London Fashion Weekend

London Fashion Weekend is meant to be the calmer little sister of the main event, London Fashion Week. But there were enough flash bulbs exploding to put me off going out in slightly see-through lace for a year.

Fashion Weekend provides the ultimate shopping experience, with designers slashing their prices so that we common folk can get our mitts on a high-end piece or two. This year the fun moved to the Strand, with the catwalk and some stalls at Somerset House plus a whole other shopping area at 180 the Strand. However, the recession decreed that we were there for the catwalk, not the swag.

To my terror we were perched in the pap-happy front row, but entertainingly seated next to hyperactive socialite Emmanuel Ray, whose mile-a-minute chatter and boundless enthusiasm kept us on our toes while we waited for the show to start.

Presented by Cat Deeley-esque host Louise Rowe, the event consisted of four womenswear shows, as well as short films for Toni & Guy and Elizabeth Arden. The first two shows focused on key trends: the ‘shoulders’ show, using grey, navy, white and gold, showcased overstated padded shoulders, sometimes with loose batwing-style draping over the top, plus feathers, cropped jackets and quilting. Big shoulders morphed into big bums at one point, as padding dropped to waist and hip level on some garments – only a good look on the models, I fear. The collection included pieces by Lipsy, Richard Nicoll, Georgia Hardinge and Bernard Chandran, and shoes by Geiger and Louboutin.

The next show focused on prints of all sizes, sometimes ranging from big to small in one garment, including geometric designs, looser, less-defined motifs, ’80s-inspired patterns and leaf print. Featured designers included Ashley Isham, Issa, Gemma Slack and Jean Pierre Braganza, and shoes by Eley Kishimoto and zimoshoes.com.

Manish Arora’s autumn/winter collection featured swathes of high-shine quilted material in outlandish colour combinations, with plenty of yellow and burnished orangey golds, which was a sharp shock following the more sombre tones of the first collections. Embellishments included peacock motifs, sequins, pleats, padded spikes, more giant shoulders and even a sparkly parrot.

Jaeger London’s autumn/winter range was a classic, wearable collection that played it safe. The show celebrated 125 years of the brand, with looks inspired by vintage Jaeger pieces throughout the years, for example, an elegant strapless take on an ’80s catsuit, a jersey dress, wide-leg slacks and loose-fitting shorts worn with sailor stripes. And, of course, the ubiquitous shoulder pad made an appearance.

Our It-Boy friend and another audience member both got dragged up to introduce themselves and their outfits, a goodie bag was distributed to the best Cold Steel impression, and after necking the Chambord cocktails upon exiting we were off to browse the rails. Roll on next year. Mwah.

London Fashion Weekend took place 24-27 September at Somerset House and 180 the Strand.