Fashion Britannia

Well last week was pretty hectic, I spent all of Friday at London Fashion Week and the first stop was the show by Unconditional and Ashish which took place at Heaven. A rather strange affair as those who know Heaven will be aware that it is a night club. The crowd outside the venue was huge and as usual the show was running late and there was quite a scrum to get in. Inside we were treated to some alcoholic beverages as well as the sight of semi naked men and women parading around with one treating us to a pole dance - as I mentioned, strange. The collections for Unconditional featured supermodel Lily Cole strutting out in very hardcore masculine stuff. Ashish on the other hand was the epitomy of femininity and with uber shoe store, Aldo as your sponsor you can't really go wrong.

After that we legged it down back to the Natural History Museum on the courtesy coaches for the Bora Aksu show but we were out of luck. PR honchos Blow PR who were representing the label told us it was packed to capacity and would not let us in. So off we went to the press room for some much needed hot tea and a grumble before we stepped out again for Gavin Douglas. In the queue, stylist Karen Binns breezed by looking as manic as usual while barking orders at her entourage. Inside we saw the biggest African Caribbean crowd for the whole week with Project Catwalk contestant, Luke Youngblood. However this show was worth waiting for as Douglas sent his muses down the runway in 1940s dresses that screamed elegance and glamour. Talk about talented and humble with it as well. There were also goodies galore with Mac giving us a goodie bag with some fantastic bits of make up and a sister who gave us one of her beautiful notepads which she made herself with African cloth. Check out her stuff on www.ethnicky.com.

Fashion Mania Hits London

London Fashion Week got off to a flying start on Sunday and last night we went to see Manish Arora's show. It was eclectic, vibrant, flamboyant and sexy!! The theme was simply space man with a futuristic combo of sequins, helmets and beadings. Arora drew a packed house in the British Fashion Council tent that has been erected outside the Natural History Museum for the whole week. Inside the exhibition where the designers display their collection and adopt a nonchalant pose while sipping Moet, the atmosphere had a frantic buzz about it that was intoxicating. I will be back for another fix on Friday. While we were waiting for the show to start we met a cool fashionista called Michele Obi who edits a sassy online magazine called myfashionlife.com. Check it out and see how fabulous it is. The designer who I didn't get to see is an up and coming talent by the name of Duro Olowu. London based and of Nigerian and Jamaican parentage, Olowu was named 'Designer of the Year' in 2006. Face it he must be doing something right if he can wow the likes of online fashion bible style.com who do not dish out praise easily. Read their prose on Duro's collection. http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2007RTW/review/DOLOWU.