Innovation & Excellence London Fashion Week 19 – 24 February 2010

Forget trying to wheedle Anna Wintour's mobile number from a hapless Vogue newbie – in the middle of a cold, damp February all you need to know about fashion trends can be found at Somerset House as London Fashion Week parades the the best of all things couture, and this year you don't even have to have be part of the trade and have a ticket in your Chloe handbag. The official site for LFW will be streaming all the catwalk shows from Somerset House live, at http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=669 .

So, whether you can make it to London or not, you can still enjoy a front row seat at the most innovative, influential and exciting shows of the season. In addition to the catwalk shows, London Fashion Week is also presenting a selection of fashion films by some of London's most cutting-edge and original designers. All are being screened at the Digital Space at Somerset House (some will be premieres) and, like the shows, will be streamed live on the LFW website.

This February's London Fashion Show promises to be as must-see as in previous seasons, and has again attracted the biggest names from all sectors of the industry.
Beginning on Friday 19th February, the catwalk shows start at a run with Paul Costelloe opening the proceedings. This will be his fifth consecutive season in the 'opening slot' and in his own words Paul's inspirations for Autumn/Winter are “The Assasination of Jesses James, black and lace” so should we be expecting some tailored Nashville chic?

Elsewhere, trends also seem to be heading in a strong and glamorous direction: several of the biggest names have name-checked 40s/50s glamour, tailoring and strength as inspirations for Autumn/Winter 2010/11. Menswear also might be following that path with structure, tradition and even Biggles getting mentions.
The shows continue through the week with the pick of the biggest, most important and influential names in British fashion.

Brands are well-represented by, among others, Burberry, Jaeger, Aquascutum and Mulberry and the cream of British designers are spread evenly across the week. Saturday sees John Rocha at Somerset House and Henry Holland's House of Holland showing at Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square.

Glamour is the tone of the day on Sunday 21st. The day opens with the relaxed glamour of Betty Jackson, followed in the afternoon by Julien MacDonald. The day culminates with two of the mainstays of London Fashion Week: Vivienne Westwood (Red Label) is always a highlight when she presents a catwalk show, and the Central St Martins event is a good place to see who and what is up-and-coming from tomorrow's designers: the college's MA students are the only course to show during LFW.

Wednesday, the final day of the week, sees the menswear designers take to the catwalks. Collections on view include labels from Topman Designs – this year presenting a solo show rather than as part of the MAN presentation as in previous years – through to the tailored elegance of Gieves & Hawkes and Hardy Amies (both showing at Savile Row). Other names include Lou Dalton, Carolyn Massey and the son of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren in the guise of A Child of The Jago.

London Fashion Week promises to be as full of glitz, glamour and innovation as in previous years. Continuing to attract the biggest names in British fashion, and buyers from all the world's major retailers it has earned it's high billing in the fashion calendar.

The live streaming of all the shows can only be a positive addition to the schedule of events. London Fashion Week is blazing a trail by being the first of the four global fashion weeks to embrace digital media in this way, expanding the potential audience to anyone who has an interest. London Fashion Weekend, directly following the trade shows (25th - 28th February) has become the traditional place for the public to see – and have a chance to buy – the collections, with the exhibitions covering four floors of Somerset House and including over 200 designers both global and emerging plus a diverse range of accessories.

This year the customers will have a chance to view the collections simultaneously with the buyers, writers and commentators – a real innovation.