Harriet Quick, Sarah Harris and Emma Elwick tell you the latest from the fourth day of catwalks at London Fashion Week, Sunday 21st September. All photographs by Chris Moore.

Roksanda Illincic S/S 06


Over breakfast at Bibendum, this talented designer with her taste for the couture-like and surreal showed her best collection to date. She opened with a voluminous knee-length dress with intricate cutwork, flounces and rose decoration in gold and black, while the volume theme continued to play out in parachute silk dresses with bustle backs and swing back bolero jackets with high-waisted slim skirts. One in pale yellow featured concertina pleats at the back with a pouf of tulle beneath. With unfinished edges, inside-out fabrics, shantung silks and the rose decorations - the collection had strong influence of Lanvin: the current darling of international fashion scene. The finale outfit was a stunner and would certainly turn heads at Art parties - a gold brocade puffball dress shrouded by a chiffon baby-doll. A double-effect dress for the price of one. HQ

John Rocha S/S 06


John Rocha's summer collection was so light and airy - it gave the impression that if you were to blow on it, it would delicately drift away like a dandelion in the wind. He crafted summer dresses and capes from doily-like lace, raggedy pieces of tulle, hand crocheted flowers and flattened rosettes - all loosely patchworked together. His tailoring was more structured with sheen-grey cigarette shaped trousers teamed with theatrical boxy blouses in starched white cotton or sheer black, boasting puffy short sleeves and exaggerated sweeping bow collars, like an elaborately wrapped gift. His palette progressed to a faded neon-pink and purple with sheer chiffon shift dresses, and ended with a series of black deconstructed gowns, decorated with navy blue silk-frayed pleated panelling, ribbons of organza and jet beading. SH

Jasper Conran S/S 06


The scene was set like a Sicilian street with a throng of priests taking the catwalk with a backdrop of white linen and underwear, pegged from a festoon of washing lines in the frame. Then came Conran's parade of rather glamourous widows in calf length raw silk pencil skirts and tight-fit T shaped knits in stark black or white. His skirts were hybrid affairs with a full-skirted back to a straight 'pencil' front or with a mini bustle. The idea continued with dresses, and was pretty in a white broiderie anglaise lace dress with a gathered-back skirt, and equally sleek in a black jersey flippy skirt with ruching at one side worn with a fitted white shirt - mens style shirts are a key item for spring. For the evening, a strapless grey dress with gentle pintucking at the bodice, and his many silk tafetta party dresses in colours like copper and spring green, were standouts in this fuss-free chic line up. HQ

Antoni & Alison S/S 06


This season, quirky design duo Antoni & Alison favoured a static presentation over a runway show, but it was far from ordinary. They turned a creaky, old house on Southwark Bridge Road, into a mini museum where models stood like V&A mannequins in various rooms throughout the four-storey house. As press and photographers made their tour up and down staircases, we stumbled upon Pride & Prejudice-style day dresses, maxi length with empire lines and lantern sleeves, or shorter styles in green and gold glitter brocade. A girl was asleep in a single bed dressed in a white cotton nightdress with a ribbon drawstring and bow details, while another stood reading a book dressed in a lurex cardigan with a cameo brooch. This season's prints included woodland characters, sailor stripes, foliage, sprigs and garlands. SH

Robert Cary-Williams S/S 06


Amongst all the hard edges - such as utilitarian style trenches that were severely cropped and decorated with eyelets, and stiffened leather waistcoats that offered a structured silhouette, Robert Cary-Williams offered some softer shapes too. His tie-dyed dresses in murky smoke and blue were raggedy and aged but moved sensuously around every curve. His crochet pieces were also romantic, and there were several tulle camisoles and gathered skirts that twinkled to dazzling effect with sparkling gems and sequins. The finale - which came in the shape of a chicken wire moulded bubble skirt with stuffed crows perched on the outside, and four or five other birds trapped on inside as if caged ? was the most dramatic look of all. SH

Frost French S/S 06


Dream a little dream of an idyllic Sixties summer's day, soft focused tones and chocolate box beauties gliding through a flower-strewn field. Despite the high glam set in the front row, including Davina Taylor and Meg Matthews, the look was pure saccharine sweet with sherbet lemon shades and cute mini dresses, finished off with schoolgirl knee-high socks. Frost French were clearly back on form for Spring/Summer 2006 with easy-wear signature dresses, in pastel floral and glistening gold polka dots and coquettishly cut denim hot pants. Shapes were naive and playful, nodding towards the nautical with jaunty stripy knits and high waisted trousers in crisp white cotton. Other highlights included simple camisoles and blouses in broderie anglaise and a slightly more structured look with strict pencil skirts and tuxedo trousers with glamorous satin quilting. EE

Fashion East - Marios Schwab S/S 06


What a great surprise - three great collections from diverse talents shown at the Electric Ballroom in Camden in a slick production.

First up was Marios Schwab, a designer who had previously collaborated with Kim Jones - but here he was out on his own. His reference points were Versace and Alaia in the 80's and a dose of Herb Ritts pictures. It seems that a dose of that body-con atheletic era is in order again. He focused on tight mini dresses in stretch fabric with fabulous decollette and pretty graphic straps. Some dresses featured crystal, others a mix of satin and matt. But his detail was great and managed to put the lbd (little black dress) into a whole new light. HQ

Fashion East - Spijkers en Spijkers S/S 06


These twin sisters turned out a rosta of desirable cool clothes which played on the idea of black tie dressing. There was plenty to like here - tulip shaped skirts with strappy vests layered with a cropped waistcoat and an undone bow tie at the neck, their sweet graphic silk dresses which played with colours like purple, beige and yellow. Feminine and cool, they closed the show with a host of new admirers. HQ

Fashion East - Gareth Pugh S/S 06


Theatrical is an understatement when it comes to Pugh's work, which takes a strong influence from Leigh Bowey's performance costume - read a mix of the surreal and twisted. He sculpted vinyl into Darth Vader like coats, inflated silk into bubbles to make a skirt and made leather body suits with air balloons for hands covered in crystal. Soon, no doubt, appearing in a pop video near you soon. HQ

c.neeon S/S 06


c.neeon brought bold Bauhaus optimism to the tents with bright hand-blocked prints and graphic shapes - asymmetric tops with block-coloured and diagonally striped panels over roller-printed leggings and jeans - channelling the aesthetic of early German modernism. However with hip hop hoodies and funky layering, the look was more urban than an art history lesson. T-shirt dresses, leggings and sweatshirts were stamped with juicy reds, black, teal and cream graphics. Having been asked to design a mini-line for TopShop, their colourful voice from the street cred is near guaranteed. EE

Fashion Fringe S/S 06 - Modernist


Fashion Fringe's second year brought serious competition with sophisticated and commercially driven visions from the four finalists Erdem Moralioglu, Modernist, Mary Donoghue and Jojo& Malou. From hundreds of applicants, these four (who had to present business plans as well as samples and sketches to qualify) made it to the runway in London's fun-filled Trocadero centre.

Modernist, a new label by Andrew Jones and Abdul Koroma, were certainly feeling the blues with a stylish inky all-blue collection, featuring powdery suede coats and jackets with pouchy pockets, slick trousers and drapey tulip skirts and tonal jersey dresses. Impressive, with easy wearable silhouettes, fashion eyes will be watching to see what they come up with next.

Fashion Fringe S/S 06 - Jojo & Malou


Jojo& Malou offered playful Minnie Mouse polka dots and cute primary coloured print baby doll dresses, candy stripe tier tops and pastel trousers.

Fashion Fringe S/S 06 - Mary Donoghue


Mary Donoghue went grown up glamour with the air of a young Donna Karen- grown up black tailoring was mixed with heather satin slinky event dresses, and darkly seductive black chiffon gowns.

Fashion Fringe S/S 06 - Erdem Moralioglu


Erdem Moralioglu - romance was in the air with delightful plisse chiffon dresses and light tailoring, and Edwardian neckline lemon dress. Erdem got the winning vote from the panel and can look forward to extensive financial and practical support over the next few seasons.

© 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

DISCLAIMER
Information in this report relies on sources including Trade Shows, Associations, News Releases, Government Reports and other public sources. Infomat can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information or for loss or damage caused by any use thereof.