Fashion, Frocks and Celeb Shocks

The fashion week that was

For any true fashionista, last week whizzed by in a whirl of parties, shows and fabulous frocks. Passing the Natural History Museum you may have seen them hopping on the back of a motorbike to be whisked from the BFC tents to the next fashion show. For me – and most mere mortals – Fashion Week is strictly a spectator sport.

A Swaparama event at Favela Chic in Old Street was as close as I got to brushing shoulders with Naomi and Kate who, while not actually sashaying down the catwalk were very much part of the week’s entertainment. Kate was partying like it was, erm, going out of fashion – three in one night at the last count – and Naomi was busy organising a charity fashion show with ‘models’ including the BB twins, is that all the glamour we can muster? More glamour model than glamour puss I think you’ll find.

Speaking of glamour, where were our top designers? The likes of Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney were conspicuously absent from London’s catwalks. Where the buyers go, the designers follow, of course. And the buyers, for some reason, don’t come to London. So, in this dearth of big name brands, the return of Luella Bartley generated great excitement as did the opening of her new shop – which has since been ram raided by thieves on motorbikes who accelerated away with £40,000 worth of her stuff. It’ll be handbags at dawn if they’re caught.

Matthew Williamson was another headliner – ahead of his Design Museum extravaganza – though by all accounts Prince stole that particular show, leaping up on the catwalk for an impromptu strut while flanked by his twin bodyguards / dancers. Other established names like Ben de Lisi, Jasper Conran, Margaret Howell were all showing what they think we should be wearing come next spring.

Just because Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent don’t show at London that’s not to say there’s a talent vacuum – far from it. We can proudly boast a strong display of edgy and individual designers. Ones to watch (and names to drop at fashionable drinks parties) include Marios Schwab, Giles Deacon and the highly hyped Christopher Kane, whose pleated leather mini dresses didn’t disappoint.

Overall, though, there was a higher celeb count off the catwalk than on it. Tom Ford was at City Hall judging the Fringe Fashion – if you could get past security, that is – Kylie DJ’d at the Gareth Pugh after-party at BoomBox, while Johnny Borrell, Quentin Tarantino and Courtney Love joined the A-listers attending the V & A Couture Gala – marking the opening of 'The Golden Age of Couture' exhibition, certainly worth a visit for the stunning Dior and Balenciaga gowns. To top them all was Isabella Blow’s memorial service, attended by everyone from Anna Wintour down; just a shame she couldn’t find her way to any of the shows.

Getting the heads up on next season’s look is all wonderfully fabulous but what does it mean for your average Londoner who has enough trouble learning the ‘What Not to Wear’ rules? As a nation we’ve got to admit we’re great at getting it wrong when it comes to fashion. A quick glance around at your fellow passengers on your daily commute reveals sack dresses and cheap suits. Admit it. If, like me, your idea of fashion is more of a flick through Grazia than Vogue then designer collections won’t mean much to you – except when you’re buying the knock-offs at Primark, Zara and Top Shop.

A quick straw poll reveals that most of my friends might own one designer handbag (fake) or a pair of Jimmy Choos (they were half price in the sale) but when it comes to clothes that are in one season and out the next, the high street is your man. Assuming that’s pretty representative of the national approach then perhaps we should do away with the catwalk altogether. Sure, it’s supposed to be aspirational but with its stick thin models and crazy prices – where a suit can cost more than a kitchen – few people have time for such nonsense. Abolishing the runway does pose one problem, though, if we do away with those designers what on earth will the high street shops sell?

The New Newquay

Heading to the coast for a weekend of (trying to) surf could be a thing of the past if a beach is built in East London. The idea is for the giant tank (complete with a strip of white sand) to go alongside a planned aquarium in Docklands. It would be filled water from the Thames (except clean and heated) so that surf dudes can catch the 100-metre-wide generated waves. Anyone else longing for Cornwall?

London Abuzz with Festival Fever

Rumour has it that Robert Redford is flying into London to attend the world premiere of his new film ‘Lions for Lambs’, which just goes to prove you can take the town out of Hollywood but you can’t take Hollywood out of the town. The 51st London Film Festival may think it’s all about “the art” but with the likes of Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Sienna Miller turning up it’s likely to be a media frenzy.

Not Like Father, Like Son

Maybe Prince Charles has learnt from his dad’s public gaffes – pulling out of the Royal Film Performance of ‘Brick Lane’ certainly seems like it. The film adaptation of Monica Ali’s bestselling book has been at the centre of controversy with residents of the East London street protesting that it portrays them in an unfair light. It looks like our future king just doesn’t want to comment although the official line is that Charles and Camilla can’t find a date in the diary this year...

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