London Fashion Week September 2013

As a student at London College of Style, one of my many assignments was to attend the Fashion Week. Wow! Who wouldn't want that for a chore?!! So, a little overwhelmed and as excited as a puppy dog getting a treat, I turned up at Somerset House nice and early, on Friday the 13^th  in order to soak up the atmosphere.

I had invitations for three evening shows and as it turned out they were all at the Freemasons Hall, which is just around the corner from Somerset House and the Strand.

I was buzzing with a great feeling that I was, at last, part of this amazing event that takes by storm people all over the world – albeit as a mere rookie. If you have never been around the main venues during the Fashion week, you should! With or without an invitation. Everybody who’s anybody attends the Fashion Week  and you may even spot some well-known celebrities. Failing that, you will still get a great display of outfits that will feed your fashion inspiration for months.  

Among the brave fashion week aficionados  that put up with the wet, cold  weather( in outfits more or less practical)  there were a few that caught my eye: a journalist

Jacket by Mary Benson, Skirt- Miss Selfridges, Shoes- New Look, Bag- Radley

 a Fashion student

cape- own design, dress- River Island, Shoes- Top Shop, bag- Chanel

 and a young designer, Anne-Sophie Cochevelou who designed a Lego dress for the fashion week 
her blog: http://cycleinheels.blogspot.co.uk/

Dress- self customised Vintage, Accessories -self customised

Rushing through the crowds I managed to make my way towards the Freemasons Hall where my evening debuted with ApuJan’ s new spring- summer collection. The 20-outfit Signals collection was the second time the up-and-coming designer has shown his personal ApuJan brand at LFW, following his successful debut in February. The current collection is characterized by  fine tailoring and light feel of the black and white knitwear with touches of peach. 

ApuJan used silk in order to create thin, lightweight knitting for spring and summer fashions.  The look was a relaxed, casual one but nonetheless very feminine.

The hair was sleek scraped back leaving no strand out of place and had a shinny and tight look but flowed freely at the tips. In terms of make-up, the  focus  was on the lips, which were orange red.The large cloche hats, covering most part of the models faces reinforced the focal point even more. 

All in all a stylish collection with comfortable, easy to wear fabrics that I wouldn't mind having in my own wardrobe J During the show I managed to spot a few famous faces,  including  representatives of Vogue Japan and 10 magazine as well as British stylist Beth Buxton. 

           I, then, moved to the other side of the building to see the collection that would impress me the most: Yulia Kondranina,  who won the  Fashion Scout's spring/summer 2014 Fashion Merit award and who definitely made an impression  on me. I watched her show unfold, mesmerized by the simplicity of the garments and the intricacy of the design. A collection of beautifully coordinated crocheted dresses, graphic and geometrical in their design, featuring revealing cut outs and semi-sheer paneling, showcasing her signature.

             Kondranina’s minimal and  highly wearable designs look effortless,  styled with a simple slip on sandal. 

             Make –up was kept minimal, the “no make- up “ look  was matched with the loose, pushed  back hair and the straight , waist less dresses.

 Ping HE was my third and last show at the London Fashion Week. What  was striking about her  collection was a streak of goth skillfully merged with romantic influences . Black lips, leather jackets and dresses, skull details were all happily married with peplums, frills, white strip eyes, clear vinyl footwear, white  dresses  and - my personal  favourite- laser cut broderie anglaise.

The the lines were kept clean and tailored on a monochrome base.

 Tony & Guy didn't disappoint and they created a fabulous beehive to complete the look.  Strategically applied black and white streaks of spray added a twist to the well-known classic.

I greatly enjoyed all the shows; my only regret is that I was too tired to attend the after party for Pinghe but i'm sure, given the chance, I wont miss an opportunity like that again. 

Fashion week is a great experience and if Vogue magazine was Carrie Bradshaw’s dinner ("When I first moved to New York and was totally broke, sometimes I’d buy Vogue instead of dinner. I just felt it fed me more." , an afternoon at the London Fashion Week was definitely my banquet.