Harriet Quick, Sarah Harris and Emma Elwick tell you the latest from the first day of catwalks at London Fashion Week, Sunday 18th September. All photographs by Chris Moore.

Camilla Staerk S/S 06


Inspired by Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks, Camilla Staerk showed a collection focused on Seventies feminine style. Evening gowns were athletic in mood, one came in petrel blue lycra with a sporty vest and voluminous, floor trailing skirt. Other dresses were looped with split sides - the best was in a rusty gauzy knit with drawstring neckline and delicate string straps that skimmed the body effortlessly. If not lose and languid in form, Staerk centred her attention on the waist. Strictly tailored pencil skirts in black parachute silk came up high and were paired with lacey blouses that boasted dramatic balloon sleeves. In other looks, longer length shirts were severely cinched with wide leather multiple buckled belts. Other standouts included high waisted cigarette shaped tux trousers, neatly cuffed and paired with mannish boxy jackets. SH

Julien MacDonald S/S 06


Julien MacDonald has the Jessica Simpsons and Paris Hiltons in mind with his line up of tropical print dresses and western shirts with hot pants in vibrant citrus colours. There was also a touch of Ann Brancroft in his brocade pencil skirts and chiffon blouses, and for evening he either went diva or demure - there were some stunners in sizzling sequin, flip hem dresses, and sweetness in duchesse satin petal skirtred numbers with prety bandeau tops. For the line dancers there were great plaid tiered skirts with ruffle neck tops. 'The Mac' took his bow in a union jack sequin blazer with the welsh dragon on the back. HQ



Elspeth Gibson S/S 06


This season, Elspeth Gibson's prom queen came with some punch. Her first exit, a white silk dress with lime chiffon outer layer set the tone. Other gowns that followed included mini dresses in shocking pink and another made entirely from orange sequins. But there was plenty on offer for Gibson's ethereal princesses, like off-the-shoulder lacey numbers and a faded salmon delicate sheath dress that for all its broderie anglaise detail and embroidery looked like it had been fashioned from the finest of French linen napkins. For night - try Gibson's Twenties gold beaded flapper dress or indulge in a Sienna Miller premiere-worthy empire line tulle gown, with ruched bust decorated in sparkle. SH Photos : Chris Moore



Amanda Wakeley S/S 06


This season, Amanda Wakeley took on Seventies style and hit the red carpet. Her event dresses were varied but each one spectacular. There were breeze-caught floor sweeping kaftans in a black and white or pistachio and white print that was more 'sketchy' than zebra, kimono sleeved dressing gown styles in oyster, cinched tightly with crystal embellished cummerbunds and shorter, white Marilyn Monroe dresses. Wakeley also showed body-con skirt suits in butter soft leather; jackets were collarless and left undone with sleeves purposely pushed up. Less strict were chic safari shorts, worn cuffed and loose in olive silk, meanwhile wide legged trousers in oyster were paired with capes crafted from just a slither of chiffon. SH



Future Classics S/S 06


Future Classics designer Julie Wilkins knows what her customers like. In her collection entitled 'Abstract' her trademark grey v-neck knits with spilt side seams were in good company with those slouchy exaggerated pockets that now define a Future Classics piece popped up everywhere on rolled up tracksuit pants, delicate chiffon blouses and gauzy cardigans (complete with signature Perspex buttons). There was a lot that was new, like bustled cotton sundresses and prairie-style camisole tops in traditional Liberty prints and other complicated gowns in dirty blue tie-dye. In particular, her new 'blouse skirt' will have you wishing for an early summer, in acid bright yellow it was crafted from a French seam blouse that had been opened up and reformed into a skirt, complete with familiar Future Classics sash bow belt. SH



Jens Laugesen S/S 06


In his seventh collection, Danish designer Laugesen added a feminine twist to the modern conceptual tailoring that has become his trademark. Deceptively simple, Laugesen sent out neat chalky white military trenches and capes mixed up with jersey dresses twisted with oragami precision. Deftly playing with proportions, Laugesen's signature mini-me tuxedo jackets were the mainstay of the collection, shown off with high waisted Dietrich-worthy mannish trousers and strict nineteenth century-inspired corsets. A flirtation with a new womanly flair was seen in waist-hugging balloon skirts in love worn stone leather, and the flashes of conch shell pink knitwear. Other highlights include the simplest of black jersey T-shirt dresses, cinched with a body-on corset. Laugesen has taken borrowing from the boys to a new level - a playful oversized starched waistcoat exuded a raffish elegance teamed with cute shorts, and classic dinner-shirt's morphed into billowing tulle and organza dresses. Just dandy. EE



Karen Walker S/S 06


Karen Walker's collection, entitled 'Karen in TV land' looked a lot like a preppy school outing of misfits, but her geek-chic aesthetic worked. She showed gathered skirts with stripy elastic braces (and matching knee high socks); pinstripe denim dungarees teamed with checked or polka dot ruffled blouses and a series of simple silk shift dresses in teal and beige stripes or checkerboard patterns with exaggerated bows at the neckline. Come prom time, these kids donned black silk Fifties style dresses with chocolate broderie anglaise hems and plum coloured cocktail dresses. Her hooded shower proof beach parkas in neon orange proved the ideal cover up. SH



Jenny Packham S/S 06


For Jenny Packham, summer's one long holiday. She kicked off the show with Ibizan-inspired boho tops and handkerchief hem dresses embellished with gold sequins, mirrors and other twinkly charms. Next came bright prairie dresses in multi-coloured panels with beaded bibs. She turned up the heat further with Flamenco style chiffon gowns with impressive frilly straps and sparkly polka dots in ultra violet (there was a black version too for those less brave and not in Ibiza for the summer months). If Capri is more to your taste, opt instead for Packham's dramatic black and white abstract floral print Sixties mini shifts and billowing kaftans. But for those seeking shade, look no further than her hugely wide brimmed sun hats - a collaboration with milliner Noel Stewart - they had ample room for two. SH Photos : Chris Moore



Giles S/S 06


London star Giles Deacon took the stage at the elegantly elaborate and ornate venue of the Freemasons HQ in High Holborn. Supermodel Linda Evangelista opened the show in a ivory shift dress in duchesse satin with a self stripe. This little T-shape dress with a large zipper placket at the back became the star shape of his collection, reappearing in indigo silk, emblazoned with jet beads and in a honeycomb print. Giles forwarded his trademark tailoring in skinny leg trouser suits with tight fit jackets in gold and periwinkle shot silk and for evening went overboard for corsets. His diva dresses came with traditional corseted tops draped and swathed in chiffon and flaring out to divine skirts. Linda closed the show in a glam ball dress dress in ivory with a black sash. HQ



Manish Arora S/S 06


Making his debut at London Fashion Week this season is Manish Arora, and he made quite the celebration out of it. To a crowd of jaded journalists and buyers (it was the last show of the day and started at 10:00pm) he awoke the senses with a feast of colour. Although a virtual unknown here, Arora has a celebrity reputation in India and is currently one of the most celebrated designers of the Orient. Using every colour from the rainbow (and more) Arora mixed Oriental textiles, weaves and prints, with Indian dress styles and Thai headwear, and astonishingly, made it all make sense. He offset traditional shapes and silhouettes with fun cartoon prints and appliques which were so varied, it was hard to keep up; they included crouching tigers, pandas, giraffes, zebras, butterflies, octopuses, urchins and seahorses. SH

© London Fashion Week

Publisher: london fashion week
The British Fashion Council owns and organises London Fashion Week and the British Fashion Awards. It also seeks to help British designers to develop their businesses and has published Designer Fact File, a guide to setting up a designer fashion business and the Designer Manufacturing Handbook.
Web: www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
Published: september 18 2005
Market: mens womens
Region: england
Industry: apparel accessories

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