LFW does its reputation proud

Celebrities and fashion power houses like Jemima Khan, British Vogue's Alexandra Schulman and the International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes turned up for Eley Kishimoto's show on Tuesday afternoon. The collection was entitled Cosmic Dolls on Earth, a most befitting term, as the models sashayed down the catwalk like Jacke O on acid. Prim blouses were paired with playful penicl shirts, collarless ladylike suits were worn in light cottons and psychedelic flower print dresses were worn either belted or as loose shifts. Fitted high-waisted trousers and jumpsuits called to mind images of WWII starlets singing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.

Jumping between the forties and the sixties for inspiration, the design duo - Wakako Kishimoto and Mark Eley founded the brand in 1992 - showed a penchant for bold, crazy colours employed in rainbow prints and oversized polkadot dresses. One hot pink shift featured an embellishment of pearls around the neckline and down the front. In line with other shows, crochet made an appearance, reminding me to take it up as a hobby asap!

London Fashion Week is known for its departure from the norm. It is not about predicting the trends in so much as it is a forum for self-expression for both many a young and up-and-coming designer as for the more experienced designers. On Wednesday morning John Rocha proved this to be true with the unveiling of his new collection. Deconstructed dresses, jackets, and tops paired with skinny trousers, pedal pushers and pencil skirts created an off-kilter silhouette. Evening dresses adorned with flower appliqués appeared long in front and cutoff at the top of the thigh in the back, creating an element of surprise.

Rocha takes the conventional and turns it into something unusual, whether it be the quirky use of materials like lace, silk and crochet or the finishing touches, like enormous oversized bows in silk and in lace at the neck or at the waist. Employing asymmetry in the hem lines and silhouette only adds to the sense of the unexpected. Meanwhile, Rocha's use of colour is predominantly muted and subtle, with the occasional bursts of colour in chiffon and lace. Wednesday continues with shows from Jasper Conran, Bora Aksu, Antoni & Alison, Robert Cary-Williams and Frost French among others.