Karma-Style LFW Analysis and Awards

London Fashion Week for me is about the emerging or struggling designers. As they really need promoting and supporting more so than the A-list designers. I saw beautiful creations from them that could easily have taken centre stage spotlight at the BFC tent. Their collections aren't shown on Style.com or Vogue.com. 
All the more reason to bring them to you.

Some key themes were:

Lots of layering of fabric

Asymmetric lines

Peaked shoulders are still going strong (for men also)

Colour block accents and panelling

Leather and leather accents
Shearling and fur

Mixed fabric pieces

Gorgeous chunky coloured knits

S&M references
Dark apocalyptic, sombre themes
Soft and strong lines
British Heritage

Karma-Style LFW awards

Best Hair: Florian Jayet

 Favourite womenswear: Florian Jayet

Most original make-up: Carlotta Actis Baronne

Hottest male models: James Hillman

 Favourite menswear: James Hillman

Fave A-list designer show: John Rocha

Exhibitor at Somerset House that should have had a catwalk show: Felicity Brown
She's so talented!

Favourite accessories: Hannah Morgan

Best Picture taken

Black is back in a big way. Burnt bronzes and shades of blue were the stand-out colours. Fashion is now so fluid and diverse. So many looks to choose from which is great for us - we can pick and choose what works. I can't wait to see how the high street translates these AW11/12 looks.

The key makeup trend amongst fashion week attendees was red lipstick. Everyone was wearing it, including myself on Day 1. LFW was intense, enjoyable, manic and tiring but well worth it. I also met some wonderful people including my mate Hilary Alexander, who I asked if was true she was retiring. She said she has a bus pass now but will semi-retire and keep writing for the Telegraph, so A-list yet so down to earth - a great lady. Stephen Mahoney was a sweetie too. 

September will come around before we know it for the next season's instalment, not sure I'll go to as many shows but I'll always support the designers showing here in London.  It seems that the fashion flame of London isn't shining as brightly as New York or Milan. Our own A-list celebrities were not on the front row in the same way New York, Paris or Milan are supported by the A-list. Better marketing and more funding is needed. Back in the day London Fashion Week was always the place to be. It saddens me as we have talent just not the finance. Anyway..

My highlights were Fashion Mode, Felicity Brown, Zed Eye and the Circuit-Collective.

You'll be pleased to know the bombardment of emails is over and I'm going back to one a week - YAY!

I hope you've enjoyed my coverage and gained a Karma-Style insight to this great British fashion event.

CamilleA

Menswear day - Last day of London Fashion Week AW11

I know, I know enough already on London Fashion Week but I have to spread the word. It was very quiet at Somerset House compared to previous days, as Milan Fashion Week started on the same day and menswear is generally not as supported as womenswear.


I saw three shows, James Long and the much hyped KTZ at the BFC tent and D.GNAK at the Freemason's Hall. No pictures for James Long Link to AW11 James Long collection or KTZ Link to KTZ AW11 collection as the lighting was so bright it was hard to capture the shots. Click on the links to see them. James Long was a fabulous true winter collection and very wearable. KTZ is not for the faint hearted and more for the fashion fearless, very avant garde. 


D.GNAK was an off schedule show at Freemason's. A great collection for a broad age range of men. The designer tailors his pieces very cleverly. English heritage with twist, using colour block panelling and double layering of trousers and jackets. This rucksacks were so beautiful and so practical. I captured some great shots upfront. Check out the collection


See you if you can spot Paul Weller in the front row...




Around 15.00pm: D.GNAK

My favourite jacket - LOVE!

 CamilleA

The Circuit Collective Showcase at The Russian Club

Day 5 of London Fashion Week took me far from the madding crowd - to The Russian Club in the East End, a showcase of extremely talented, independent designers who in their own words: 


Provide a platform for designers and the fashion forward vanguard to showcase their latest innovations. With a view to highlighting bespoke fashion pieces, whilst promoting difference, and an experimental attitude to design.
A CIRCUIT: COMPOSED OF INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS, CONNECTED BY THE FLOW OF CURRENT


The Russian Club is a deceiving venue, it looks a lot more intimate on the outside but as you enter, turns into this sprawling underground studio space. I blew out mainstream LFW and went to support one of the designers in the Circuit Collective, Rui Leonardes whose partner Jeff is a close friend of mine. 


The AW11 collections were displayed in one studio. I looked to my left and right and saw what I thought were installations or works of art on the walls. Which turned out to be after discussion with designers Hannah Kates-Morgan and Simone Brewster, Hannah's hat and Simone's jewellery collections - well I never. How stupid did I feel?! Rui's menswear, Derek Lawlor's women's knitwear, Rachel Freirel's womenswear and Eelko Moorer's footwear were layered in between and Catherine Anyango's fashion film was shown in one corner. 


As soon as you walked in you became intrigued by what was on display...  


Rui Leonardes

Rui and his menswear collection

Hannah Kates-Morgan 

Me wearing a Hannah Morgan creation

Hannah in one of her hats made of beech plywood and aluminium rods!

Derek Lawlor

Derek supports Art Against Knives

Derek has collaborated with illustrator Alec Strang to produce a range of chiffon prints

Catherine Anyango

Her fashion film 'Vanity and Shame' 

Eelko Moorer's footwear featured

Catherine is a tutor at the Royal College of Art

Simone Brewster

Simone's designs have been featured in Italian Vogue and Elle UK

Simone wearing one of her creations

 Rachel Freire
Jus in Bello 

Rachel has been working with ECCO leather
to create new materials

Eelko Moorer

Eelko also designs fashion accessories, furniture and
conceptual installations 

After eight, the after party started and was a fusion of fashion, music and performance. 

Billy Ray Martin of Electribe 101 fame kicked off the party, which continued with a performance in the dark by an outstanding violinist and a ballerina who wore pieces from Rachel Freire's collection. At the same time a short film was also played. 

Billy Ray Martin - she has an amazing voice live!

They wore Rachel Frierel's pieces well

Teresa in Alexander Wang and Ugeeta in Derek Lawlor

I want this jacket! 

These designers are taking control of their destiny with integrity. 


I initially came to support Rui and left supporting the whole collective. I'm truly impressed by the beautiful designs and what they are doing.


I really enjoyed myself. The guests were friendly and fun, lots of 'beautiful' people who were not full of themselves. I had to leave before midnight as I wanted to be fresh for the menswear shows at Somerset House the following day. I didn't want to leave, the drinks and music was flowing, the vibe was great, and surprisingly no-one ruined any of the 'installations' or collections :)


Thank you Rui, Derek, Hannah, Simone, Elkoo and Catherine. I look forward to what lies ahead - and to next season.


CamilleA

http://www.circuit-collective.com/

www.russianclub.co.uk

www.artagainstknives.com