House of Fraser Blog

It’s menswear day today at London Fashion Week, which means yesterday was the last day for women’s ready-to-wear. It’s fair to say that London Fashion Week has gone in the blink of an eye, it’s been action packed and full of gorgeous fashion. For fashion folk everywhere next stop is Milan. But first, let’s round up day 5 part 2.

Jonathan Saunders made another much welcomed return to the London catwalks. Not one to miss out on a trend, Jonathan Saunders’ collection consisted of what is fast becoming the colours of Autumn/Winter 2010; punchy orange, moody navy and gorgeous dove grey. It felt a little urban sportswear, a little bit preppy grunge, with drop waists and jumpers pulled down over skirts, it was fresh and chic. Highlights included the sheer knits, the print dresses and the parka jackets. A lovely show.

Nathan Jenden however was feeling a little on the wild side with an animal and batik theme. If Grace Jones went on safari this collection would probably be the outcome, with futuristic lines, and a combination of form fitting and voluminous styles, it was fantastic show. How Nathan Jenden has made zebra print look chic, we’ll never know, but he has, and we want the zebra print dress. This was a fun and lively show.

ISSA London attracted a number of celebs, including Princess Beatrice, Alexandra Burke, Jodie Kidd, Peaches Geldof, Pearl Lowe and Louise Roe. ISSA London is our equivalent of Diane Von Furstenberg, with the printed wrap dress being the most iconic piece. The show was nice, but it wasn’t breathtaking. Key pieces included the maxi dresses, the printed pieces and the orange leather dress.

Burberry Prorsum was the most star-studded show of the season, Anna Wintour sat front row alongside Kate Hudson, Rachel Zoe, Kristen Stewart, Mia Wasikowska, Olivia Palermo, Mary-Kate Olsen, Claire Danes and The Kooks. The collection was a gorgeous spectrum of colours, starting with an ochre and khaki story which moved onto navy, followed by plums and pinks with hints of cobalt blue. Dresses were heavily rouched, and paired with biker chic ankle boots. Peacoats were sexed up with thigh high snakeskin boots, whilst sheepskin coats and jackets went with everything. It was, as you would expect, glamorous yet wearable, cool yet timeless. Highlights were the sheepskin jackets and the rouched velvet pieces.

William Tempest (main picture) is one of London’s rising stars. We’ve been following him, along with a gaggle of celebrity fans, for the last few seasons. His dresses are always stunning, working with strong silhouettes, Tempest creates a feminine yet powerful look. With a slightly abstract feel, his dresses are sexy yet make a style statement. For us, the duck egg blue was a personal highlight, closely followed by the grey and silver triangle mini dress. William Tempest is the one to watch.

Wow, what a fashion week, our feet are in agony and we are having coffee withdrawal symptoms, but we had a fabulous time. Keep checking back for our round up of New York, Paris and Milan, followed by a sneaky peak at next season’s trends.