musician by trade and that’s my excuse for always being ‘fashionably late’. So I shocked myself yesterday morning by springing out of bed at the crack of dawn for this year’s London Fashion Week – and arriving unfashionably early at my first show. Oops.
This season I’m going with suits so donned my favourite vintage number and a great fascinator by Sara Tiara who sells at Portobello Market. On the bus down from Kentish Town I felt extremely overdressed (especially at 8am!), but the moment I stepped into Somerset House it seemed I was playing it safe.
The first show was a brilliant way to start – Corrie Nielson at the main BFC catwalk space. It had a Highland fling feel with tartan aplenty. I’d love to wear any of her pieces for a gig one day. So: hello Corrie! *waves*
Next it was off to the Vauxhall Fashion Scout at Freemasons Hall. I’ve been to 4 seasons of LFW and I spend all my time here: it’s where you discover new fashion, and all the VFS crew are lovely. In Somerset House and the big shows it’s easy to feel like an insignificant sheep sitting behind the front row ‘fashion royalty’, but at V.F.S, Fashion Week feels real and inspiring.
The designer I have been looking forward to most there was Fam Irvoll. Her pop art style animal-printed garments have always intrigued me and this was fun and refreshingly relaxed, kicking off with the ace Ghostbusters theme tune.
My favourite piece was worn by one of five or six adorable little girls – an “elephant dress” quite literally – grey with an elephant trunk coming out of it. Eyeballs poked out of fur and lots and lots of colour. Amazing. 
My brilliant stylist, Katie Antoniou (who got me into all these shows) and I spent a good while in our favourite show – the Orla Kiely vintage-inspired ‘tea dance’ (below).
This was genius: models dancing with dapper men in suits to a jazz band – plus free tea, champagne and cakes. I wish there was more live music at the shows as it adds to the atmosphere, and seeing the movement of the dresses on dancing models really brings them to life.
I cut the day short because Hobbes needed his supper and I was starting to feel guilty about staying out watching beautiful people all day. But there’s still tomorrow. And Hobbes will always forgive me a second time.
Words & Pictures: Gabby Young.
