Fashionistas and celebrities flocked to catwalk shows across London as designers showed off their latest collections
Gareth Pugh
The designer
Gareth Pugh's shows bring out the A-list and have won him much admiration for his extraordinary creative vision. He's a showman with a strong viewpoint on space, shape and volume. After graduating from Central St Martins in 2003, Sunderland born Gareth Pugh was selected to show alongside Stella McCartney, D&G and Hussein Chalayan at the 2004 Dazed and Confused exhibition. He also assisted Rick Owens at luxury furrier Revillon.
The collections
His viewpoint is utterly original, humorous and theatrical in a futuristic way. His collections experiment with volume, space and unlikely fabrics scissored into bold, monochromatic patchworks and optical frenzies.
Among the clothes on show were those made of leather patchworks with long straps of cloth hanging off, mini-skirts and "torn" trousers, seemingly designed to exude an end-of-the-world impression.
Also gracing the catwalk were furs, silver chains and long coats, including the appearance of a coat which appeared to have been made three-quarters of leather, with the back and shoulders covered in fur.
Julien Macdonald
The designer
Julien Macdonald was a showman superstar even before he left the Royal College of Art in 1996 and his shows and collections have never lost that gloss. On leaving the RCA, Karl Lagerfeld appointed him head knitwear designer for Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld. He launched his first own label collection in 1997, quickly becoming a highlight on the London Fashion Week schedule with his dramatic, humorous and celebrity packed presentations. He was Creative Director of Givenchy in Paris from 2001 to 2004. He was awarded an OBE in the Queens Honours list in June 2006.
The collections
At Julien Macdonald, whose evening gowns are red carpet favourites, the dominant theme was racing stripes and biker shorts under flirty skirts.
With luxury sportswear one of the fastest-growing areas in the high fashion industry, Julian Macdonald said it was a look inspired by Britain's hosting of the 2012 Olympics.
The mood was short and snappy, with not a single long red carpet gown in sight. Instead, perky dresses with polo shirt collars or four-pocket jackets over slim, zippered skirts gave a tough chic to models whose ponytails swung as they marched down the runway in high heels.
Luella Bartley
The designer
After pursuing her options at Central Saint Martin's, Luella Bartley settled on fashion journalism, working for The Evening Standard and British Vogue. In 2000 she launched her first collection called Daddy I Want A Pony in a friend's flat and was suddenly the name on everyone's lips. After two shows on the London Fashion Week schedule Daddy Who Are The Clash and Dial F for Fluro she showed once in Milan and then moved her show to New York where she has presented her collections up till now.
Her mega popular Luella for Mulberry bag was a turning point for her business and led to a full accessories collection as well as her ready-to-wear line.
The collections
There's always something very English about her clothes whether she is drawing inspiration from traditional county hunting/fishing style or funky street or rock style.
Luella Bartley returned to London's runway after a six-year sojourn in New York and Milan bringing a catwalk collection for comic book addicts in floral prints and acid colours stamped with Batman insignia.
The collection featured her usual mix of covetable party dresses, snappy tomboy suits and graphic print rock chick tees. This season's show seemed to take its cue from comic book turned indie flick, Ghost World, with models wearing green plaid pencil skirts and oversised Enid Coleslaw specs - there were even spooky bat masks as sported by the main character, with the same bat motif also appearing on t-shirts and in a foil print Batman style trouser suit.
Jonathan Saunders
The designer
Jonathan Saunders has become a highlight on the London Fashion Week schedule for his stunning, intricately engineered graphic prints in kaleidoscopic colour. His collections have been scooped up by prime international stores, since he burst onto the scene in 2003. He went from Glasgow School of Art to Central Saint Martin's, graduating with an MA in Printed Textiles in 2002 that won him the Lancome Colour Award.
The collections
This season's collection was very much pared down colourwise compared to the riot of brights he showed in the past. Waists were cinched with a variety of belts and bands, coats were full and cape like, and there was a nod to asymmetry, first with printed fabric sashes thrown over the shoulder and belted to the waist and also on greyscale trimmed dresses and pleated waist detail on white dresses. Jonathan Saunders showed a knack for smart chic, teaming sport-luxe skirts with crisp white shirts covered in seam detailing, and later with the addition of a full-length t-shirt dress which cleverly sat on the line between casual and formal.
Gareth PughThe designer
Gareth Pugh's shows bring out the A-list and have won him much admiration for his extraordinary creative vision. He's a showman with a strong viewpoint on space, shape and volume. After graduating from Central St Martins in 2003, Sunderland born Gareth Pugh was selected to show alongside Stella McCartney, D&G and Hussein Chalayan at the 2004 Dazed and Confused exhibition. He also assisted Rick Owens at luxury furrier Revillon.
The collections
His viewpoint is utterly original, humorous and theatrical in a futuristic way. His collections experiment with volume, space and unlikely fabrics scissored into bold, monochromatic patchworks and optical frenzies.
Among the clothes on show were those made of leather patchworks with long straps of cloth hanging off, mini-skirts and "torn" trousers, seemingly designed to exude an end-of-the-world impression.
Also gracing the catwalk were furs, silver chains and long coats, including the appearance of a coat which appeared to have been made three-quarters of leather, with the back and shoulders covered in fur.
Julien MacdonaldThe designer
Julien Macdonald was a showman superstar even before he left the Royal College of Art in 1996 and his shows and collections have never lost that gloss. On leaving the RCA, Karl Lagerfeld appointed him head knitwear designer for Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld. He launched his first own label collection in 1997, quickly becoming a highlight on the London Fashion Week schedule with his dramatic, humorous and celebrity packed presentations. He was Creative Director of Givenchy in Paris from 2001 to 2004. He was awarded an OBE in the Queens Honours list in June 2006.
The collections
At Julien Macdonald, whose evening gowns are red carpet favourites, the dominant theme was racing stripes and biker shorts under flirty skirts.
With luxury sportswear one of the fastest-growing areas in the high fashion industry, Julian Macdonald said it was a look inspired by Britain's hosting of the 2012 Olympics.
The mood was short and snappy, with not a single long red carpet gown in sight. Instead, perky dresses with polo shirt collars or four-pocket jackets over slim, zippered skirts gave a tough chic to models whose ponytails swung as they marched down the runway in high heels.
Luella BartleyThe designer
After pursuing her options at Central Saint Martin's, Luella Bartley settled on fashion journalism, working for The Evening Standard and British Vogue. In 2000 she launched her first collection called Daddy I Want A Pony in a friend's flat and was suddenly the name on everyone's lips. After two shows on the London Fashion Week schedule Daddy Who Are The Clash and Dial F for Fluro she showed once in Milan and then moved her show to New York where she has presented her collections up till now.
Her mega popular Luella for Mulberry bag was a turning point for her business and led to a full accessories collection as well as her ready-to-wear line.
The collections
There's always something very English about her clothes whether she is drawing inspiration from traditional county hunting/fishing style or funky street or rock style.
Luella Bartley returned to London's runway after a six-year sojourn in New York and Milan bringing a catwalk collection for comic book addicts in floral prints and acid colours stamped with Batman insignia.
The collection featured her usual mix of covetable party dresses, snappy tomboy suits and graphic print rock chick tees. This season's show seemed to take its cue from comic book turned indie flick, Ghost World, with models wearing green plaid pencil skirts and oversised Enid Coleslaw specs - there were even spooky bat masks as sported by the main character, with the same bat motif also appearing on t-shirts and in a foil print Batman style trouser suit.
Jonathan SaundersThe designer
Jonathan Saunders has become a highlight on the London Fashion Week schedule for his stunning, intricately engineered graphic prints in kaleidoscopic colour. His collections have been scooped up by prime international stores, since he burst onto the scene in 2003. He went from Glasgow School of Art to Central Saint Martin's, graduating with an MA in Printed Textiles in 2002 that won him the Lancome Colour Award.
The collections
This season's collection was very much pared down colourwise compared to the riot of brights he showed in the past. Waists were cinched with a variety of belts and bands, coats were full and cape like, and there was a nod to asymmetry, first with printed fabric sashes thrown over the shoulder and belted to the waist and also on greyscale trimmed dresses and pleated waist detail on white dresses. Jonathan Saunders showed a knack for smart chic, teaming sport-luxe skirts with crisp white shirts covered in seam detailing, and later with the addition of a full-length t-shirt dress which cleverly sat on the line between casual and formal.