lfw three.. is the magic number

Day three and the overall feel is one of classic shapes with a modernised twist, all very serious and strong.

Usually the king of the floaty and romantic dress, Matthew Williamson sent models down the catwalk in structured draping, tailored leather trousers and pleated jacket in solid colours.

Richard Nicholl also showed sublime structure, although with a very regal tone; fabrics such as velvet were draped and layered over sheer dresses, skirts and shirts, all in jewelled tones of auburn and sapphire. Beautifully done, this was is one of my favourites so far - grown up and sexy.

Lousie Goldin was another that impressed greatly with her ingeniously different sculpturing. Peplums on dresses and skirts were contouring bringing a feminine and overtly sexy shpae to her collection. Paired with tightly cinched waistbelts, utility pockets and (yes more!) leather, there was a smart and somewhat space-age feel that lingered.

We all love a bit of drama, and that's exactly what the clever heads behind Meadham Kirchhoff gave us with this fantastical and stunning show. Distressed and embellished knits thrown over - and under! - bright printed silk maxi dresses, accessorised with crowns of varying sizes, shapes and colours; this is a collection for anarchic young women who want trashed luxury. Gorgeous.

Best of the rest from Day 3...

Jungle Book theme at Mulberry - lots of feminine ruffles, nudes and prints mixed up in rompers, skirts and cardigans.

Classically strong looks from Vivienne Westwood - tribal designs, dark tartans, wool coats and asymmetry.

lfw take two

Second day of LFW and the feel was luxurious and earthy apparel combined with more sheer elements and stylised printing. Wild style and plus size were the talk of the day with Mark Fast and Topshop Unique's shows both making an impression on the fashion pack.

Fast again used larger models to emphasise the use of his now famous body-con, sparking the argument of whether plus size should be seen on the catwalk or if the usual skinny girls (which were adversely also used in the Mark Fast show) were mosre acceptable. I personally think that if you want to make a statement then you should follow it through to the end and therefore the use of both sizes was a bit of cop-out... that being said the dresses were wonderful nonetheless!

Topshop Unique's woodland inspired show was another talking point with the autumnal styling taken to the maximum level with antlers, furry animal heads, fluffy 'dragged through a hedge backwards' hair and moth-like eyebrows (all quite reminiscent of Lucian Matis a/w show last year? See my post on this here) Knitwear, sheepskin, woody patterns and furred footwear carried this through to the collection with 90s style maxi skirts (my favourite!) utility tailoring and more sheer pieces that ensure this trend is here to stay for a while at least. LOVE the last shot - that white printed maxi dress is amaaaazing...

Kinder Aggugini wowed with his collection which was inspired by feisty Juliette Recamier, a leading 19th century Salon hostess with a strong persona and equally as empowered style. The result of this was an outstanding collection of soft silk and sheer dress, juxtaposed with uniform style structured jackets.

Round-up of the rest...

Black and gold was THE colour combination for PPQ whilst Charles Anastase showed a more eclectic palette of bright nude-coral, baby blue and browns; all going to show the wide range of ideas and inspirations that made up this fashion week.

Ann-Sofie Back showed sexy slashing and sheer skirts, counteracted by Daks' tailored camel/grey/black studious collection and Mary Katrantzou's printed silk dresses (some with an almost Klimt-style detailing I thought)

lfw day one

Kicking off London fashion week was a minutes silence in honour of Lee McQueen along with a memories wall for buyers, designers and fashion fans to muse upon what made him so special to the fashion world. Day One saw newbies David Koma and Hakaan tear it up with two fully loaded collections. Koma, who has come to the fore for a lot of people through his celebrity-endorsed standout pieces, was hotly anticipated to be showing something special so it was a good job he pulled it off!

In contrast to last season's brights a subdued palette of textured greys and blacks was sent down the catwalk with otherworldly zips, coils and geometric shapes formed in a variety of fabrics from soft wool to edgy leather.

Hakaan was one of my favourites from the first day; new to LFW (at least, he WAS until now...) and with Carine Roitfeld flying in especially for his show, the Turkish designer's show was the hottest ticket in town. Felted wool dresses, leather peplums, architectural folded cutouts and stunning transparency - what's not to absolutely LOVE?!

Bora Aksu was another great in my opinion. His softly gothic body-con was accentuated by the layering of wool on chiffon, giving the look of expertly executed tailoring with the romance of ruffled sheer draping in pastel colours of blue, peach and pink.

Here are my best of the rest...

Felder Felder - structured leather ruffles and pleats

Sexy body con continues at Hannah Marshall

Maria Grachvogel brings Georgia O'Keefe style feminine prints to LFW

Paul Costello - voluminous sheer sleeves, tartan-style check and burnished gold

Serious attitude courtesy of Sass & Bide

rip mcqueen

Just got home and heard the news... Tragic to think someone so talented and vibrant is now gone from the fashion world. At only 40 Lee McQueen had become a staple of British fashion, an 'enfant terrible' done good. I'm sure fashion will mourn his presence for years to come. Such a shock.