Naughty but nice is the best way to describe Bora Aksu’s show. With a Marilyn Manson soundtrack and Jodie Harsh perched in the front row, it seemed Aksu was determined to misbehave. The audience at the On|Off show at the Science Museum certainly seemed to enjoy it, giving Aksu one of the most enthusiastic applauses I have heard all Fashion Week. Although that could...

There was much to love about Ashley Isham’s collection. Models with quiff’s that Prince would be proud of strutted their way down the catwalk in a selection of gowns influenced by 40s and 80s glamour. Goddess gowns – Isham’s signature style – reigned supreme, with Grecian style frocks in wispy white. This was clearly a man having fun with texture, as gown...

With a jazz inspired soundtrack and each model sporting a grey silk skull cap, there was more than a whiff of the 1940s at the Maria Grachvogel show. The collection was staggeringly elegant. Halter dresses, flared catsuits and trousers, pussy bow blouses, in tweeds, silks and organzas, adorned with feathers, pleats and frills, just seemed to drip off the models bodies....

With some of the prettiest colour combinations I’ve seen, Carlotta Gherzi’s AW09 Sado collection featured simple silk pieces in grey, raspberry, orange and peach.  Prim puff sleeve blouses, boxy cropped jackets, and mini capes in yummy sherbet dip hues were worn with grey knee socks and raspberry platform ankle boots.  With a vaguely 70s feel to the...

Bernard Chandran’s AW09 collection was inspired by the ‘romance of the Far East’ which apparently translates as metallics, voluminous shapes, and graphic prints. Lame, glitter and studs in silver, gunmetal and gold reflected the stark white walls of the On|Off venue at The Science Museum. 

Aptly named ‘Exotic’, Modernist’s new collection incorporates natural and man-made materials ranging from Crocodile to goat and silk to cashmere, contrasting in a way that produces sumptuous texture, whilst not detracting from the structured shapes and clean lines that point to one half of the design duo’s (Abdul Koroma) previous education in...

While the majority of London’s fashion elite battled for a seat in the main tent outside the natural history museum, a cutting-edge crowd was gathering at the Vauxhall fashion scout tent to watch shows from up and coming London designers. The day kicked off 45 minutes late with a lacklustre show from ethical designer Julia Smith. A confused collection that combined...

“Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away” this was the Eley Kishimoto theme. After handing over my invite which looked like a boarding pass, I was swept to my seat all to the sound of airport lounge chatter which came over the speakers. The show then began, and an air stewardess inspired collection strutted down the runway.

This was a shockingly good show. Nicole Farhi is one of those designers who is famous for being classic. She can be relied on for the fail safe fashion, constantly churning out the same cuts, fabrics and colours. But for Autumn/Winter 09 it would seem the French-born designer has had something of an epiphany. The photographs in all fairness do not do the collection justice....

This year marks the 25th anniversary of London Fashion Week, a celebration of British designers which began in an Olympia car park and included a presentation from the legendary Betty Jackson. A quarter of a century later Jackson told