Designers, models and fashionistas from all over the world descended on Britain’s Capital as London Fashion Week began yesterday.

This is already London’s year with the Olympics, and many British designers who have previously shown elsewhere will be coming back

One of the highlights will undoubtedly be Stella McCartney’s much-anticipated return to London’s catwalks after preferring to use Paris Fashion Week to showcase her designs.

The much-lauded British designer will be holding a “special fashion presentation” at Somerset House today.

Her return to showing on British soil has been hailed as a sign that British fashion is on the up.

Leading fashion blogger Catwalk Queen said: “This is already London’s year with the Olympics, and many British designers who have previously shown elsewhere will be coming back.

“Her collection has been kept very much under wraps, but I predict it will be influenced by sport, or sport luxe as it is called in the fashion industry.

“With Stella designing the Olympics uniform, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some sporty styles going on.”

She added that big prints are likely to be a running theme of the week, with Mary Katrantzou’s collection for Topshop and Peter Pilotto being particular names expected to demonstrate this.

She said: “London is always the quirkiest and most experimental on the fashion week calendar, so I’m hoping that designers will reflect that.

“I think Monday is going to be the biggest day. With Christopher Kane, Burberry, Erdem and McQ on the schedule, there are going to be some great shows and the ones that will be the most popular with celebrities.”

Fashion Week sees the first catwalk show for McQ, the diffusion Alexander McQueen range.

The brand, which counts Emma Watson, Chloe Moretz and Rihanna as fans, will present its autumn/winter 2012 collection on Monday evening.

It will mean the “Kate Effect” sweeps London’s fashion week once again as the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress designer Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, oversees the more affordable McQ range.

A number of other designers favoured by the duchess will also be putting on shows, including Issa London, Mulberry, Erdem and Burberry.

Her sister Pippa Middleton was spotted on the front row at the Temperley show last year.

Visitors from many countries routinely flock to the city for the biannual fashion week, one of the highest-profile fashion events in the world.

It will feature more than 100 catwalk shows, which are expected to generate orders in the region of €120 million and to contribute further millions to the London economy.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “I’m delighted to be backing UK fashion, which is not just appealing to the eye, but is big business for our city.

“Last year our support helped British designers double their international sales to €89 million at London Fashion Week, an important showcase that also benefits other parts of our economy such as retail, restaurants and hotels.”

LFW by numbers

• 105 catwalk shows and 30 presentations will take place over five days.

• Catwalk shows run until Tuesday, with menswear shows on Wednesday.

• The exhibition, where more than 120 designer brands are set to showcase their autumn/winter 2012 collections, will run until Wednesday.

• More than 5,000 visitors are expected to attend the biannual event.

• Fashion Week is organised by the British Fashion Council, which was set up in 1983 to promote British fashion internationally through fashion weeks, exhibitions and showcasing events.

• The value of the UK fashion industry to the UK economy is €25 billion, according to the council.

• It is estimated that orders of more than €120 million are placed during London Fashion Week each season.

• The main show space is in historic Somerset House, but designers also present their collections in a variety of locations around the city, including the Royal Courts of Justice and the old Eurostar terminal.

• LFW is classed as one of the “big four” fashion weeks around the globe alongside New York, Paris and Milan.

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