Kate Gilbert reports from London Fashion Week

I am a simple creature and the words ‘Free Booze’ are enough to convince me to go to any old shin-dig, I think it is a relic from my student days (coupled with the fact I have absolutely no class). As a result, I jumped at the chance to go the Todd Lynn after show party (I didn’t get tickets to the show, but I did get tickets to the after show party… how does that work?!) I turned up at club Maya, in London’s Soho, in my most expensive fashion outfit (admittedly one I bought at 70% off at Selfridges… but shh.) I was pleased enough that the cloak room was free, but then I was confronted with a girl in a tiny jump suit doling out mojitos and crazy Zeck Zeck cocktails (named after Todd’s show looks); as you can imagine, I was a little bit excited.

Dirty Pretty Things belted out a great DJ set with crowd-pleasing numbers from Hot Chip to Blondie. Agyness Deyn, despite having to cancel some shows due to having conjunctivitis in her eye, was there all night wearing a tartan eye patch, which she wore at the House of Holland catwalk show earlier that day. Socialising with friends and dancing the night away, it appeared she is the only girl in the world who can rock the pirate look.

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Kate Gilbert comments on the ethical fashion at London Fashion Week spring summer 2008.

As the world around is waking up to the effects we are having on the planet, fashion and design is one of those areas were we are definitely dragging our heels. Despite top designers such as Stella McCartney stamping the plight of ethical issues, eco concerns seem to counteract everything high fashion is about; luxury, excessive consumption and wealth. There is also the issue that environmental concerns, by its very nature, fundamentally undermines the business of fashion; new collections come out every six months with high street stores can have up to fifteen new collections within the year, on the basis that someone somewhere will buy them. Ethical concerns undermine this and our comfortable western lifestyle; and we don’t like that. Change unnerves us. There has also been the issue in the past that ethical fashion wasn’t being produced by designers, it was being produced by environmentalists and as a result the clothes were all very green, but were not desirable in terms of appearance. This however, is changing; slowly, but surely.

So what actually are the issues? I must confess that before digging around and doing some research, I was very ignorant to the problems raised by our fashion consumption; however, when you start to delve into it, it really is quite worrying. There seems to be two levels: firstly, there is the human element and the effect clothing production has on underpaid, mistreated workers. Secondly there is the environmental impact that comes in multiple forms. To start with there are the implications the use of chemicals have on the environment. At least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into clothes, many of these are toxic and pollute the environment, the local water and also cause lasting harm to the workers. Polyester is cheaply mass produced and found in many clothes, however it is not biodegradable; and cotton has become the focus of media debate as it makes up 40 percent of world fiber consumption and yet has to be treated heavily with damaging toxic chemicals.

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Kate Gilbert reports live from London Fashion Week spring summer 2008

Nicole Farhi celebrated the label’s 25th Anniversary by going on safari. Shown in the glorious light space of the Royal Opera House, with its arching glass roofs and serene surroundings, Farhi took a tribal slant on her summer collection. Tie dye, ‘Kenya’ prints and patchwork were used in a floaty collection of maxi dresses, skirts, culottes and jumpsuits. Cinched in at the waist (and waist belts showing no sign of abating just yet) and accessorized with large metal disc necklaces and beads, Farhi’s collection was a mix between the dusty heat of a safari and a Somerset folk festival. The main colour was navy blue, mixed in patterns with splashes of deep red, browns, white and black. Whilst the collection was not very cutting edge, it is more my loathing of anything boho and the scary thought of its possible return next summer that fills me with dread. Last summer’s plague of 1970’s hippy skirts and ‘I don’t wash and want to live with the druids’ attitude should stay as a distant memory of summer’s past (and yet continue to be one of the reason’s that Sienna Miller is on my list.)

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Showing for the first time in London Fashion Week since 2001, Luella showed a spring summer collection that was a mixture of punk rock and nerdy chic. With the hair and make up inspired by young girls playing dress ups, it was no mistaking that the likes of Lily Allen and Camilla Belle were front row at the Luella Bartley collection.

As dress ups go, it’s all about the quirky things you can find in the dress up chest mum’s filled to the brim for you, and Luella managed to tick all the must-have boxes. There were the square reading glasses, Batman masks, checkered bags and show, pink hair pieces, pigtails and even the odd cape.

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Kate Gilbert reports live from London Fashion Week spring summer 2008

It’s been quite a year for Christopher Kane. The young Scottish designer has gone from humble fashion student to international designer superstar in two collections. Having completed his MA at Central Saint Martins in 2006, his graduate collection rocketed him into fame, with those skin tight neon mini dresses (sponsored by Donatella Versace no less, who he now consults for). After this blinding success, Kane went on to produce another acclaimed collection for A/W 07; using crushed velvet, leather and circular skirts, adorned with Swarovski crystals. So as you can imagine, the excitement surrounding his third solo collection was immense and I’m sure Kane probably felt the pressure. This season however, he decided to prove he is not one for resting on his laurels, and so took a step away from his strong signature style and took this collection in an entirely different direction.

Having previously used hard shapes, strong lines and an exposing short hem line; this season, Kane went girly, frilly and covered up his models with long, floaty dresses. Taking his inspiration from films he used to watch as a teenager, such as ‘Crocodile Dundee’ and ‘Carrie’, he then applied this in the use of ripped, stonewashed denim in crop tops and jeans and also the snake skin print used in tight trousers, shirts and dresses. Cowboy shirts, camouflage print and the pale colour palette were also key to the collection.

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Kate Gilbert reports live from London Fashion Week spring summer 2008

The eccentric Gareth Pugh showed the power of the dark side today with his most accessible collection to date. Pugh’s usual gothic focus combined with sci-fi shapes and volume was certainly there in force; except this season it comes with fringing. The show began with usual theatrics; a large balloon exploded over the entrance to the catwalk and a model emerged wearing a large black cube over her head (a risky move as Pugh’s masks last season caused a model to misguidedly walk off the edge of the catwalk). A series of fringed dresses, medieval cone hats and an interesting mink stole made entirely of small white mice graced the catwalk.

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Kate Gilbert reports live at London Fashion Week spring summer 2008

Getting into catwalk shows when you’ve just started out in this industry is a massive rush, it’s a bit like Christmas; you write off for invites and then wait with baited breath for them to plop through you’re letter box. Then there’s the excitement of actually going; getting to wear whatever you want and dress ultra-smart all week, pretending you are someone important, and most importantly, you get to strut. However, all of this is heightened when you manage to sneak into a show by devious means (cue evil laugh).

Last night, through a friend of a friend of a friend scenario, I managed to get into the Julien Macdonald show at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in Mayfair. It was a glittering and glamorous affair, and whilst I tried to keep my cool, inside I was as giddy as a school girl. Set in a fantastic ball room with huge chandeliers twinkling above the runway, the celeb-studded event attracted the paparazzi in droves. Girls Aloud, Erin O’Connor and many more littered the front row and there were goodie bags aplenty. Then there was the show itself. Despite the high powered dance remix soundtrack accompanying the show (bit tacky Julien), great 1920’s style flapper dresses covered in gold and silver beading, integrated belts, and the great shiny bling of it all made it a fantastic end to the day’s festivities.

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Kate Gilbert reports live from London Fashion Week spring summer 2008

A Collection in 5 acts

Day two of London Fashion Week, and the Peter Jensen collection kicked off in my kind of style. We were escorted to a basement in the depths of a huge office building in central London, where lovely waiters provided us with free champagne and canapés. Standing in a white room, schmoozing with the cream of London’s stylish folk and drinking bubbly is definitely the way to spend Sunday lunchtime.

Danish designer Peter Jensen is a man who likes his muse’s, and this year was no exception as Mink Stole, star of film legend John Waters’ films, and the various characters she has portrayed was used to inform the collection. This then explains the way this show was splintered into many parts, each different and in their own way unique. Split into five acts, the first was based on Mink’s character Dottie, a Baltimore housewife who is driven to the edge of sanity by a psychopath stalker. This was shown in a series of outfits combining denim and beach print (Jensen’s own prints are important to his collections), which had a 1950’s feel. Crease-front jeans, neck scarves and patent loafers were seen along with pale blue cords and a patchwork cotton sweater.

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Kate Gilbert reports live from London Fashion Week spring summer 2008

As I precariously balanced above the ground this afternoon on a one inch strip of metal scaffolding (in my killer stiletto shoe-boots I hasten to add), all to catch a glimpse of the Eley Kishimoto show, I realised that maybe my love of all that is fashion is starting to create health and safety issues. However, I can’t complain, because at least I got through the doors, whereas many stood in the cold for an hour, waiting patiently, clutching their invites, only to be turned away. Fashion’s a cruel world.

Design duo, Mark Eley and Wakako Kishimoto, took inspiration this season from the British summer fete. Reems of bunting hung above the catwalk and the well selected music (starting with the quintessentially British, ‘Great Escape’ theme) provided a quirky and upbeat backdrop to the festivities. Block contrasting colour panels featured heavily, with colourful candy stripes of all shapes and sizes. Cropped knitted cardigans contrasted over dresses and shirts. Following this, hooded anoraks with a pink, blue and black swirl pattern and drawstring edging accompanied simple dresses and skirts with an a-line shape. Integrated belts, small puff ball sleeves and button detailing added nice touches and brightly rimmed glasses and 1970’s crocheted skull caps, with flower appliqué, complimented the outfits.

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