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This season the English gentlemen gives us… the English gentlemen! Well, gentlewomen if you will: well-tailored (of course) trouser suits and striped shirts with bowler hats. ‘Citywear’ for when this damn upward spike finally spikes upward.

http://www.paulsmith.co.uk

I’m sure Roy Lichtenstein was the Pop Art artist, wasn’t he? Look, I’m writing this on the hoof and I’ve no chance to check. He was the chap behind the cartoon-inspired canvases, right? Anyway, there was a sense of Lichtenstein’s work at Josh Goot’s show but it wasn’t literal, it looked only inspired by him: bright, bold dresses and separates and some monochrome pieces that played with your eyes like the ones below. Liked it. 

http://www.joshgoot.com

It started and I didn’t know what to write.  By a third of the way through I understood and by the end I was nodding and my head could have fallen off because I was nodding so much but it didn’t. Gingham cotton, and I have evidence, is far more than you ever thought it could be. Not only can it engage with other ginghams in different colours (brown with blue), it can happily marry, and live together forever, (kisses) in a dress. And it can be disquieting: you can pervert gingham by splicing it with net sections and making it abstract (blurry) in certain sections too. You can put gingham on pleated chiffon skirts which attach to fitted bodice tops that look, sometimes, like lingerie. And, when you’ve investigated this to its logical conclusion you stop, but only after introducing intricate beading on net to make dresses from aprons or panels – sometimes tied together. And completely re-issued the skirt by adding two splits at the front that end mid-thigh or thereabouts so the splits move in a certain way when you walk and look completely new. He’s a very agile designer.

You should really shop here for some of the best leather jackets out there and team these with a wonderful bootcut (I can’t think of a new word to describe it) pant. It was dark but not dark as to be intimidating. Look out for the lace-up details on arms – Todd giving good sporty ref. A very nice man with oodles of talent.

http://www.toddlynn.com

It’s a question of length – three lengths and these three lengths are layered.

1.The shirt/yoke. 2. The waister skirt. 3. The mid-calf ruched tube. Layer them: 1, 2, 3.

It makes for a beautiful way of dressing. It was a very beautiful show.

http://www.mariosschwab.com

Anne Wintour is in town and she’s looking great. Today’s exit: a metallic-y python print trench and super sharp heels. Anna was, of course, front row and I can confirm nodded her head twice in approval at Luella’s 50s prom-y / garden party sort of / terribly English affair. Top notch coats in candy-coloured wools, an off yellow-y and red and really really great abstract print satin dresses –  one with cut-out heart detail. And then the eyes and a wipe of colour over each lid: red, green, there may have been a yellow and definitely blue. 

http://www.luella.com

Richard Nicoll. J’ADORE. Flippy silk, sarong type skirts with fringy bits in pretty dusty colours. On the shopping must-have list for 2010 summer’s sojourn; easy, breezy, divine!

http://www.richardnicoll.com

She modeled – that lesbian from Big Brother – and she gave a great snarl to camera. Tulip print and polka-dot dresses, high-waisted trousers and lilac blouses – all very village fete, all very Viv. Smashing. Boy George sat front row too – still keeping the weight off.

http://www.viviennewestwood.com

“Oooo, look at Alla! Stunning space age/mermaid/creature of the sea/glittering goddess/GORGE!”

Apparently, it was scuba-diving that inspired Julien Macdonald this season.  Controlled, form-hugging dresses in white, beige, black and red. Note to self: when deep sea diving, do so in spliced jersey dress cut to thigh…

http://www.julienmacdonald.com

As perfect a show as one would expect from the talented Brit who normally shows in Milan, back to show support for 25-years of London Fashion Week.

In a church hidden somewhere just off a busy Oxford Street top press were treated to a winning series of Swarovski-encrusted jackets (one sexy version laced at the back) and dresses with lingerie details: brassieres, satin straps and corsetry cleverly picked out with crystals. Then came the kimono-inspired tangerine section and tight dresses in stretchy fabrics and evening coats some in a pretty blue. And then it all moved up a beat (the music included) with the half a dozen or so immaculately-crafted black dresses made from sections of stretchy fabrics skillfully stitched together. Someone gasped at the  jet encrusted stove pants. And someone gasped again at an almost other-worldly looking Alla, hands-on-hips, in the mid-thigh corset dress pictured. The whole thing was just incredible.

http://www.antonioberardi.com

Blue-collar-worker glam; dirty-wash denim, slouchy cropped shirts and rubber. Le tout de Fashion Week turned out for this incredibly good show. That 80s swish was still there – it’s won’t go away – but there were new shaped trousers too: tied at the ankle and pictured here. Expect well-dressed Topshop fans in town near you next season.

http://www.topshop.com

You’re guaranteed a lovely dress from our Matthew, and there were loads of those.  I can’t tell you any more because I’ve lost my notebook. Yes, somebody is currently walking around London with my show notes, and if they flick through they’ll find my credit card number, and!  the number of the alarm to the flat. For those wanting more details on Matthew’s show, however, hit style.com…

http://www.matthewwilliamson.com

It was simple shapes with colour, lots of colour, in blocks. Shirt-dresses, bandeaux and shifts were the canvas for a riot of lilacs, pinks, blues and …you get the gist. The future’s bright, the future’s Farhi!

http://www.nicolefarhi.com

“Is that – thingy – you know – her from Strictly Come Dancing? Her with the knockers?”

“Yeah! love her!”

And, indeed, it was ‘thingy’ from Strictly Gone Dogging. Louise Goldin created new symetries with frills and fins attached to skirts and dresses the colour of sweets. Bra tops under everything too had pointy erections sharp enough to take your eye out. Will get shot. Will get bought. Thought it was lovely

Pushing it again. Danielle’s take on fashion is braver than many designers’: there’s never compromise in her sterling efforts. This a swimsuit, but there were fabulous Pop Art-looking print dresses and smarter jackets with absolutely mammoth shoulders. Then the hair: piled up with extra hair on top of that – a Hair Tower! Hair Fruit Bowl! Hair Sculpture!

http://www.daniellescutt.com

Back to classics like stripy matelot knits and full navy skirts, cute camel turn-up shorts and wider-than-wide parallel pants in lightweight cottons for Margaret Howell. This lovely lady’s very loyal, very clever customers will be falling over themselves come spring. 10 over 10!

http://www.margarethowell.co.uk

Don’t you just love John Rocha’s tailoring? Sometimes he’s in a class of his own – those black pants and swingy coats with cute net inserts were blinking lovely. Here’s a a net-y, voile-y, gorgeous affair to get married in. But watch those shoes or you’ll – TRIP! – up the aisle.

http://www.johnrocha.com

Wouldn’t you just want a shower curtain in this exact print? And a dress, of course. It’s been a right rollocking season for Greek born, London based Mary, and spring looks set to be much the same. Get right good wardrobe here, people.

http://www.marykatrantzou.com

What a corker of a collection from St Martins graduate Mark Fast. As per last season, he experimented with micro mini dresses in pop colours or more sombre separates like these in chocolate brown. Somebody sat behind us asked: “How would you wear that length?” “Over leggings!” We replied. Good show!

http://www.markfast.net

John said of the show: “I wanted all the fashion editors’ pens to fly out of their hands when they saw that yellow dress.”

Both images will be launched at the Buy Art Fair in Manchester, 24-27 September. http://www.buyartfair.co.uk

Source: http://www.creativereview.co.uk

http://www.burberry.com