London Fashion Week spring/summer 2014 live blog - Telegraph.co.uk

All the stylish goings on from day three of London Fashion Week, including Emma Hill's last hurrah for Mulberry and Longchamp's star-packed party.

BY Olivia Bergin ^[1] | 15 September 2013

Mulberry live stream

WATCH LIVE TODAY: Mulberry at 12noon

DAY 3: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

JOURDAN'S CHICKEN STOP-OFF

Who knew peri peri sauce provided such crucial catwalk energy?

MUM'S THE WORD AT TEATUM JONES

Design duo Teatum Jones looked to their mothers for their S/S '14 collection, 'Jacquie and Mary Ellen'. Inspired by memories of domestic life we saw thick apron style straps on silky dresses, overblown tea towel checks realised on a high-shine mac (a real highlight) and 1950's housewife pinafore frocks.

"Our woman is a strong lady, not a ball breaker but she has an inner strength and who better to reflect that than our mums. We want to create clothing for busy modern women who still want to look contemporary and elegant."

This they certainly did. We saw the Teatum Jones's signature biker jackets in perforated white leather and laminated jacquard (wipe clean!) and their much loved silky shirt dresses reprised in a clashing check/floral print. Silk drapery cascaded down elegant sheath dresses evoking childhood memories of slung-over-the-shoulder tea towels.

A palette of lime, powder blue and white was fresh and Spring-y whilst injections of navy grounded the collection. A draped shirt and trouser combo in white and navy panels were easy wardrobe additions, while the floral bomber jacket will be a sure fire hit. Frankie Graddon

One of the images that inspired Teatum Jones's S/S '14 collection. Photo: @TEATUMJONES

MOPHIE: JUICE FOR PHONES

All that Tweeting, Instagraming and Vine-ing totally munches one's battery life to minus five per cent in all of about, two shows. So thank goodness for Mophie's rechargeable external battery cases, which you charge via USB and flick on and off as you need to spruce up battery life. It's our fashion week saviour.

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A SERENADE WITH A DIFFERENCE

Outside the Claridge's Hotel, as show goers poured out from viewing Mulberry, a quintet playing courgettes and butternut squashes serenaded the crowds. No - we're honestly not making it up; it's amazing what you can do with hollowed-out veg and a carrot as a mouthpiece. The chaps from the London Vegetable Orchestra were on hand to promote Plenish, a range of cleansing drinks. FYI - the butternut squash makes a great tromobone, while a courgette is a good substitute for a trumpet.

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EMILIA WICKSTEAD'S NEW GROOVE

Emilia Wickstead's show was a tale of two halves. On the one hand, there were classic Wickstead tailored shapes, reworked this season in an unlined crinkly, crease-proof silk and cotton mix fabric and a pastel palette. On the other, there were roomy trapeze dresses in loose striped linen, some with a train cut to skim the floor just so.

"This whole collection was about a girl who just gets out of bed, throws her hair back, doesn't have much make-up on and looks beautiful," said Wickstead backstage, surrounded by a Warhol, a Matisse and a Degas (the show was held at the Halcyon Gallery). "For summer usually I'd use quite light silks, but I wanted it to be soft so I used this amazing crease-proof fabric - perfect for throwing into a suitcase for travelling."

Of her diversion into crisp white denim, folded into clever pleats on the back of Fifties-style dresses, she said: "I was listening to Mississippi blues music and I wanted it to be a modern version of that era. You could see denim full skirts but it was a modern update, the Emilia Wickstead version."

So has the Emilia girl loosened up for spring/summer? "Yes - I wanted it to convey ease. Sometimes I get carried away with designs and forget about the weights of the fabrics but this is the kind of thing I want to wear in the heat. It's not too ladylike and traditional." Ellie Pithers

LOVING LAUREN

We're glad to see someone shares our love of Lauren Hutton. Backstage at Temperley London the actress's image is being used as inspiration for the beauty look. We can't wait to see it.

A MARGARET HOWELL MOMENT

The jaunty soundtrack at Margaret Howell set the summery tone for an easy breezy collection of pale linens, windowpane checks and ticking stripes. The house aesthetic of utilitarian tailoring was evident in the high-waisted belted shorts and the short sleeved shirting, some featuring a V-necked collar, others cropped at the waist. The strapless bodiced dresses were uncharacteristically daring for the designer, giving the collection a more youthful, feminine feel compared to past seasons' androgyny. Sleepwear appeared in cropped silk pyjama bottoms and ticking night shirts. The standout dresses of the collection were typically wearable in a Breton stripe to the knee, a navy with white dots and a blue chambray. Looks were topped off with straw trilbies and brown flat leather sandals. Our favourite? The perfect lightweight summer parka hands down. Sophie de Rosee

BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP

Our favourite colour of next summer? Buttercup yellow, as seen at Emilia Wickstead where it was paired with the prettiest pink.

TAT'S AMORE, CARA

Speaking of Cara, the model appears to have added to her flourishing tattoo collection with a simple inking of her mother Pandora's name on her left bicep. Aww, sweet. Much better than a big red heart with a scroll bearing 'Mum' we think you'll agree. Delevingne visited artist Bang Bang, who is responsible for her three other tats, while she was in New York for fashion week. She'll be walking the runway at Mulberry so keep an eye out for her new artwork. See more, err, dodgy celebrity tattoos here .

Photo: @bangbangnyc/Instagram^[5]

BIZARRE BEAUTY: JUST OUT OF THE SEA HAIR AT MULBERRY

Cara Delevingne getting beached-up backstage

"Very, very beachy indeed," said Sam McKnight of the hair he created backstage on all 26 girls at Mulberry. And while it's not bizarre as such, so see such "gritty toughness," as McKnight described it, is a juxtaposition to the perennially pretty hair we've come to expect from British fashion brand Mulberry.

Spring/summer 2014 sees a Mulberry girl get caught in the rain, or walk straight out of the sea and forget to brush her hair - backstage it was a blowdry free zone as models let hair dry naturally while eating Claridges bacon baps. All that was used was Frederick Fekkai Texture Spray so that hair dried to a crisp, hard beachy look. It's "modern grunge, but it's sexy," confirmed McKnight. Katy Young

DANGER! HIGH MANOLOS

Manolo Blahnik is showing for the first time ever at London Fashion Week this morning, and thankfully blogger/journo Susie Bubble is keeping us well informed as to his new collection. These fine specimens are Mr Blahnik's favourite, he calls them "weapons of danger". Danger for our bank accounts more like. Photo: @susiebubble

RENOVATION INSPIRATION FOR PREEN

Sometimes the best holidays can be those spent at home. And rather than jet off to Miami this summer, Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi stayed put and set about renovating their house instead. Their collection this morning was therefore based on a "romantic notion of Miami", said Bregazzi backstage after the show. "It's about Art Deco buildings, sunlight, shadows, layers of colours, heat."

This was a shapeshifting collection. Hemlines rose and fell, some chopped and folded into hard modernist lines, others trailing and wispy. Kitschy rose prints and hard geometric shapes merged into one another. Layers of pink nylon - what Thornton confirmed was "cellophane" - took the form of parkas, strapped to the shoulders with silver buckles and left to blow out like a parachute as the models walked, providing a contrast to the tight, short dresses underneath.

The patterns were partially inspired by their domestic renovations. Bregazzi said that the florals were the result of shopping for curtain material, while those punchy bright interlocking hexagons were a nod to their new parquet flooring. "We are trying to create a fresh feeling of lightness in our house, whilst keeping it minimal at the same time - and we felt the same way about our clothes," Bregazzi explained.

Will they ever get that Miami holiday? "I do want to go..." Bregazzi said wistfully, "but I'm worried it will kill the dream." Ellie Pithers. Photos: Getty

ELSEWHERE...

Cara Delevingne played host to her fashionable friends at the newly launched EDITION hotel last night. The model swapped catwalks for tables as she and Jourdan Dunn (left) partied with Kate Moss, Daphne Guinness, Alexander Wang, Georgia Jagger, Daisy Lowe and co. until the early hours. Photo: Rex

LONGCHAMP'S LEADING LADIES

Alexa, Zoe, Suki, Kate, Georgia and Lily lit up Regent Street at the launch party of the new Longchamp store. Tourists formed a huge crowd outside the store as flashbulbs went crazy for these belles. See who else has been in town grabbing some fashionable action

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MULBERRY'S MOOD

Ahead of creative director Emma Hill's final show for Mulberry, the British brand has sent out a sneak peek of the spring/summer 2014 collection's theme. With Julie Christie, black cabs, flowers and tea parties featured on the moodboard it looks like were set for a corker of a last hurrah from Hill. Don't forget to read our interview with Hill here to find out what's next for her

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BEAUTY MOMENT: NICOLL'S MINIMALIST MODEL MAKE-UP

"The girls need personality and individuality. It's not meant to be uniformed," explained Gucci Westman, Revlon's global artistic director, on Richard Nicoll's refreshing approach to beauty. "It's quite a lived-in look. Deconstructed and minimal, nothing is precise," she said as she pressed on Skinlights in Bronze, Creme Blush in Flush and Powder Bronzer in Bronzilla all by Revlon.

"Like make up from the night before," Westman explained (and as we detected a trend as we'd seen the same theme at Holly Fulton), she described how she applied make-up and then almost began taking it off each model. Using only concealer as a base if models needed it, this was "clean, beautiful" make up - "sporty, cool, no glamour, individual beauty," said Westman. "This isn't about an army, or sea of the same thing - these girls are who they are." Katy Young

RICHARD NICOLL'S SUMMER WITHOUT COLOUR

Richard Nicoll showed a sharp, assured, wonderfully desirable collection which he referred to backstage as being a bit of a 'retrospective subconsciously.' All the best bits of Richard Nicoll were there: the tomboyish masculinity, the lightness of texture and touch in the form of a specially woven houndstooth organza polyester jacquard he used to great affect in a new high-summer take in the biker jacket. There were soft layers, easy sleeveless coats, clean cotton piqué dresses, pretty tiered dresses with spaghetti straps in sumptuous bubblegum pink, and boyish cotton knits and great boyfriend jackets. To offset the functional pieces, there was a sprinkling of glitter in stripy cool wool sweater dresses and Lurex threads giving a bomber jacket a touch of magic.

Nicoll explained he wanted to 'approach summer without colour' and looked to black and white images of the New York street photographer, Gary Winogrand which added a Sixties feel to the silhouettes.

'I'm feeling very relaxed,' he said. 'I wanted the collection to have a sense of ease and be really believable. The way the pieces slot together should be very modular.' if you're lucky enough to have any Richard Nicoll pieces already, you will have no problems adding to your wardrobe next summer. The only problem will be having to wait that long. Tamsin Blanchard

GETTING DOWN WITH BROWNS

After a long day of shows we headed to the Browns Focus re-launch party in collaboration with Brian Lichtenberg, we browsed the latest collections as "Homies" T-shirt-clad bar staff served Patron-based cocktails. We spotted Kate Nash sipping on an espresso martini whilst the margaritas proved popular. As the night progressed, the crowd migrated towards the dance floor where DJ Seb Chew played out a mix of Nineties and Noughties hip hop and R&B. The mix proved potent and the originally aloof crowd could be seen getting down to the tunes of R. Kelly. We spotted Eliza Doolitle and co. making shapes whilst those all twerked-out could rejuvenate with a 'focus' shot, a shot of espresso mixed with, wait for it... more tequila! Tallulah Bullock

KNITTY GRITTY WITH MARK FAST

Mark Fast - the man who made knitwear not just cool, but also sexy - did not cease to disappoint is his hotly anticipated show. Fast, who often cites music as inspiration chose the Nineties as his soundboard this season. Models stormed the catwalk in black webbed body-con dresses teamed with matrix style glasses, black lipstick and chokers. Think Courtney Love circa 1994. Grunge gave way to rave complete with acid yellow hues and turquoise fringing. Particularly of note was a mermaid-esque fringed maxi dress and a very chic pair of knitted trousers. Yes, knitted trousers. They don't call him the king of knitwear for nothing you know. Tallulah Bullock. Photos: Getty

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DAY 2: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

ALL WHITE AT PALMER/HARDING

If you need white separates, you should check out palmer/harding. They'll do you paper white shirts, skirts, shorts, dresses and jackets in mostly cotton, though some come in PVC, and a few had some sky blue touches. There was one bold departure - a head to toe indigo ensemble, but the majority was white as snow. palmer/harding: sponsored by Daz? Nick Barron. Photo: @CFE_London

ISHAM'S ISSUES

Ashley Isham's show got off to a rocky start when attendees were still queuing outside 20 minutes after the scheduled start time, and many priority ticket holders were made to stand when we were eventually let in. Isham says his inspiration was the 1967 film Belle de Jour, the story of a young woman who spends her afternoons as a prostitute while her husband is at work. This contradiction manifested itself in Isham's designs by way of clashing fabrics: dresses had silk fronts and broderie anglaise backs, while PVC capes in garish blue were trimmed with white lace as though in an attempt to feminise them. In some looks the idea of contrast worked well, such as the white tweed dresses worn with blue cloche hats whose mesh panels tipped down over models' faces. But a scarlet silken gown which gave way to a greyish PVC skirt and train trimmed with gold crystals was at best confused, at worst gaudy. The finishing line-up of draped jersey dresses with a smattering of embellishment in taupe, purple and blue were clearly aimed at the red carpet, but truth be told they were more Jennifer Lopez than Jennifer Lawrence. Anna Elliott. Photos: Getty

HARRY'S IN THE HOUSE (OF HOLLAND)

"I've heard Harry Styles is coming." "Is Harry Styles coming?" "Harry Styles is coming." "Harry Styles is HERE!"

Build-up to the House of Holland show mainly went in one direction (sorry, couldn't resist). Say what you want about Henry, he has the best friends. As usual all the obligatory babes packed out his frow: Ellie Goulding, Eliza Doolittle, Alexa Chung, Daisy Lowe, Harley Viera Newton, Pixie Geldof and Leigh Lezark were enjoying a love-in (poor Nicola Roberts was shunned again. Why will no one talk to Nicola?) and the frenzy over Styles's fashionably late arrival even prevented the production team from rolling up the polythene catwalk protector.

Finally some order was established and the show could commence. Holland cited the films 'Mi Vida Loca' and Baz Luhrman's 'Romeo and Juliet' as references, along with the tattoo parlours of Venice Beach. The first few looks showcased neon tattoo appliques on structured shift dresses, skintight leopard print paper skirts and crisp white shirts. There were some fab checkerboard cardigan and skirt combos cinched in with guns n roses style flower-embellished belts and cool hand-painted leather tops emblazoned with the Virgin Mary (nod to Baz). Alexa and co liked the tattoo print silk pyjama sets accessorised with ghetto girl gold hoops and trucker caps.

Ultimately most of the audience seemed fixated by Styles - but at least the most-talked about guest stuck to the theme: his tattoo covered torso may have even have made its way on to Holland's moodboard. Ellie Pithers

FEELING ZEN WITH 1205

"I just want women to feel at ease in my clothes, that's why I concentrate on fabric and cut above all" explained Paula Gerbase, the woman behind 1205. Previously working as a Savile Row head designer, Gerbase brings us modern tailoring at its best.

This season, the inspiration comes from the Japanese philosophy of 'Ma', the idea of negative space to create a moment of calm in which to reflect - just what we need as a busy day two of LFW draws to a close.

The idea was presented through a collection of beautifully tailored pieces with a relaxed fit. Keeping to a restrained colour palette, swathes of cotton tunics, perfectly cut cropped trousers and ribbed knits were occasionally interrupted with a solitary pinstripe here or a missing pocket there. These slight discrepancy create the negative space to ponder the beauty of the fabric and craftsmanship of each piece. Ah, we feel much more zen now. Tallulah Bullock

J.W. ANDERSON'S DOSE OF MEDICINAL SEX APPEAL

'J.W. takes sex and turns it into something medicinal. Nothing wrong with that per se' - read what Lisa Armstrong made of the show and v iew the full collection here

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KOMA'S WARRIORS

The David Koma woman has always been undoubtedly strong and fierce (as epitomised by one of his most famous fans, Beyoncé) and judging by this collection, she'll be losing none of her attitude next season.

Koma says his inspiration came from the Japanese art of Kyudo, "a meeting of Samurai martial arts and the spiritual practice of Zen philosophy."

You could certainly see Oriental and warrior-like influences throughout his collection of strong, structured pieces: white dresses in thick, neoprene-like jersey were edged in black leather tape, waistcoats were bound by wide laser-cut obi belts, while jackets held together with strapping had the air of (very chic) armour. Just when the strict black and white palette was in danger of becoming a little monotonous, it gave way to dusty pink pleated skirts and dresses emblazoned with a soft cornflower blue and white print. Koma's signature sexy bodycon dresses were very much in evidence, but so too were sleek trousers with matching longline waistcoats in a bold royal blue, complete with deep pockets - a nice touch. All pieces were very much sharp and structured yet unmistakably feminine. Koma has "envisioned his woman a strong and elegant warrior who dresses by the principles of balance, stillness and control", and we quite want to be her. Anna Elliott

CLEMENTS CLASSICS GO DIGITAL

Clements Ribeiro have had a eureka moment this season and taken the thoroughly modern decision to show their new collection as a short film via their website clementsribeiro.com followed by a series of looks via Instagram.

"While we have been focusing in reaching boutiques and department stores, our online sales grew to represent 60 per cent of our turnover, Net a Porter being our main customers," said Inacio Ribeiro today.

The collection is an upbeat fresh and fruity ode to Rio de Janeiro complete with ferns, parrots, and glorious tropical glamour. Classic Clements Ribeiro and a super smart way to show to an increasingly digital global market. Tamsin Blanchard

MARKUS LUPFER'S TEENY BOPPER BEDROOM

Markus Lupfer's show was less show, more young teenager's bedroom in the Nineties. All Saints played on the stereo, waifish girls tapped on laptops covered with multi-coloured jewel stickers, and others folded origami fortune tellers languidly on the bed.

The clothes? As prim and proper as Suzy from Moonrise Kingdom's, should she have been a young London lady in the Nineties. Bejewelled hair clips matched jewel embellished sandals, while all garments - cut-out minis, jersey jumpers or tailored shorts - were printed with multi-media blooms sliced into uniform squares.

Two girls in semi-sheer white dresses stitched with overgrown blooms were the only duo that broke this square pattern. Oh and the XXL teddy bear on the bed. Alice Newbold

WHISTLES' SAFE SAFARI

The mood of Whistles's S/S '14 collection? African safari. But if you thought everyone's-favourite-high-street-brand had gone all zany on us, forget it. There were distinctly less patterns than this season's camo and tile affair.

By safari, Whistles meant that they had tapped into the feminine colour palette of a Love Bird's plumage (sugar pinks and barely-there mint greens to you or I) and occasionally used faint leopard print patterns on their starched white sporty items. Other than the bucket hats and sliders everything else was distinctly Whistles. And perhaps there was so much snapping from the Frow set because everything there was ultimately wearable, and safe.

Neat summer pinafores, culottes, flamingo feather printed skirt-and-shirt sets and a silver pleated skirt that practically rippled down the catwalk will surely be snapped up next spring.

Oh and of course the pochette will be back. But with a handle and bottom zip. One has to be careful on safari, don't you know. Alice Newbold

HANDS ON HIPS FOR JULIEN

Julien Macdonald's coterie of glamorous belles turned out to support his latest show. Posing with their hands firmly on their hips, Paloma Faith, 'Strictly' contestant Abbey Clancy and Pixie Lott did their best red carpet smoulder. See which other famous faces have been out and about

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BIZARRE BEAUTY

"Tesco meets disco, M&S meets S&M" explained the team of artists behind the heavy Cleopatra eye at Ashish. The theme? A glamorous walk of shame through the Dubai Mall. The elongated eye, by make-up artist Sharon Dowsett, was created using three liners of different textures in deep purples and black. The swoosh of gold pressed onto the cheek was a nod to Dubai's favourite metal.

STRICTLY JULIEN

Subtlety isn't a word that seems to register with Julien Macdonald. The new season sign-up to Strictly Come Dancing has clearly been a strong influence for his spring/summer 2014 collection as he sent out gown after gown down the runway. Everything sparkled; from the models' skin to the wool in the cobweb knit dressed and the glitter cannons in the finale. Icy crystal embellished the dresses, jumpsuits and swimsuits, while cutaways also took prominence. The groin-skimming, coccyx-flashing, body-hugging, split-to-the-thigh pieces left no inch of skin unbared. Glitzy, brash and verging on vulgar - but you've got to love it nonetheless. Sophie Warburton. Photo: PA

BEAUTY MOMENT: PURPLE REIGN

They say three's a trend, but we suspect lilac eyes will be big for spring/summer 2014. Spotted at Holly Fulton (in its Seventies-inspired crease to brow grey purple haze, below) and and at Julien Macdonald (in an alien chic elongated and super pearlised finish) we predict some sort of spring purple reign.

LIP-TASTIC AT KRYSTOF STROZYNA

As the weather finally cheered up this afternoon, so did the mood in Freemason's Hall as Krystof Strozyna delivered a fun and poptastic collection inspired entirely by lips. "I'm just completely obsessed with lips, I love the way they're both a strong symbol of sensuality and of pop culture," explained the Polish-born designer.

Everything from the sculptured cut of jackets, to the signature lacquered wood jewellery was inspired by the shape of lips this season. Minimal white and grey shift dresses were peppered with kisses in poptastic yellows, greens and purples, whilst palazzo pant ensembles were silhouetted with ombre prints.

Not usually one for embellishment, Edie-Sedgewick-esque models wore yellow pearls as earrings and on collars. "I never usually use surface decoration, I just found the yellow pearls really made the looks pop!"

Keep an eye out for Krystof Strozyna, he's set to be the name on everyone's lips come spring 2014. Tallulah Bullock

JOHN ROCHA'S ROMANCE

Though you'd expect it to be the other way round, it seems having a daughter heralded as one of the industry's brightest young design talents - Simone Rocha - has rubbed off John Rocha, one of the UK's best-known and most established designers.

As such, Rocha's spring/summer 2014 offering had the contemporary, hard-edged romance that is so associated with Simone.

Starting with voluminous A-line dresses in silk organza dappled with hand-sculpted petals and blooms to add texture, the collection then moved into more fluid shapes. Floor-length, almost fishtail skirts and dresses in sheer fabrics, ranging from dainty ivories to darkest black but always cheekily sheer. Sprinkled with ruffles, formed in golden and black lace or topped by a cream coat shirred off at the sleeves an hem, everything was beautifully slim and diaphanous.

The accessories were notable too. Twisted and looped organza piping (mirroring some of the dresses) formed see-through totes bags that will surely end up on many a lust list and hats too. Bibby Sowray

ANNA WINTOUR HAS LANDED

The editor-in-chief of US Vogue, Anna Wintour, is back in her homeland to lend some support to her old friend, the actor Bill Nighy. His daughter Mary (in blue) has directed Handprint, an environmental fashion film. Under the stewardship of Wintour, Green Carpet Challenge founder Livia Firth and the BFC's Natalie Massenet and Caroline Ruch, the film stars Elettra Wiedemann who wearing a unique piece by Stella McCartney, reflects on the journey that a piece of clothing takes from production to rail and the impact of this journey on both people and the environment. Amanda Harlech (in blush) was at athe screening too, at the W London in Leicester Square.

ORLA KIELY'S GIRLS GO ON SAFARI

Without a doubt the Orla Kiely show will be the most adorable of the week. Models sporting berets emerged from a tiny wooden door carrying lanters and jars filled with insects and settled into a safari scene where they amused themselves around a campfire or read books and played records. It all looked very Moonrise Kingdom , the Wes Anderson film in which a young girl and a boy scout run away from home.

But what of the clothes? Well, there were schoolgirl socks pulled up to the knee and worn with rather desirable, patent sandals in bold yellows and oranges. Zebras made an appearance upon cotton T-shirts and dresses, while the most delicate pieces of the collection were by way of white silk overlays featuring navy embroidered rhinos. The bags were cute too; sturdy binocular-shaped ones with gold clasps in pink and yellow kept the safari theme rolling, while big kids will fall for the panda and fox head-shaped bags and mini purses on a chain. Olivia Bergin

HOLLY FULTON'S GROOVY OPTIMISM

Scottish designer Holly Fulton captivated her audience with a collection that nodded to Laura Ashley florals and Seventies denim. Read the full show report here

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TO THE BEACH! WITH ALEXIS BARRELL

For S/S '14 Alexis Barrell was inspired by an American road trip and cult 90s Tarantino film True Romance. The result: a sophistically laid-back collection full of desirable summer wear.

The South African born designer's third collection was a lesson in surfer girl chic. It flitted from girlish peasant dresses and flippy chiffon skirts to neoprene skater skirts and short playsuits.The silk pieces were a real highlight; an off-the-shoulder ruffled dress and cutesy playsuit covered with retro surfboard florals were perfect holiday wardrobe material.

An introduction of sportswear was another triumph. Grey hoodies and silk parkas with neon drawstring were über covetable. A softly tailored blazer and matching skirt paired with earth-mother chunky flip-flops (sounds dubious but really worked) offered a fresh take on work wear.

Something for every girl, we predict Alexis Barrell's collection to be more of sell-out that wipe-out. Stocked on Avenue32.com and My-wardrobe.com. Frankie Graddon

BEAUTY FROM BRAZIL

Everyone knows beauty comes from within, which is why show goers are supping the simply titled 'Beauty drink' being given out in the Somerset House courtyard. Hailing from Brazil, one has to push the spout down to release a flurry of vitamins into the liquid. Our fave flavour so far is the refreshing aloe vera, cucumber and lemon. If we drink enough we might secure a L'Oreal contract, right?

ANTIPODIUM GETS ACHINGLY COOL

Antipodium's Geoffrey Finch dressed his coterie of cool girls in a uniform of pastel suede, houndstooth and iridescent accents down at the Somerset House studios this morning. Models so cool they could barely pick their feet up showcased effortlessly fun pieces, most of which would be perfect to wear from day to night. Iridescent, short-sleeved with pleated-skirt PVC dresses dappled in the light and could be styled with all manner of under layers. Tiny iridescent appliqué flowers decorated spaghetti-strap suede tops and lilac skirts while a killer colour combination: navy and pink, were combined to bring a new twist on the classic houndstooth. Olivia Bergin

WHEN ERIN MET THE WAITER

The LFW parties might not have kicked off just yet, but one particular party last night got us giggling. Donning a super glitzy, ruby red gown British model Erin O'Connor attended David Downton's Midnight At Noon private view. Needless to say the Claridge's waiters were more than amazed at her model stature.

Photo: Rex

THE ACCESSORIES WE WANT NOW

Mawi's rhinestone encrusted clutch bags with pretty fan motifs are To. Die. For. We'll take one in every colour.

FRIENDLY FASHION

It's not often you get such open camaraderie between fashion labels, especially during hectic show season. Thumbs up to Holly Fulton for taking the time out of her show prep to Tweet at Sibling.

SISTER BY SIBLING DELVES INTO PASTURES NEW

London's kings of knit took a trip back to 50s Americana for their S/S '14 collection. "It was an era obsessed with modernity and glamour" they explained. Twee twin sets in sugary pastel gingham were followed by crochet skirts and slogan jumpers.

The trio made their first foray into denim and jersey with huge success. Trapeze-style overcoats were teamed with pastel swimsuits worn by smiling models with big bouncy hair. The collection retained the brand's fun factor while also becoming little more grown up. Then again, I guess it's all relative. Sophie Warburton

INSIDE ISABELLA BLOW'S WARDROBE

Fashion lovers are going to be in for a treat when highlights from the late Isabella Blow's wardrobe are exhibited in Somerset House from November 20. Some 100+ outfits, 68 hats (yes, that famous lobster one included) and countless pairs of Manolos purchased at auction by The Honourable Daphne Guinness are set to go on display.

"Isabella was very irreverent in the way she wore her clothes," explained curator Alistair O'Neill. "Sometimes she ripped her hems getting out of cars; she set to fire to her hats lighting cigarettes by candlelight and gave many of her pieces away". So sadly this won't be a complete homage to her style, but judging by the brief taster we had this morning (see the McQueen, Viktor & Rolf and Givenchy pics above) it will be a true homage to a woman who lived and breathed high fashion.

Olivia Bergin

ZOE JORDAN MAKES HER MARK

There was no doubt as to who was kicking off proceedings on this grey and drizzly second day of shows, since one of the first looks Zoe Jordan sent down the catwalk had her name spray-painted across its front. Jordan's collection was inspired by grown up skater girls, urban living and street art, hence the graffiti sprayed moniker, the tight black doodles spattered across various white separates, and the several black leather pieces. Things took a sportier turn with sheer hoodies and a perforated lamb leather dress. There were pops of colour, including the bright red finale - just the ticket before heading back out into the gloom. Nick Barron, stylebarron ^[12]

GET YOUR OWN HOT TICKET TO LFW ^[13]

SHOW DAY FOR HENRY

Henry Holland, who confirmed via his Twitter account that he is averaging 37 minutes sleep a night at the moment, gave us a preview of his S/S '14 accessories this morning. Expect lashings of cat-eye glamour at the 6pm show, but for now just enjoy the glimpse of geeky Henry with his iPhone in the metallic mirrors of those sexy shades.

Photo: henryholland

THE FASHION BAG, DAY TWO

Something quiet and discreet. Ok so it's not. But it is highly practical for schlepping everything you could possibly need in and more. Plus it has the all important teeny detachable pouch so when you actually waltz into a show, you can leave the work-horse part in the car and pretend your life is like Carine Roitfeld's. Smart thinking from Meli Melo. Lisa Armstrong

GUESS WHO?

At last! Fellow 'celebrities' will join lone ranger Laura Whitmore on her quest to hog the front row spotlight. The creature in question? Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw. Expect him at the House of Holland show, though hopefully without the wig, and with some trousers on. Photo: nicholasgrimshaw

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DAY 1: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

THE HIGH-FASHION WORK OUT

I rounded off a beautifully British rainy Friday (am channelling Natalie Massenet's fabulously upbeat approach to, erm, everything) with a beautifully British cream tea with Tibi designer Amy Smilovic. Amy is in London to do business - forgot to ask what because there were too many other good stories to hear. My favourite? Her unique work out. "Basically I get on the elliptical and start browsing the e-stores. But I only allow myself to spend the same as the number of calories I'm burning." Works whichever way you look at it. Lisa Armstrong

SKIN'S IN FOR NEXT SPRING

The pièce de résistance that Todd Lynn sent down the finale of his S/S '14 catwalk show? A barely-there lacy jumpsuit that showed, well, everything. Is it us or does the back view remind you of Christina Aguilera's god awful chaps phase? Let's pray others don't relive it next summer.

JASPER CONRAN PREDICTS AN EASY BREEZY S/S '14

In south west London's Saatchi Gallery Jasper Conran gave us his S/S '14 offerings; a pretty collection of ladylike dresses and neat pantsuits in fresh white, lemon and navy. Starched shirt collars gave a girlish yet clean-lined look and were worn on sleeveless day dresses and linen shell tops.

The silhouettes were simple but classic; full skirts hitting just below the knee, straight leg trousers, tailored shorts and nipped in waists. Embellishment came by way of shimmering trompe l'oeil bead work, frothy organza blooms and whimsical hand-draw prints. Splashes of earthy tangerine and ochre kept the summery palette from becoming saccharin.

The deck chair striped pencil skirts in pink, green and blue were highlights as was a navy full length dress with pique collar that could easily be seen on front row-ers Darcey Bussell and Brit actress Katherine Kelly.

From Breton knits to flippy sun dresses and floor sweeping silk kaftans, this easy breezy collection had everything one needs for an English summer. Frankie Graddon

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH JEAN-PIERRE BRAGANZA

Jean-Pierre Braganza's inspiration was "the nonchalance with which my daughter wears her school uniform". The styling certainly echoed school days - long loose locks and overzealous spray tans - but the clothes were strictly for grown-ups. Silk flowed in modern monochrome prints, interspersed with flashes of oriental red and pink. This was Jean-Pierre Braganza's sports luxe aesthetic on strong form: easy-to-wear tees were paired with low-slung trousers and asymmetric or skater skirts. From the structured origami dresses to the cracked leather sleeveless biker jacket, if we're in school then this is what the sixth form's über-cool older sisters are wearing. And I want every piece. Sarah Royce-Greensill

RAEBURN'S RE-VISIONS

"Do you know, I wore an orange parachute Christopher Raeburn dress eight years ago to go to Downing Street?!" Hilary Alexander said after the show. The use or more appropriately, re-use of US-issued military parachutes has become a signature of Raeburn's designs. This season, inspired by desert protection, Raeburn constructs capes, parkas and military jackets in parachute material. Shirt dresses, and a clever playsuit (it zips into two so can be worn together or as separates) were printed with bespoke hybrid designs featuring Ordnance Survey maps and Victorian cartography in a colour palette that ranged from sandy yellows to azure blues, dispersed with pops of pink.

"It's all about functionality, that's at the core of what we've always done," said Raeburn backstage after the show. "This season we've thought about how we can develop that through amazing fabrics, perfect fits and simple shapes." In addition to the recycling of materials several new fabrics have been developed this season including 'cool-wool', a clever material that adapts to your body temperature and the hybrid Schoeller textile with a four-way stretch making it super comfy. The collection is also the first time the designer has used denim, but not just any denim, lizard-denim - an eco-fabric with a reptilian look and feel.

And the Raeburn girl wouldn't be complete without her functional accessories; signature rucksacks were constructed in innovative materials, as well as new shapes in the form of the clutch and the compact 'capsule bag' that you wear around your neck.

"It's a really handy accessory that you can store your lipstick, pound coins or penknife in," explains the designer… desert island essentials obviously!" Tallulah Bullock

EUDON CHOI'S PRINCESS POWERS

With the relaxing tinkering of oriental bells, some of the front row were beginning to wind down after a long first day of fashion week. Eudon Choi on the other hand has not been kicking back. Finding inspiration in his heritage, Choi looked back to the Korean Joseon Dynasty; specifically the reign of Princess Deokhye. Keeping the silhouettes very much in his signature style, the Korean born designer played with floral jacquard and silk knitwear along with classic cottons. Highlights from the collection included a collarless overcoat and a white strapless gown showing that he is a master of both day and night. The cut and finish of the clothing, as ever, was second to none and each and every item was desirable. Quite a feat. Sophie Warburton

A FESTIVE FEEL AT BERNARD CHANDRAN

It may be spring/summer but there was something undeniably festive about Bernard Chandran's collection. A medley of jewel shades glittered down the catwalk - along with Quality Street purples, scarlets and gold tartan there were aquamarine ensembles enough to satisfy anyone's Little Mermaid fantasies. Curiously, some t-shirts were accessorised with what looked like tinsel spirals. Flippy skirts and flute sleeves added to the young, playful feel, while one voluminous parachute dress made us wonder whether BC has been comparing notes with a certain VB. Sleek gowns with bejewelled harnesses seem destined to adorn the Malay equivalent of the Duchess of Cambridge. But there were also flashes of modernity - a smartly tailored silver jumpsuit stood out. One of the crowns perched atop a model's head turned out to be a pair of glittering headphones, as she stomped along nonchalantly clutching an iPod. These touches suggest Chandran is targeting a more current type of fashion royalty. Sarah Royce-Greensill

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Yep, that 's Donna Air (also known as James Middleton's new squeeze) taking a selfie at the Felder Felder show. Photo: Reuters

CORRIE NIELSEN'S FORBIDDEN LIASONS

The May Fair Hotel is the official fashion hotel for London Fashion Week and it's where Corrie Nielsen presented her S/S '14 collection. Since winning the fashion initiative of Fashion Fringe back in 2010, the luxury womenswear designer has taken to new heights. In a playground of London's most stylish, the collection was a powerful mix of emotions blazing within the films 'House of Daggers' and 'In the Mood for Love'.

1950s China ensnared women and shrouded them away from pursuing love, yet this strengthened their passion, leading to instances of ardent seduction. Duchesse silk, latex and waxed cotton are her new fabric palettes, combing the techniques of piping and finding along with her classic couture tailoring. You're never likely to see anything on her catwalk that can be immediately worn, but then that's possibly part of the charm and theatrics. Here, Nielsen pushed the collection through a new lighter and feminine take. Jenny Taylor

HERE COMES THE (DAKS) BRIDE

Click here to read the full show report

Photos: EPA/ AFP^[14]

PURPLE EYEBROWS, ANYONE?

If Pearce Fionda's catwalk look is anything to go on we'll all be colouring our eyebrows in a fluro shade of purple next summer. Bonus points for dual-coloured lash wings too.

THIS MODEL LIFE

Spare a moment for the poor models jetting in from NYC. Not only do they have this rain to contend with, there's the small matter of jet lag, castings and looking fabulous even though someone's made you up to look like an alien. We're rooting for Stephanie Hall, the flame-haired beauty from Kingston, who put out this tweet:

FELDER FELDER GO UNDER THE SURF

The Felder sisters are known for playing with duality and the twins have come up with something different for the S/S '14 collection. Injecting a hint of seduction to statement pieces, Felder Felder dives into white surf, crystalline, soft coral tones and into the deep blue, considering the black mystery ahead - the unknown. Bodies dance beneath organza and sheer fabrics, fish scales shimmer with intense blues. The Felder woman darts between light and dark with the freedom of the innocent. Get #Felderized. Jenny Taylor

GIMME SHELTER

There's all manner of rain shields going down at Somerset House. From fabulously floral and historic homages to budget black ones, show-goers are even covering up their statement headwear in the name of stayin' dry.

J. JS LEE'S JELLYFISH INFLUENCE

Jackie JS Lee's collection is indebted to a jellyfish - or rather, a close-up of a jellyfish. "I found this zoomed-in photo of a pink jellyfish, so I went to the London Aquarium and watched them swimming," the diminutive Korean designer told me when I visited her studio in Dalston on Wednesday.

"I thought, 'I can use this.'" Remarkably relaxed for a designer days away from showing her spring/summer 2014 collection, Lee talked me through her moodboard: pink shards of coral; pepto bismol bottles; string vests; lumpy roll-necks; Art Deco Vogue covers from the Twenties; and a large picture of Tilda Swinton were plastered on the wall. "Ahhhh Tilda," Lee swooned when I asked why she picked Swinton as her muse. "I would love to meet her! She's so refined."

Her new collection is full of pieces that would suit Swinton's languid style: a turquoise suit with a lapel shape sewn directly on to crepe wool; wax coated pink and ivory dresses, semi-fitted on the front but with a box back, to allow for movement; sheer, light-as-tissue navy sweaters with cream and pink grid patterns; and waterproof macs overlaid with a layer of lasercut circles, cut to allow them to ripple as one walks.

The tailoring influence is strong - Lee trained as a pattern cutter, a foundation eschewed by many designers - and the aesthetic as unadorned and pared-back as ever. "I always say my aesthetic is cleanism rather than minimalism," Lee said. "These days I feel we can't really say what is minimal - if you're all in white but have lots of layers, people still call it minimal because you're in all one colour. But clean is…a more intrinsic thing. I don't put any useless detail. It's functional." Luckily for us, the form-follows-function formula has yielded stellar results. Ellie Pithers. Photos: EPA/ Getty

LAURA WHIT HOW-MANY-CHANGES MORE

The time (sponsored by Microsoft) is 12.37 and TV presenter Laura Whitmore has worn more outfits than we've taken trips to the loo today. The Irish blonde was front row at Bora Aksu, Fyodor Golan and Felder Felder in a new get-up. Just looking at her is exhausting. Photos: Getty

FEELING NAUGHTY WITH OSTWALD HELGASON

"We were feeling naughty this season," says Suzanne Ostwald guiltily when I point at the grey sweatshirt featuring a motif of two balloon dogs doing what can only be politely described as 'getting it on' (no sex please, this is the Telegraph ).

Fresh from a well-received New York presentation, Ostwald Helgason showed their "fun, happy, upbeat" collection in London to an enraptured crowd, many of whom were decked out in this season's Baudelaire-emblazoned sweater.

"We've had a few tricky times recently and we just wanted to celebrate happy things this season," Ostwald said. This new buoyant mood took shape in a balloon dog print woven into jacquard in a signature origami-shape skirt, bright pleated floor-length sheer dresses, and punchy florals in sporty shorts and jackets combinations.

Ostwald, along with her partner Ingvar Helgason, has introduced sheer fabrics this season to expand into eveningwear. "It's a real step forward for us as its something we've been meaning to explore for a while," said Ostwald, pointing out a cobalt blue patterned maxi dress with a sheer plissé pleated skirt. "We wanted to create a material that in a way replicates the texture of a balloon, it's a silk organza interwoven with a wool fibre, like a curly wool. I love the colour gradations."

Also new were the shoes - the result of a collaboration with ALDO rise. "ALDO were great to work with," said Ostwald. "We designed the whole collection in two days!" But back to those balloon dogs - is this season's Ostwald Helgason lady a bit of a good time girl? "We didn't even know if we wanted to use it, it did feel a bit raunchy for a happy Ostwald Helgason girl!" she admitted. Fittingly, though, yesterday was the Day of Conception in Russia - so those balloon dogs are bang on trend. Ellie Pithers

FYODOR GOLAN'S ENERGETIC FASHIONS

On the 6th floor of a London high rise, Fyodor Golan brought a splash of next summer to town. Structured tafetta biker jackets in sunshine yellow were teamed with skin tight pencil skirts while blush pink dresses came with a dash of turquoise snakeskin. "We were inspired by the morning runners and bikers that we see on our daily walk to our studio" said the designers. "We loved the idea of flexible and energetic sportswear achieved through luxury fabrics". If only all sportswear was this chic, I might take up running. Sophie Warburton. Photos: Getty

FASHION'S SHINY NEW HOME

Anyone can take a stroll through the courtyard at Somerset House, which is home to the BFC's catwalk tent. If you do, you won't be able to miss the mirrored casing conceived by shoe maverick Nicholas Kirkwood - perfect for fashionistas to check themselves out in. Photo: LFW Daily/ Instagram

BROLLIES AT THE READY

Erm, there's no way to sugar-coat this, but as headlines read: '70mph gales to batter Britain', best to locate those wellies...

BORA AKSU GET THE SHOW STARTED

London-based Turkish designer Bora Aksu brightened up a dreary Friday the 13th with a suitably summery colour palette.

Photos: Getty

THE FUTURE'S BRIGHT

Natalie Massenet declared a rainy London Fashion Week open this morning with lots of upbeat news. Look out for the BFC pop up shop, 'The Shop' selling eight contemporary designers (with a logo by Peter Blake) and instabooths so you can share your fashion week selfies with all and sundry.

But the big news was the announcement of five new industry experts to drive London Fashion Week forward. In charge of Reputation is 10 Magazine editor-in-chief, Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou, a woman who will not take no for an answer and already has her sights set in bringing British designers home: Stella, Vivienne, Hussein, look out! She's on your case.

For Investment there is Jonathan Goodwin of Lepe Partners who worked with Tamara Mellon at Jimmy Choo and who will be advising designers on being investment ready. For Business, it's James McArthur, CEO of Anya Hindmarch. For Digital Innovation, it's Peter Fitzgerald, director of retail at Google who aims to help our fashion businesses to sing online.

Sarah Mower and Meribeth Parker from Hearst UK are putting education in the limelight this season. M&S will be underwriting a fashion BA scholarship starting next September and they hope to attract another ten businesses to sponsor scholarships over the next year.

Hurrah for Natalie Massenet! Hurrah for the BFC! Watch this space. Tamsin Blanchard

WINDOW DRESSING WITH FENWICK

To celebrate London Fashion Week, we've dressed five windows on Fenwick of Bond Street in brilliant designs by British designers Preen, Clements Ribero, Zoe Jordan, Richard Nicoll and Amelia Powers. Plus from today until September 17, every day we are giving away a £500 shopping spree at Fenwick.co.uk. Here's how to enter

Photo: Paul Grover^[15]

LEG-OH…

Toy company Lego are calling this creation 'brick-tacular'! What, you ask? It's a dress partly made from 5,000 Lego bricks by Central Saint Martins College of Art student Anne-Sophie Cochevelou. Why, you say? Because Lego wanted to show that there's nothing you can't do with a LEGO brick. And that's what we call a colourful publicity stunt. Photos: PA