House of Fraser Blog

Day one was hectic, day two manic, we were rushed off our feet, but thankfully wore block heels, so no terrible foot aches for us. It was a star studded day with Little Boots, Nicola Roberts, Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo being just a few of the celebs doing the very fashionable rounds (check out our twitter page for our pic of the gorgeous Olivia Palermo).

The shows today were mixed, and there were a number of surprises of the day, so let’s get started on our round up of day two.

Kinder Aggugini’s last show was a fantastical affair with the invites depicting a rather scary Snow White, and the clothes resembling something from the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. This isn’t to say they were bad, but rather they were more suited to a couture catwalk. This season saw a much more wearable collection. There was a 1930s feel to the designs, but with a modern edge. The mohair dresses and oversized knits were really strong, and the military style coats a must. It was a clean and stylish show.

Charles Anastase was another matter, fashion folk expect great things from this designer, but this show sadly lacked a certain wow factor. It felt disjointed, and there appeared to be a nostalgic 70s vibe but that seemed to get lost against the more bizarre creations (see centre image above).

Emilio de la Morena in contrast, was a stunning show. Mid lengths and graphic prints were seen here, and a gorgeous array of blues and nudes. Some pieces worked better than others; the knit dress and parka lacked a certain something, but the printed dresses were particularly strong.

Topshop Unique got in touch with its wild side, in a woodland inspired show. With Luella no longer, this was the closest we have seen to her quirky take on girly fashion. This was a surprisingly good show, the extra long squirrel cardigan is a top of our wish list, whilst the cable knit socks were perfection. Sometimes a show is all about a certain attitude and this show felt cool yet a little eccentric and we were really feeling that. We predict that country style will be big for AW10.

Fashion East took place today, which showcased three designers. Heikki Salonen produced well tailored unusual designs, whilst Michael Van der Ham (pictured centre) was much more feminine with a colourful mix of fabrics. Nasir Mazhar however produced a range of what can only be described as bondage style club wear, lots of leather, lots of flesh, not very much style.

Louise Gray was one of the presentations today, and it was a very colourful affair indeed. The theme was quilting and some pieces were truly bizarre, a furry jacket being one in particular, other pieces were fun and wearable. Models dressed in the outfits danced around the room, whilst the clothes were hung on boards with head slots (think Brighton beach) and stick figure bodies drawn onto the boards. Louise Gray’s vision for AW10 is clearly one big party, let’s hope we’re invited.

Key looks:

• Colour: Loads of colour
• Country glamour
• Dramatic knitwear

Phew, we’re exhausted…

Check back for more fashion week coverage and part two. If you want up to the minute coverage then follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Hotathof