IN PHOTOS: Orla Kiely’s sunbathing models

On the Friday of London Fashion Week, while the rest of the Style & Then Some team were at other catwalk shows (or, in my case, still at work) our photographer friend Katie Mogridge went to the Orla Kiely SS12 presentation, where she took these beautiful photos of the models as they spun slowly on rotating plinths and reclined on sun loungers. The collection had a demure, almost school girl vibe, which perfectly matched the summer holiday themed presentation and the short film  by Mercedes Helnwein that was on show (you can see some stills from it below) – they even served ice cream and adorable pink macaroons. The good old-fashioned British seaside escape was also an inspiration for both Daks and Mulberry at LFW this season. You know what that means: three’s a trend.

All images: Katie Mogridge

VIDEO: James Small SS12 (can you spot Kate Moss on the front row?)

Usually at London Fashion Week the best celebrity sightings are to be had at the big ticket shows in the vast white tent  at Somerset House (this season Kanye was the one to beat), and not at the comparably tiny Freemason’s Hall venue. So when Kate Moss, Jamie Hince, Sadie Frost, Meg Matthews and Jaime Winstone took their seats on the front row at the James Small SS12 menswear show yesterday – easily the most stellar line up I’d witnessed all week – I thought maybe this was a hotly-tipped designer I was shamefully ignorant of. Heck, this guy wasn’t listed on schedule. Turns out no, they’re just his mates.

That’s not to say the collection wasn’t any good. Aside from super-short shorts (in what I can only presume were ‘ironic’ leopard and camouflage print) and rolled-up trouser legs, this was a surprisingly wintery collection, what with all the dark denim, black velvet and fruity plum and blueberry toned sheer shirts. See for yourself in this video of the final walk through – and see if you can spot Moss and co too.

Click here to watch a video of the Topman SS12 finale.

VIDEO: Topman SS12 at LFW menswear day

#TodayImWearing – Menswear Day at LFW

We’re on the home strait. It’s day six of London Fashion Week and the first time I’ve ever stayed for menswear day, which they dramatically term MAN day (watch out for show reports coming soon). My outfit is basically an amalgamation of several of other pieces I’ve worn in the past week. Maybe this is a massive fashion faux pas, but you try coming up with six equally fashion week worthy ensembles in a row OK?

Zara blazer, vintage pussy bow blouse, skirt and clutch, H&M boots and socks.

I also drafted in my boyfriend Alex to be my photographer. He’s wearing a bow tie I bought him for his birthday and got photographed outside the Topman show by GQ because of it. Double style win I reckon.

H&M blazer and shirt, Burton trousers, Sanders shoes, vintage bow tie.

Hitchcock and robots: Joanne Hynes SS12

What? Joanne Hynes at London Fashion Week

Where? Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Freemason’s Hall

When? Tuesday 20th September, 3pm

I had never heard of Joanne Hynes before but more fool me it seems because this show was incredible. It immediately reminded me of recent collections from Prada, Miu Miu and Balenciaga, but not in a rip-off kind of way. It was exhuberant and fun with lots of sequins and latex plus metallic and patent leather in lipstick red, neon pink, orange and lime green. Yet the silhouettes (oversized baseball top-style tunics and tight pencil skirts) ensured a sense of ladylike restraint amongst all the busy colour and texture, as did the messy Hitchcock heroine up dos (in another nod to the director the theme from Psycho soundtracked the show). The jewellery was another talking point - huge robot pendants that were fantastically fun and just the sort of thing the East London fashion pack will love.

The top 3 looks from Jasper Garvida SS12

By my reckoning, Jasper Garvida is the only designer whose show I’ve seen at every London Fashion Week I’ve been to. It’s been interesting to see the progression of the Filipino-born designer’s brand, and I’ve liked every collection. I’ll be honest though, SS12 wasn’t an exceptional season. At times there was too much frill and flounce and busy prints for my liking, but as this dress-heavy collection was intended, Garvida said, to look at opposites, for every frilly frock there was something short and sculptured, and, more often than not, shiny. So here they are, my favourite three pieces from Jasper Garvida SS12.

5 reasons the Michael van der Ham SS12 show was my favourite of LFW

1. The venue. Topshop returned to the old Eurostar terminal at Waterloo station to host their shows this season. It’s a cavernous space with a huge glass ceiling that lets the sunshine beam through, which is a darn sight nicer than a lot of the dark, windowless rooms in other LFW venues.

2. The food. OK, so catering isn’t a requisite for a fashion show, but it sure is nice to get a couple of pieces of pre-show quiche and some tangy cranapple juice, especially when they’re served by such neatly attired waiters.

3. The front row. It was a who’s who of fashion industry heavyweights – usual suspects Hilary Alexander, Alexandra Shulman and Harold Tilman but also lesser-spotted Hamish Bowles and Anna Dello Russo, the latter in a lurid green sequinned Prada coat. If only I had grabbed some snaps of them.

4. The clothes. Please note, I’m not being biased because I had been buttered up by baked goods and celeb sightings, this was a genuinely great collection from the NEWGEN sponsored Dutchman. Veering away from his usual mish mash of vintage fabrics, van der Ham created a patchwork effect in 2-D instead, via splashes of print in grey, indigo and royal blue on a backdrop of white silk dresses and short-sleeved blouses. There was a definite demureness going on with very little flesh on show – skirts fell just on the knee (apart from a couple of maxi dresses) and shoulders were, for the most part, covered up. All in all it felt beautifully fresh and right on the money for spring (take note Christopher Bailey and your collection of heavy coats).

5. The photo opps. Outside the venue after the show I was stopped by about 7 different street style photographers. Yes, I know it’s a bit narcissistic, but it’s always nice when your extra LFW outfit effort is rewarded, right?

All images Helene Charara.

Click here to watch my video of the final run through of the show - VIDEO: Michael van der Ham SS12

#TodayImWearing – Katie and Helene on day four of LFW

It’s day four of London Fashion Week and with the weekend over Team S&TS is considerably depleted. Most of our gang have gone back to work but LFW continues apace for photographer Helene and I. Today I was excited to be premiering a new blazer I got especially for fashion week (don’t believe anyone who tells you they don’t make extra effort with their outfits for the shows) and I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty pleased that I got snapped by about 5 street style photographers after the Michael van der Ham show (which you can see a video of over here).

Katie – Zara blazer, H&M shirt, J+ Uniqlo trousers, vintage shoes and bag.

Helene – Muji cape, Urban Outfitters shirt and boots, H&M leggings.

Not exactly the highpoint of our London Fashion Week: House of Evolution SS12

What?  House of Evolution at London Fashion Week

Where? Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Freemasons Hall

When? Sunday 18th September, 6.30pm

Who? No one famous, which is always a bad sign.

If a show is 15 minutes or so late (that’s basically industry standard) I can deal with it. If it’s 45 minutes late on a Sunday night when getting home to catch up with two episodes of X-Factor is all I want to do (don’t judge, it’s great TV) I start to get mildly annoyed. If it THEN turns out the show is abysmal, I really get annoyed. That’s what happened yesterday. Katie Mogridge and I queued outside and then got herded in the ‘holding area’ for ages only to have to stand through a half hour long show (the usual is about ten minutes) featuring three designers in which the clothes got progressively worse.

It didn’t start off too badly to be fair. First up was a harmless, at times even quite pretty, collection of billowing Grecian inspired dresses with rope detailing. Some of the bright saturated colours were lovely.

The second collection was so forgettable I honestly can’t remember what was involved, and my photographer Katie Mogridge didn’t deem any of the photos interesting enough to send over, which I think says a lot.

The third and final collection was really something to behold. Bird calls squawked irritatingly on top of the soundtrack and the models wore huge feather false eyelashes. There were feathers aplenty on the clothes too, and just in case you hadn’t worked out there was an avion theme going on, one of the models spread her ‘wings’ theatrically at the end of the catwalk.

There were a whole host of ruffly, badly cut outfits, but the finale look was the piece de resistance. The lights went down and a glow of blue appeared at the top of the catwalk. I wish the lights had stayed down because when they went back up they revealed a sprawling, open, ivory lace coat which had been shot through with blue fairy lights. It looked like a decaying wedding dress, which could have been kind of cool in a Miss Havisham sort of way, but why the fairy lights? I have no idea, which basically sums up my feelings about the entire show.

VIDEO: Michael van der Ham SS12

We’ve just got back from the Michael van der Ham spring summer 2012 show at the Topshop venue in the Old Eurostar Terminal at Waterloo. It was a beautifully light and fresh collection with lots of van der Ham’s signature prints. Full review and photos coming soon, but in the mean time here’s a video of the final run through.