The excitement of fashion week for me always starts when I get off the tube and see the most fashionable people in London littering the streets. Being alongside them, and knowing you share the same love for British fashion and that you’re all in it together for this week of little sleep, beautiful people, parties and very talented artists and designers is indescribable. To say the least it’s bloody exciting on the first day!
Biggest rookie mistake made on my part though; I forgot my camera! The annoyance subsided however, when I had the pleasure of meeting Zandra Rhodes. She was promoting her store with us in our exhibition with a small instillation. I was actually really disappointed with it though. It was literally a massive poster of her and one mannequin with a dull kaftan of hers on. Was expecting something really out there, but got plain Jane instead. She was such a lovely lady though, absolutely mental and what brightened my day was that she rocked up in a shitty old green banger of a car. It just showed that fame and talent doesn’t mean you have to lose grounding and be a stuck up snob.
The first show of the day was On|Off Presents. On|Off find the newest and brightest designers to showcase their debut shows for buyers, celebrities and press. They then show their pieces in the exhibition so buyers can make orders and chat to the designers throughout the week. I loved the structured chiffon shoulders of Michela Carraro, and the wooden jewellery against the softness of the chiffon was just beautiful. Jang Du’s stuff looked pretty cool on the catwalk but the pieces had obviously been styled really well because I wasn’t too keen on them when they were just hanging up individually in the exhibition.
On|Off Presents from LowFatFilms on Vimeo.
I also met Michelle Williams today who was attending the Ashley Isham show. She was soooo lovely. The Ashley Isham show was ok. Wasn’t too blown away. The beginning pieces didn’t really float my boat but some of the bridal looking pieces at the end were quite beautiful. It wasn’t anything that was ground breaking and I think that’s why it didn’t really appeal to me.
Ashley Isham at On Off during London Fashion Week September 2009 from LowFatFilms on Vimeo.
Unfortunatley, I was manic with trying to find branding boards for our big party tomorrow night because someone had it delivered to the wrong address, so I had to do some serious ringing of people. I think I was stuck to the phone all afternoon, yelling at the postal service. Our main sponser this year is Scholl so we have to have their branding EVERYWHERE! Anyway, I missed the designer who I was really looking forward to seeing today, Bernard Chandran. So here is his video. Obvious Asian influence was present and I found the bamboo print to be quite interesting. Not sure on the shoes though hey. Love love loving the feathers at the bottom of the skirts and the headpieces.
Bernard Chandran from LowFatFilms on Vimeo.
This is the final round up of the day. If you look real carefully, I'm in it! I'm getting sprayed by the new Boudicca perfume called Wode. It is so amazing. It sprays on purple so you can see where you've sprayed it and then it turns clear once you rub it. We had an electronic robot spraying it on people as they walked by in the exhibition. By the end of the week, I'm pretty sure the smell is going to get a bit too much for everyone!
On|Off TV: Day One from LowFatFilms on Vimeo.
I did get a chance to quickly pop out and see the Christopher Kane Topshop collection and it's quite good. Loving the shoes. I like the eyelet detail on the dresses and really want the black body with embellishments. I'm not really a colour person but everybody loves a good fluro Kane number don't they! However, in saying all this, I do think that his Topshop collaboration about a year ago was a bit better.
Am knackered so need to go sleep. Early start tomorrow. Here's the line up-
SATURDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
11.45 Jasper Garvida presentation
A visually stunning intimate salon catwalk show
16.00 Ramon Gurillo
19.15 Pam Hogg
20.00 On|Off Party Feet Party
Sooooooo excited about Pam Hogg! Kind of can't contain myself! I MUST get in to the show! Will cunningly disguise myself as a bloody coathanger if I have to.
ash x
Ashlee Hill- London Correspondant