canvas. Matching high-heeled Louboutins were worn, and fox fur sprouted dramatically from shoulders. “It was about the hunter becoming the hunted. And, as always, I studied military uniform through the ages,” said Lynn. And the Janet connection? “We worked on her last video together. She flew over to see the show.”

REPORT BY MELANIE RICKEY

Catwalk · 22/02/2010

We’ve been keeping a close eye on developments at Aquascutum, holding our collective breath last season when the business was sold. Six months on, the brand, in the safe hands of fashion businessman Harold Tillman, is transformed, and its show last night was a pleasure to behold. Thus far, London designers have been treading safely when it comes to making new statements for A/W 10. Not Michael Herz for Aquascutum. He went long, long, long in a colour palette of navy, grey and military green, alongside camel wool, gold jacquard and black leather. Think a long, tailored skirt with a white shirt and a short, belted jacket with flat, silver dance shoes. Or wide-leg trousers worn with a tiny, belted padded jacket, again with a white shirt. Throw in a cape, a long, slim, covered- up dress and a trench and you’ve got the collection in a nutshell. But it was Herz’s confidence that made this a show-stopper. “It was inspired by The French Lieutenant’s Woman,” he said, “and it was my conviction to carry on the long silhouette I started for S/S. It’s the way the girls walk, wearing long with flats. It just feels right.” And it did.

REPORT BY MELANIE RICKEY

Catwalk · 22/02/2010

Jaws dropped when the Meadham Kirchhoff show began. Used to seeing black, moody collections from Ed Meadham and Ben Kirchhoff, the Arabic rugs, streams of tinsel on the floor and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring should have been a clue that this would be a bit different. The first look was a celebration of colour with a red mantilla worn over the face, topped with a tinsel tiara. Beneath that were two layers of floral dresses and long- john trousers, I think… There was so much to take in at once! Among the best individual pieces in this riot of a collection were the hand-painted biker jackets; the embroidered long skirts; the piles of Indian-inspired bangles created in collaboration with Erickson Beamon; red “nightie” dresses, orange floral blouses and the long event gowns. Oh, and the tinsel-embroidered shrunken- wool cardigans and sweaters. “We wanted to do as many pretty, amazing things as possible and put them all together,” explained Meadham. “It’s a narrative that begins in southern India and ends in southern Spain.” And success. Meadham Kirchhoff has arrived.

REPORT BY MELANIE RICKEY

Catwalk · 22/02/2010

Photography by Shaniqwa JARVIS
Posting Cat Callender

Couldn’t resist showing off the lovely silk lining on my couture quality Karen Millen lace jacket….

Sidebar · Trends · 22/02/2010

At 10 am today (Monday), designer Antonio Berardi will unveil his a/w 10 presentation to the attending fashion press. Here, exclusively for The Daily, the designer posts his diary in the lead up to his show.

01:30AM
This is the beginning………Tati, who opened the Marc Jacobs show, an Argentinian with attitude and plenty of sex appeal, making it a happy start to the day. Oh how we smiled. And it was down to business, it is 1.30am, the day of the show, which will take place in 8 and a half hours. REWIND……..

Shoreditch studios, Batemans Row, and the procession starts early…

01:35:26
Leona

01:34:14
Jo Jones and Tamsin Blanchard

01:37:15
Me and Sophia, the calm before the storm ……

01:38:43
TAO……..PREVIEW………!

01:39:49
Swarovski 3D embroidery, PREVIEW !

01:41:27
Then it’s down to last minute embroideries…You know I love all things Swarovski, but hopefully this time we’ve been clever, as things are almost 3 dimensional.

01:42:43
Gucci Westman from Revlon for make-up, The Brilliant Malcom Edwards with John Freida products a plenty making bonces look like they should… and then the arrival of Agent Provocateur… sheer heaven !

01:43:36
The saga continues however long into the night and into the next day as we are still here, Mr. Berardi can be evil when it comes to fittings, in there with a magnifying glass, checking for loose threads and gained millimeters which shouldn’t be there. Isn’t it about precision this season? Or every season come to think of it ?

01:45:00
David on Louboutin duty…….
both stars in their own right

01:46:10
Graziella the Great . Head Honcho and chief whip!

No rest for the wicked !

06:28
Just got back to the hotel from the fittings studio , everything is now finished. Shave, shower and caffeine, and off to the venue in half an hour. This is the reality, no sleep, no massage and no ego! Be careful what you wish for !!!!!

News · 22/02/2010

Copy and pictures by Joe Sinclair, What Katie Wore
Sittings Editor: Katie Greengrass

“This dress was the first thing we saw at the exhibition and Katie fell in love with it instantly. In fact, picking which Holly Fulton dress she liked the most was the real challenge. The rest of the outfit was carefully selected whilst I sloped off to grab a hot chocolate and nurse my hangover. LFW is taking its toll.”

Clothing credits:

Mini Krysler shift dress, 178, Holly Fulton, NEWGEN sponsored by Topshop, East Wing

Black holster, DLEE15, David Longshaw, Stand 2, Lower Embankment Galleries

Black and navy Leon necklace, P115, Fiona Paxton, Stand 35, Upper Embankment Galleries

Shoes and watch, Katie’s own

www.whatkatiewore.com

Sidebar · Trends · 22/02/2010

Rub shoulders with the fashion elite by booking yourself into One Aldwych for an elegant weekend break. Special advance purchase winter rates are now available. Thanks to the luxe minimalist interiors peppered with contemporary art and bespoke furniture, it’s not hard to see why it’s beloved by fashion and beauty editors alike. So what are you waiting for?

Rates start from £240 + VAT per room, per night, including breakfast and full use of hotel facilities.

www.campbellgrayhotels.com

Sidebar · 22/02/2010

The make-up at Todd’s show was based on chic simplicity, bare but with structured dewy highlights. Make-up imitating skincare, like a kind of pumped up male grooming.the girls looked aristocratic, reflecting the hunting theme of Todd’s collection. I used a highlight within a highlight…..MAC’s cream colour bases in Pearl and Luna to bring some “rigour” into MAC studio sculpt foundation. Very modern to base beauty on the quality of the skin with no statement in eyes and lips.

Beauty · 21/02/2010

Henry Holland is all about instant gratification; his front row provides plenty of activity – yesterday afternoon it was courtesy of Mr Hudson, Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof and Marina Diamandis. His clothes are immediately uplifting – all that colour, all those Eighties references (lots of topknots and gold hoop earrings courtesy of Katie Hillier) – and, now, you can instantly buy it straight off the catwalk. Those with BlackBerry phones were invited to download a shopping application, allowing show spectators to shop from Holland’s show and order directly from the eight-piece slogan t-shirt range debuted mere minutes ago. Aside from t-shirts, what else was on display? Bandana paisley-prints on silk-crêpe de Chine breezy boiler suits and shirt dresses, shearling jackets, tight leather dresses and lots of hosiery (a collaboration with Pretty Polly) in candy-coloured hues of pink, aqua, lilac and palest grey. Unfortunately, shoppers will have to wait a bit longer for those pieces – in the meantime, buy the t-shirt.

Catwalk · 21/02/2010

Florals, flashes of neon-pink, swirling seams, sheer panelling, mohair… and that was just one dress. There is so much going on in a Michael van der Ham creation that it can be tricky keeping up. This season, London’s patchwork prince continued to explore the possibilities of his cleverly pieced-together party dresses comprising collages of clashing prints – many of them vintage fabrics sourced from Liberty’s vast archives (a silk pansy print was particularly pretty). But it was when he loosened things up with a series of sheer and blousy midi-length dresses that it suddenly began to look new. In addition to these were fisherman-ribbed sweaters that were backless with slashed necklines and spliced with mohair and softly draped silk. Van der Ham’s navy finale gown, with oyster crinkled silk-crêpe inserts and a smattering of chunky crystals dripping from one sleeve, was pretty sensational – now all he needs is a budding starlet to premiere it.

Catwalk · 21/02/2010

Emilio de la Morena’s star has been on the rise for a few seasons now. And this season, it sparkled. Inspired by otherworldly atmospheres and a young nomadic woman, de la Morena sent a collection of hits out onto the runway, with plenty of them venturing into new territory – namely in the shape of chunky silvery knitwear and outerwear such as sumptuous parkas, fashioned in softest wool from Italian luxury house Loro Piana (imagine, for a moment, how good they would feel to wear). But it was his, now signature, draped silk mini dresses – with their cleverly folded flippy panels and decorated in those mesmerising painterly prints resembling planetary landscapes (achieved by mixing oil paint with wax and others created by the crystallisation of watercolour and salt) – that this collection will be remembered for. Front row attendee Olivia Palermo would certainly look great in any of it. Order books at the ready.

Catwalk · 21/02/2010