So, what went down on Day 3 of New York Fashion Week you ask?

Londoners may be pleased to know that Rachel Zoe’s collection was apparently inspired by London’s rock and roll glamour of the 60s, as well as the styles of Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull. We can totally see how her collection was influenced by all of the above, with some of our favourite pieces consisting of the faux fur coats, thigh high boots and skinny tux styles.

Gwen Stefani’s LA.M.B collection had the signature edge that all Gwen pieces do, even though she went in a slightly more mature direction. There was an abundance of bright colours and pieces inspired by the 50s and early 60s as well as other rockabilly/rock chick/punk vibes. Some of the styles were somewhat reminiscent of Amy Winehouse’s Fred Perry collections (and not just because of the beehive dos), but with a more feminine and edgy twist.

Although Monique Lhuillier’s collection was darker, more sultry and less feminine than her previous outing (there are far less Oscar-worthy dresses) it had just as much impact, if not more. Red and black was very prominent, which the designer said was inspired by the Chinese year of the dragon. Silhouettes were long, lean and flowing, and patterns were busy, fiery and sometimes even shimmering. A stunning collection if ever there was one.

Prabal Gurung showed his highly anticipated collection, which was comprised of mainly form fitting garments, futuristic prints, colours and textures, as well as strong silhouettes with lots of lace, feathers, ruffles, tassels and sheer trains to name but a few. It was less distinguished than the previous collection which was made up of primarily purple printed pieces, but the Prabal Gurung signature is still very much apparent!

Hervé Léger by Max Azria went for an equestrian meets bondage meets Pocahontas theme, offering the signature bandage dress with a slightly different vision. There were mini and maxi dresses alike accessorised with harnesses of different shapes, colours, styles and textures, proving that the label  – and perhaps even the classic fan of the label – has grown up. We can’t wait to see how the celebs will work this look in the coming months!

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Day 2 of New York Fashion Week saw some highly-anticipated collections hit the runway, with Jason Wu, Kate Spade and Rag & Bone all debuting their autumn/winter 2012 designs. 

Regular MFL readers may know that we love it when designers seek inspiration from their own cultures and heritages, which is why we adored how Jason Wu injected some of Imperial China into his brand new collection.

The hairstyles were just as strong and defined as the outfits, as the models walked out with high and tight flowing pony-tails – with lots of attitude and fighting spirit to boot. And to our (and possibly even Kate Middleton’s) delight, there were clutch bags aplenty!

Over at Rag & Bone however, the inspiration was far more familiar for us Britons, as designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright seemingly drew inspiration from our very own Blighty. There were folded skirts, snug coats and wraps, high polo necks (presumably for those English winds) and textures and colour palettes reminiscent of old tapestries… we NEED that coat in our lives, pronto!

Kate Spade was another highlight for us on day 2 of NYFW, with hints of Parisian glamour making a firm and consistent appearance. The models were standing statuesque – although not without character – on rounded podiums, showcasing the bold and brassy prints, patterns and slogans.

Bring on day 3…

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Here at MFL we are super excited about the prospect of London Fashion Week and can’t wait to see what the crème de la crème of British design has in store for us. However, we have to admit, it can be a bit of a minefield deciding who we should be focusing on. After all, there are around 100 designers showing this year!

That being said, there are three shows in particular we shall not be missing. They are the designers we get most excited about; the most talked about, the most exciting and the most creative.

Here are our top three ones to watch…

BURBERRY PRORSUM

It pretty much goes without saying, but the bi-annual Burberry Prorsum shows have become major events in the national style calendar. It is a brand which makes us proud to be British and captures the imagination of the whole world. We can’t wait to see what Christopher Bailey has in store this time round. Of course, we can’t go without mentioning the amazing Tweetwalk happening again for the second time. Ingeniously, now Burberry’s twitter followers can view the collection even before it heads out on the runway!

CHRISTOPHER KANE

The genius that is Christopher Kane never fails to get us lusting after his new collections. Even now, seasons later, we are still yearning for his 2011 Resort Collection galaxy print dresses. And don’t even get us started on those A/W 10 floral embroidered leather jackets. Sigh. Iconic pieces in their own right, his collections never fail to cause a stir. As one of the most unique talents in British fashion, Christopher Kane’s show definitely can’t be missed.

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

As the matriarch of British fashion, Vivienne Westwood’s shows are always a lesson in how it’s done. Her collections are a feast for the eyes and the event is always a dazzling spectacle. This time round it is sure to be packed to the rafters with A-listers and we can’t wait to see what Dame Viv has in store. Expect to see a selection of her celebrity friends walking the catwalk for her; in previous years Daisy Lowe, Jamie Winstone and Pamela Anderson have all hit the runway. We can’ wait!

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The Lincoln Centre opened its doors for New York Fashion Week yesterday, with the likes of Cynthia Rowley, BCBG Max Azria, Tadashi Shoji and Richard Chai easing us into the start of the autumn/winter 2012 trends.  

To recap, there were digi-prints aplenty at Cynthia Rowley, while BCBG Max Azria once again played with blocks of colour and structured textures. Richard Chai went for a very prominent boy versus girl theme, and perhaps best of all, we got a first glimpse at potential Oscars dresses when the models at Tadashi Shoji glided along the runway.

A-Listers making up the front row included Fashion Week veterans Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Alexa Chung among many fabulous others.

So far, so versatile. We wonder what the emerging trends of the new season will be… no frontrunners yet, but it’s just the beginning, so watch this space!

[Image: Richard Chai Love, Tadashi Shoji, BCBG Max Azria]

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Want to start wearing spring’s hair trends now? Good news – you can! We asked our hair friends at Toni & Guy for a few tips on how to recreate our favourite looks from the spring 2012 runways. Next up today – Todd Lynn’s pinned ponytail.

This is such a simple update on a classic hairstyle, we’re wondering why we’ve never tried it before. Hair at Todd Lynn next spring is sleek, simple and sophisticated with an edgy twist, as low ponytails are given attitude with metal pins clamped in place.

Effective without being try-hard, we can’t wait to give this look a go. Watch the video below for tips on how to recreate the look:

See how to get the rest of our spring hair looks from London Fashion Week here.

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Want to start wearing spring’s hair trends now? Good news – you can! We asked our hair friends at Toni & Guy for a few tips on how to recreate our favourite looks from the spring 2012 runways. On our radar this morning – Bora Aksu’s textured looped ponytail.

We love Bora’s modern take on Victorian hair, where a sleek but natural centre parting leads into a backcombed, textured looped ponytail to the back.

Soft and ethereal but packed with style, it’s a great way to fake that “oh, I just threw this together” look. And the best part? It’s easy to do yourself.

Watch the video below for tips on how to recreate the look:

See how to get the rest of our spring hair looks from London Fashion Week here.

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If there’s one place you can guarantee a designer’s look will extend all the way to their face, it’s London Fashion Week.

Whether it’s Vivienne Westwood smudging rainbow colours across their cheeks or Erdem allowing them to remain romantically natural, here the models don’t just wear a look, they work it.

And so, it’s only fair that we dedicate a little attention to best beauty looks we spied at London’s spring 2012 shows.

Below, behold the 10 beauty looks we loved from London Fashion Week – and hey, why wait ’til next spring to try ‘em? We can’t wait to give these a go now.

Rose-bitten lips at Erdem

Why: Who could resist this undone, romantic look?

Wine-stained lips at Giles

Why: Similar to Erdem’s but a little naughtier, we love the one-glass-too-many look (not least because we can guzzle a glass of wine without guilt).

Elfin au naturale at Christopher Kane

Why: Plain has never looked so pretty.

Modern Forties smokiness at Marios Schwab

Why: A cool update on the always-favourite smoky eye.

Bright popping lips at Mary Katrantzou

Why: Modern, fresh and simple – we’re loving Katrantzou’s popping pink and orange lips. We’re quite fond of the blue, too (even if they do look a little frozen).

Colour craziness at Vivienne Westwood

Why: Ok, so we might not actually try this one, but how fun does it look?

Candy-floss streaks in Sixties bouffants at Mulberry

Why: Volumised Sixties ‘dos are updated with candy-coloured streaks in pale pink, lemon and blue.

Glitter-smudged eyes and dark berry lips at Ashish

Why: The perfect disco eyes? We think so! The Nineties dark lips are a great way to make party makeup look cool, too.

Strong metallic eyes and muted lips at Todd Lynn

Why: Fresh and futuristic. We love the blue, but the bronze is totally wearable.

Dip-dyed pink hair at PPQ

Why: This will make singing Cyndi Lauper all the more worthwhile.

[Images: Style.com; Cosmopolitan UK; Glam]

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