LFW DAY V

Another hot day at Somerset House got off to a good start as I arrived just in time to miss the Amanda Wakely show, but not late enough to miss passing Alexa Chung in the street, who may I add was totally checking out my outfit. I spent the whole day trying to get hold of one of the Grazia dog balloons, but alas, I was foiled at every opportunity. However, bumping into the delightful Vic Riches again at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout and having her sketch me on the stairs more than made up for the lack of inflatable canine. See all her sketches from LFW here. Later on, a chance run-in with a die-hard Burberry fan led to being interviewed for an upcoming BBC documentary outside the Burberry Prorsum show. I think it was going to be called 'Rise of the Superlabels', or something similar, so look out for it. I hardly am qualified to comment on the business of the fashion industry, but it would be quite entertaining/mortifying if I make it onto the program.

Ps. What is it about fashion week that makes everyone look so goddamn miserable in photos? I'd like to think it was the heat, but I didn't even realise myself how surly I looked until I saw my own pictures. I promise I'm quite un-grumpy in real life!

Hours in heels cause us resort to squatting outside Burberry

Sister act : Homemade headresses make an impact outside the Ashish show.

LFW S/S 11 CLOSURE

FAREWELL TO SARTORIAL HAVOC

Another London Fashion Week gone. 6 days passed in a flash of vitamin waters, business cards and tote bags. A flash of paparazzi, amateur TV interviews and sweat under our A/W coats (bad move there.) This was my second season, and I felt I'm starting to find my feet in the fashion circus. I'm more than just a little excited by the S/S offering from London, and it seems everyone else is too; the press is just awash with praise for London's fashion 'coming of age', with even relatively new brands like Peter Pilotto and Louise Gray escalating forward from 'ones to watch' to established names in desirable design. Today's menswear shows brought the season to a stunning close, with J.W. Anderson and James Long's collections setting my heart on fire. I have so many great things to share with you over the next few days, weeks... who knows? My cup of inspired material doth runneth over.

Note: Having avoided shopping all week simply due to time constraints, sore feet and general exhaustion, I didn't begrudge myself a trip into Mint Vintage on Earlham St. earlier today in a break between shows. Whaddya know, I stumbled across the most insanely perfect biker jacket; thick black leather with elbow pads, a buckle belt and quilting, they just don't come finer than this. Turns out, admittedly to my horror, that bikers are the new 'Burberry' jacket for A/W. I portend millions of high street knock-offs and a sea of chunky bikers in my local Sainsbury's. I'd better get some wear out of it now, before it's too late.

The BBC may have picked me to comment on the Burberry show for an upcoming documentary, but my friend Scott managed to fit in a chinwag with a real fashion insider; Miss Kate Moss herself. See Scott's exclusive interview for Vogue TV with Kate below.

On the Red Carpet at Burberry

The Burberry tent at the Chelsea Art College was absolutely spectacular, and to be honest I was far more impressed by the impeccably turned out front-of-house staff than what was going on on the red carpet. And then, my flashgun died. Witnessing La Wintour was a milestone moment though, and Olivia Palermo is really the world's biggest sweetheart...She said she couldn't get enough of London. Nor can I.

All photographs are my own, please credit acccordingly.

FNO Shots: What We Saw...

What We Saw...

Some of my shots from the night; I'm afraid they're not the best, as I was minus flashgun...explains the blur. My fellow blogger L of LolitaLoves and local fashionista A took to Bond Street on thursday night for Vogue's Fashion's Night Out, clocking up Topshop, Armani, Burberry, YSL, Chanel, MaxMara and Longchamp. Top spot of the evening had t be watching poseur-extraordinaire Laura Bailey in sequins and ruffs and a smouldering Daisy Lowe teasing the camera upstairs in the Chanel boutique...black tights a gogo!

W1 was teeming with well-heeled fashion queens...the late-night delivery men had their eyes out on stalks!... Whereas I was sporting a more bedraggled "dragged through the central line + luggage backwards' look, much more 'pap' than 'poseur'.

Window display at Armani on Bond Street

Burberry post pap-frenzy

Lovely L at Armani

Shoppers at Jimmy Choo

Louis Vuitton's resident model worked the window like a pro

A Vogue touch at Smythson

Daisy and Kate Phelan at Chanel

fashionindie.com

Our tired feet sought solace and that resting place was Nobu in Berkely Square with 3 more well-heeled friends. Whether it was a result of mixing my pimms and champagne, or from sitting at the top table in my cut-offs, I couldn't resist the temptation to take this opportunity to pull faces at Callum Best. God, you can't take me anywhere.

Photo: LolitaLoves

London Fashion Week Provisional Schedule

This year, for the first time, I'm planning to 'crash' the shows, as my fashion and art student friends would say, although in reality this involves more skulking round the V&A waiting for the optimum moment and then begging nicely at curtains than any dynamic, siege-like action that the term might suggest (If it didn't work for Brüno then...)

Unfortunately, the inconvenient timing means I may have to choose between fashion week and fresher's week. My mother supports the former, my boyfriend and 'veteran' second-year friends argue for the latter. Sunday and Monday are definitely the most inviting days, with Louise Goldin, Richard Nicoll and Viv Westwood finishing off the weekend and Luella, Todd Lynn, Christopher Kane, House of Holland and Twenty8Twelve following on Monday. It all ends with Burberry Prorsum, and I'm happy to welcome Christopher Bailey back to London after so many seasons in Milan. I was lucky enough to be in the second row at his Spring/Summer show in 2005 (a mere chess move from Anna Wintour!) albeit in all my teenage, metal-mouthed glory, spellbound by all those willowy types (Gemma, Daria, Lily...) and fashion masters opposite me (Anna's (P and W) , Carine, Testino...) Unfortunately, i doubt Burberry is an easy crash, and I'm more than convinced that Christopher won't remember the gangly girl in an H&M miniskirt and 5-inch platform galliano boots (an unusual 15-yr old's touch) who he had his picture taken with.