Get into the mood for London Fashion Week with London Fashion Spectacular

I get a feeling that not a day will go by on CQ until February without me mentioning London Fashion Week.

Today's mention comes courtesy of Radio 4, relive the excitement of the September shows with

Bronwyn Cosgrave presenting. Cosgrave is the author of 'Made For Each Other, Fashion and the Academy Awards' and despite a slightly lacklustre performance at a Barbican lecture the CQ team went to last year 'London's Fashion Spectacular' makes good listening.

Cosgrave is investigating why London has become the centre of the fashion world, something which you could undoubtedly dispute but with people like Mandi Lennard, Todd Lynn and Agyness Deyn giving their tuppence worth it's a must-hear programme. It's worth it just to hear Phillip Green's uber-cockney voice bemoaning designers saying: "you can't get these people to sit still for five minutes... Most of them are out with the fairies." Ha!The next and last episode is scheduled for tonight at 11.30, or catch it again on iPlayer.

[Sipa Press/Rex Features ]

London Fashion Week schedule announced!

While everyone else is still panicking over present-buying, Christmas food and getting a tree cast your thoughts to as the BFC have released the catwalk schedule for London Fashion Week.

The days and dates have changed so Paul Costelloe who usually opens proceedings on a Sunday is now showing on a Friday with shows finishing on a Wednesday. All the usual names are on the sheet, from old favourites like Paul Smith and Julien Macdonald to established newcomers like Christopher Kane and Roksanda Illincic.

Newer names on the roster include Mark Fast (pictured right) whose knitwear designs propelled him into the limelight and with a debut collection available at Browns in the spring he is sure to be a hot ticket come February. Other designers to look out for include Peter Pillotto who is maturing nicely, fairly recent graduate Mary Katrantzou (pictured left) and this year will see the first catwalk show for Twenty8Twelve, the label run by Sienna Miller and her sister Savannah.

London Fashion Week: Nicole Farhi S/S 2009

Nicole Farhi was one of the first London designers to continue on the trend of painterly florals we saw emerge at New York Fashion Week, and she does it just beautifully. Hemlines were longer, below the knee, and shapes were a bit of a throwback to the earlier decates of the last century. But the prints and some tweaking of the silhouette kept things modern and chic.

There was a definite British seaside look going, without the preppiness of more American nautical style. A little more laid-back, less put-together and it looked just lovely.

London Fashion Week: day three

We're only just into Tuesday and the shows just keep getting better. Here's a quick list of our latest London Fashion Week coverage...

It's a Pick Of The Blogs London Fashion Week special!

Emma Cook S/S 2009 - Gallery

Jaeger S/S 2009 - Gallery

Peter Jensen S/S 2009 - Video

Temperley London S/S 2009 - Catwalk review

Luella S/S 2009 - Gallery

What the critics are saying so far about LFW

Backstage gossip - stuff to do at the tents!

Gemma speaks out over plans to shorten LFW to four days

Meanwhile in Spain and New Zealand...

Stay tuned for reviews, behind-the-scenes gossip and galleries from the Catwalk Queen team. Of course it's not all hard work, we're letting our hair down tonight and heading off to the Marie Claire 20th anniversary party!

Red carpet: Renee Zellweger is plummy in Marchesa at 'Leatherheads' premiere, London

It is nice to see Renee Zellweger in town again, she can't seem to get enough of our fine shores as her previous roles in Bridget Jones and Miss Potter prove. And we are glad to have her, especially when she promotes our local fashion talent.

The actress fronted up to the U.K. première of her latest flick Leatherheads overnight in a strapless number designed by Marchesa.

While her co-star George Clooney continued to attract the ladies, Zellweger kept things sophisticated in this sumptuous plum-coloured evening dress, which gathered and ruched at the sides. The 38-year-old also stuck to her 'less is best' motto, refraining from adding accessories to her outfit.

Do you think this was a wise choice? Tell us by leaving your comments below.

[Images: Getty / Style.com]

Marks & Spencer's new lingerie range takes a brisk walk through London

It is definitely a way to get heads turning, and the model certainly doesn't seem to mind, but I don't know how keen I'd be on strutting through the streets of London in just my skivvies.

Nevertheless, the marketing gurus at Marks & Spencer thought it was a grand idea to help launch their latest lingerie collections today.

Pretty knickers from the store's Ceriso brand were modelled early this morning by brave model Kristina. Designs including a spot set with pink bows and a striped nautical set were on display at M&S's Marble Arch store.

If you have time on your lunch break today pop down and check them out. I already have my eye on the nautical set, and let's face it M&S knickers really are the best.

[Source andImages: Getty]

London Fashion Week: MAN

After a hectic week of back to back womenswear shows (with me running out of ways to describe "ruffles") it came as a welcome change to see some chaps on the runway at MAN, the hugely successful partnership between Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy and Topman. Read on to find out what the boys will be wearing this winter!

First up, Kesh. At only 21 this industrious creative also DJs as one half of the Coconut Twins, works as a stylist, and has edited the fashion pages of cult mag Super Super. I'm calling her debut catwalk collection "Street Geek"- a fusion of tracksuits for dangerous rudeboys, smart shirts and cardies for edgy nerds, skinny trousers and check trews for the indie kids, and 80s throwback bombers and cropped boardshorts for the skaters- something for eveyone, basically . The string tying it all together were quirky slot machine apple, grape and pound sign appliques. Kesh already has big name fans on the urban music scene such as Lupe Fiasco, Big Daddy Kane (no, not my dad!) and Kanye West- and with backing like that you can be sure she'll be around for some time yet.

If you needed any more proof that menswear is producing some of the freshest concepts then look no further than Royal College of Art Menswear/Accessories MA graduate James Long. Working in sheepskin and leather, he twisted his trademark straps fetishistically and sent out oversize chunky knits in a dark palette of midnight blue and black, punctuated with cream. The overall effect was "Mongolian warrior meets bondage baron", but in a good way!

Next up, another RCA MA grad, Hans Christian Madsen. To quote the press release the collection was "a modern approach to the classic military sportswear and pure schoolboy look" with chisel cheekboned lads on the runway looking like fresh faced KGB recruits in pared down layered, fine jersey V-neck knits, loose fitting trousers and weatherproof outerwear.

Closing the show, Topman Design- this season making the move away from the ubiquitous nu rave (now kinda old rave) towards a harder aesthetic with all-black tailoring, cyber inspired shiny tech-fabric trousers and, for the more casual days, woolen joggers. On the footwear front, take note dandies: winklepickers are out, Doc Martens are in.

Hannah Kane

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London Fashion Week: Krystof Strozyna and Meadham Kirchhoff

Shaking up the schedule (and shaming the older guard) was a two-for-one treat in the form of back to back shows Krystof Strozyna and MeadhamKirchhoff, both making their LFW debut. Bargain!

Some people are great at rolling around in a great pile of clothes and accessories, seeing what sticks, and pulling it off with panache. Me, not so good. That's why I'm loving Polish born Krystof Strozyna's beautifully crisp collection of scuptural, figure hugging minidresses, skinny trousers, well cut jackets and structured skirts adorned with ceramic and mirror embellishment. Letting the shapes do the talking, the designer cleverly opted to keep the collection to a simple palette of suit-everyone black, white and vibrant hot pink. I'd like to think that sometime in the future we'll all be living in space, stalking the bowels of the mothership in one of Strozyna's frocks.

In contrast, dynamic duo Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff presented a collection that explored texture and length. The vibe was that of "wearable attitude" with the designers putting out clothes that look like they'll actually keep you warm. To my mind the most successful outfits were the fine, layered jersey knits and those that played with with proportion by by teaming huge, shaggy jackets over long, skinny skirts- simultaneous practical and glamorous. I was less keen on the short, thick pile skirt that looked suspiciously like an IKEA bathmat, and the misguided attempt to bring back fleece as a designer fabric.

Hannah Kane

London Fashion Week A/W 2008-9 Jenny Packham

Jenny Packham was another designer returning to the London fold this Fashion Week after showing in Milan for the last few seasons. Honoured as Hollywood Style Designer of the Year 2006 and British Bridal Dress Designer of the Year 2007, Packham designs fabulous feminine frocks for glossy celebs like Eva Longoria, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, SJP and Kiera Knightley.

Gracing the front row were pop belters Jamelia and Anastasia, whose wedding dress Packham previously designed. So how would London, more attune to fashion's creative dark side a la Pugh receive old fashioned glamour? Keep reading to find out!

Packham designs fabulous feminine frocks for glossy celebs like Eva Longoria, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, SJP and Kiera Knightley. Gracing the front row were pop belters Jamelia and Anastasia, whose wedding dress Packham previously designed. Packham cited as her inspiration "discovering a vintage trapeze artist's costume, studded with crystals and a feather boa hem in the midst of the St Ouen flea market in Paris", and consequently her A/W 08 collection perfectly encapsulated a lost era of faded, jaded decadence - evoking femme fatales dressed in their evening toilette, sipping Absinth from chipped crystal with Toulouse-Lautrec in late 1800s/early 1900s Paris.

With lashings of oyster chiffon, tulle, satin, silk and lace, a sprinkle of crystals, a touch of flamenco inspired black ruffles, tactile 'stroke me' feathers, and a show stopper in the form of a sweeping strapless, ruby silk confection, this show marks a welcome return to London. Stay

tuned for news of Packham's flagship boutique, opening in London's Mayfair later this year!

[Images: Catwalking.com via Getty]

London Fashion Week A/W 2008-9: Unconditional

As London Fashion Week begins to wind down, what better way to spend the final afternoon than sipping tea and nibbling cakes in the stately surroundings of 19th century Mary Ward House in Bloomsbury. Unconditional’s show on Friday was suitably serene affair, perfect for a leisurely break from the hustle and bustle of the tents. The show was set to a tinkling piano soundtrack, which, paired with the wooden library location, made the whole affair feel a bit like the set of an ITV drama. Models wandered along the makeshift catwalk carrying antique books (and at one point, a terrified looking Chihuahua), looking like lost party guests at an eccentric 1930s house party.

Even the clothes felt like they were in character. There was the suave but slightly odd Evelyn Waugh-esque gent in his smoking gown, the tainted seductress in a black cape, and various supporting cast wafting along in pencil skirt suits, long knit dresses and feathered head pieces. Chaps were catered for too, in tasteful suits accessorised with giant corsages.

Nothing mind blowing, but plenty of perfectly wearable pieces. For a quiet Friday afternoon, this was the sartorial equivalent of snuggling up under the duvet, watching reruns of Brideshead Revisted.

Rachael Gibson

London Fashion Week: Aminaka Wilmont

For the non-geeks amongst you, Tron is an 80s Disney sci-fi film, featuring lots of lasers, lots of sexy ladies in skin tight costumes, and lots of vector computer graphics. Reading on the press release that Tron was the starting point for this collection, then, it wasn’t too much of a surprise when the first model of the collection emerged from a projection of lasers, her body mapped out in green lines, looking a bit like she was about to face a firing squad at Laser Quest.

The collection focused predominantly of these vector graphics, leaving the imagery to speak for itself. Garments were largely simple – draped silk jersey t-shirts and dresses, and the sci-fi vixen staple, catsuits and leotards. These were all printed with the laser inspired imagery, whilst some leather pieces (the odd jacket, a cape and accessories) featured stitched and embossed versions.

There was tailoring too, with space captain suits – all shoulder pads and leather patches. Gauntlets, gators, and leather swimming caps (some featuring extravagant sculptural bands of plastic) added to the galactic feel, in a collection which was strong, if not a little repetitive after a while.

Rachael Gibson

London Fashion Week A/W 2008-9: Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood's first Red label show last night was classic Westwood as the models paraded out in kilts, bodices draped corsetry and her trademark tailoring. Despite the wearability of all the pieces Westwood wasn't going to let a diffusion catwalk show descend into bland commerciality as she sent a model down the catwalk in 'Guantanamo orange' knickers and a placard protesting about the rights of Guantanamo prisoners.

Vivienne herself looked amazing with her orange locks and an outfit I've been coveting ever since I saw it. A great autumnal palette of aubergine, rich browns and navys had me dreaming of skipping through leaves in her tweedy confesctions. It's a testament to Viv's skils as a designer that she can make what seems like a relatively conventional collection exciting and energetic.

London Fashion Week: Matthew Williamson

Taking his turn at the end of a triumphant return to London Fashion Week (wearing the same fab gold shoes Kim and I were admiring when we met him last week...) Matthew Williamson had reason to smile. Not only had he pulled off a publicity coup by getting Prince to perform on the catwalk (in fact Prince offered), he'd shown the kind of beautiful collection we've grown to expect from him; feminine, timeless, exotic and commercially viable. It was a trip across the world in prints - from African to Aztec and everything in between - topped off with his trademark boho printed evening frocks...

Williamson is not the kind of designer who uses shock tactics to sell clothes. His bohemian sensibility means his collections are almost always rooted in prints, chiffons and amazing embellishment. From beautiful slouchy trenches over sequin drenched mini dresses to tunics covered in South American beaded motifs, and skinny pastel striped trousers to printed neckerchiefs and metallic shorts, the show was a riot of world influences that somehow worked together despite being so diverse. You may not like every piece, but with so many ideas working together, there's definitely something for everyone.

The show finished in true Williamson style with frilled and printed sheer frocks and golden versions of the laced sandals that had previously matched the daywear in various bright shades. The black and pastel kaleidoscope print is bound to be a bestseller, coming as it did in a variety of dresses from the long, frilled maxi above to shorter more flirty numbers. And for those who'd rather go for block colour there was even a red rosette covered offering. Now where did I put my credit card...?

[images: Catwalking.com via Getty]

Nicole Kidman's (sort of) London Fashion Week modelling debut for Antoni & Alison

Word on the street this morning is that Nicole Kidman will make her modelling debut at London Fashion Week for the Antoni & Alison show. Although, don't get too excited the actress isn't expected to appear on the runway, instead she'll feature in a 10 minute long film modelling the 15 or so pieces from the collection, to celebrate the label's 20th anniversary.

According to WWD, designers Antoni Burakowski and Alison Roberts made the film themselves in place of a fashion show which screens this morning at the Curzon Cinema in Mayfair. No news yet on what exactly to expect, but some sources are speculating that in the film, the Aussie actress sings "Happy Birthday" to A&A a la' Marilyn Monroe style.

As a couple more famous Aussies (Kath & Kim) might say - that's "noice... different... unusual..."

[Source]

London Fashion Week: Giles S/S '08

It's been described as "randomness incarnate" by Style.com and random it certainly was, but wonderfully thrilling at the same time no less. There was no clear message or linking pattern that tied all the different elements of Giles Deacon's spring/summer '08 collection together, but perhaps that was the whole point.

Dark denim paved the way for the beginning of the show in tailored dresses, coats and skirts. Then the ecclectic mix kicked off featuring different fabrics, prints, textures and cuts in varying styles of dresses.

References to Kate Moss (her face was blurred on silk dresses) and a print of Bambi being slaughtered were just a few of the unusual yet strangely fascinating elements of the collection. Was he asking why are we so obsessed with Kate? And who killed Bambi's mother?

Delicate tree leaves were layered in a range of different colour shades and Deacon's use of different materials, i.e. rubber bands in replace of fur trimmed collars, was proof of his desire to create new textiles. “Rather than sequins, we’ve developed something a bit more interesting,” he recently told the Daily Rubbish. Mission accomplished, I'd say!

[Images: Catwalking.com via Getty]

Warmth is hot at London fashion week

Designers trumpeted warmth today at a London Fashion Week preview with models draped in silk and muslin taking to the catwalk splashed in bronze, brass, chocolate and caramel.


Models showed off a variety of short skirts, shorts and dresses from the 2008 spring-summer collections of Jasper Conran and Marios Schwab, Best New Designer at the British Fashion Awards.

John Rocha's show was a clash of black, mustard, and rose, while Basso&Brooke took a high-tech approach to land their "paint" creations.

The talk of the event was the return of British sensation Luella Bartley - known simply by her first name - who presented her first collection in London after a six-year absence.

The young designer, popular among celebrities including supermodel Kate Moss, moulded punk with classical British garb.

Her choice of London, which meant she bypassed New York, coincided with the opening of her first fashion boutique in the British capital.

London Fashion Week, which kicked off on Saturday and runs till Thursday, includes about 50 shows in its official program.

AFP

Celebrity Watch: Victoria Beckham at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in London

Hot off an appearance at the MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles, Victoria Beckham jetted off to her native soil to pick up an award for herself at the Glamour Women of the Year awards.

The former Spice Girl was given the award for her successful efforts in making the Beckham name a visible brand. Whatever critics may say about her fashion sense and waifish look, noone can deny her acumen as a businesswoman. She’s truly found her niche in that regard.
Popping Out

We wish we could say the same about her sense of style, judging from the outfit she chose to receive her award in, designed by Karl Lagerfeld for French design house Chanel. David’s other half made her entrance (and exit) dressed in a super-tight black bustier, cropped white jacket, fingerless motorcycle gloves and black hot pants, topped off by a pair of four-inch heels.

Granted, most mothers-of-three wouldn’t be able to fit into such a slim ensemble. But I think most mothers wouldn’t want to!! It somewhat conjures up the image of the late Princess Diana with the short blonde hair and the cropped jacket, crossed with a young rock star, who enjoys flashing her expensive pair of implants. Only Diana was way classier. And she would have never opted for black hot pants and heels, it just wasn’t in her.

Somehow Victoria can’t seem to get through a day (or an event) without showing off her symmetrical assets. And while we know the figure is real, even if the rack isn’t, we’d love to see her wearing a dress that shows actual fabric and not a fainting spell waiting to happen. I mean, who would hold up the mirror for David when he’s preening his own hair? Who else would loan him her underwear, which she’s confessed to doing? We truly hope for everyone’s sake one of her boobs does not decide to do a runner and try to escape for a breath of fresh air or, at the very least, some time away from the cameras.

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