During Fashion Week, Look Magazine put on a spectacular fashion show at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. It was a star-studded event with the likes of pop princess Pixie Lott and catwalk veteran Erin O'Connor in attendance.

Top fashion brands including Dorothy Perkins, Mango, Reiss and French Connection combined pieces to create fabulous looks for the new season, including an oh so pretty floral playsuit by ASOS. Bring on Spring! Here are some highlights.

Web: www.look.co.uk

The BODYAMR show was one that I was particularly looking forward to, and it was well worth the wait. The signature draping that I love still played a huge role in the collection as well as an abundance of luxe fabrics and beaded embellishment.

A predominantly monochrome collection with splashes of bold print in rich purples, Venetian red and green, made for interesting viewing. Free flowing white and cream dresses with nipped in waists had a Grecian goddess feel and black cutaway dresses were real statement pieces.

The hero pieces that stood out for me were the dress with contrasting print panelling and the structured numbers with gold chain detailing; incredibly sexy and chic. It was also interesting to see mohair box cut jackets paired with gold belted harem style pants. The gold mini with matching long-line jacket were really quite powerful.

BODYAMR's collection from start to finish was incredibly strong and engaged you in an element of fantasy. Yet all pieces were instantly wearable. This was impressive but no surprise to me as I've long been a fan of the label for this very reason.

Web: www.vauxhallfashionscout.com
Image Credit: Vauxhall Fashion Scount

The challenge was on for ethical label Prophetik to bring sustainable fashion to the catwalk and excite us with something a little different. Well, the live band that played at the show was a really cool touch to what was otherwise a very simple style offering of laid back layers, grey, denim and black.

Simple isn't necessary a bad thing, it's just for me, fashion week is about presenting something that packs a punch or two, a collection that 'pops' on the catwalk and grabs my attention, and in this case, the collection failed to excite me hugely.

In fact, it was all very practical. And I completely get it - the inspiration behind the collection was the American Civil War - a time where fashion understandably underwent rationing. So simplicity is key.

On a more positive note there was plenty that I could appreciate; I liked the high waist trousers, the slim tailoring, the boleros pinned with a solitary button and the short waistcoats. I also thought the injection of blood red hues in a select number dresses and accessories helped to brighten up the catwalk. However, no piece or ensemble stood out as the next big trend.

Prophetik's collection clearly flies the flag for ethical fashion and remind us that sustainable can be stylish, I just wish there more luster. See video for a snippet of the show.



Web: www.vauxhallfashionscout.com
Image Credit: Vauxhall Fashion Scout

It was an interesting first day for me at London Fashion Week. I attended the David Koma show, which was short to say the least but an interesting collection of vampish leather, cutaway dresses, geometric shapes and one shoulder numbers. It was a dark, warrior-esque collection where goth met power dressing and body con shapes were in full effect.

The pieces made me think that Koma's muse is a modern day Xena Warrior Princess; the gold and silver embellishment that played an important part throughout, added a distinctly military feel to the pieces. If Xena was on a hot date with Hercules in 2010, she'd definitely be wearing a dress from David Koma's latest style offering. It's so very her!

So this is a taste of style to come? I wonder which celebrities will be endorsing this new trend first? We saw Beyonce in David Koma at MTV European Music Awards and Cheryl Cole during X Factor last year. Most likely Rihanna or Lady Gaga (who is also a fan). Both artists seemingly push the boat out on being fashion-forward and this new collection would be right up their street.

The colour palette was somewhat predictable for the season; fail proof hues of stone, tan and black were obvious staple colours for the winter months. Overall, the collection wasn't my idea of amazing, but I did find the bold embellishment and his angle on geometric shapes really interesting and strong. I'll be keen to see how this look translates to the high street. For the collection in a nutshell, check out this quick video of the show made by ASOS.

Web: www.vauxhallfashionscout.com
Image credit: Vauxhall Fashion Scout

Online retailer Littlewoods Direct has had a style makeover and is now Very.co.uk. There's over 6,000 new lines on the new swish website, featuring collections created by UK TV presenters Fearne Cotton and Holly Willoughby.

As you may have read, I was unfortunate enough to have the lurgy and missed a good chunk of the fashion week antics. Luckily, Very enlisted style reporter Louise Roe to share the gossip whilst securing interviews with LFW designers and capturing the buzz of the front row. The girls at Very have kindly sent me the videos to post as part of my London Fashion Week highlights. See the videos below.

Pretty Stylish London Summary

It was a battle of the prints this week as Basso & Brooke and Mary Katrantzou lit up the catwalk. Both labels treated the fashion week crowd to kaleidoscopes of colour and pop graphics. Whilst Katrantzou's inspiration came from artisanal blown glass and the aesthetics of perfumery, Basso & Brooke remained inspired by the playful and subversive.

True to form, Basso & Brooke's designs indulge us in a dynamic prism of colour. Yet their print work has evolved somewhat to a more sophisticated balance of fantasy and reality. Katrantzou has obviously found influence from Basso & Brooke in her own work, however she achieves a completely different feel. Her prints are more free-form, more organic with a reference to nature.

Graphical pop-colour prints will undoubtedly be a huge trend for Spring/Summer, and the accessories at Katrantzou showing designed by British master of art glass-blowing, Peter Layton will most likely be reworked for the high street.


Credits:
Images courtesy of www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
@beautifuldamned twitter.com/beautifuldamned
@marian_kihogo twitter.com/marian_kihogo

Pretty Stylish London Summary

The primitive look is back again, this time bigger, louder and more animated with Jeremy Scott's Flintstone inspired collection. The clothes really do speak for themselves. This look is about channeling your inner brashness; your crazy, sexy, cool - the Lady Gaga in you.

I can see these prints making their way into Top Shop and ASOS pronto and I'm particularly smitten with the denim mini short set; the jagged cut is such an interesting detail in what is otherwise a very simplistic design. Sometimes less is more after all. The colours are bang on-trend for Spring/Summer with Scott offering a fresh approach to primary hues.

What can I say Jeremy, the people of Bedrock would be proud.

Credits:
Images courtesy of www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
@AmeliasMagazine: twitter.com/AmeliasMagazine
dazeddigital.com

Pretty Stylish London Summary

As one of my favourite designers, Eun Jeong is the relative newcomer for London Fashion Week. For her latest offering, she showcased a feminine collection featuring floaty fabrics and luxurious textures. Whilst tailoring played a considerable part in the designs, a good dose of fluidity made an appearance on the catwalk too.

The look is one I like to coin 'sport luxe meets the age of innocence', and clearly pays homage to 19th century glamour yet with sporty socks and sneaker boots, Jeong firmly positions her designs in present day urbanity. Could this be the new edgy direction of ethereal chic?

Credits:
Images © fiona garden 2009
@vogue_london: twitter.com/vogue_london
www.fabsugar.co.uk

Pretty Stylish London Summary

Primitive yet futuristic at the same time, Todd Lynn impressed at Fashion Week with uber sharp tailoring, hints of nomadic layering and play on textures.

Staying true to his signature ungendered shapes, Lynn create the perfect equilibrium of unstructured meets structured. He also did away with the orthodox presentation of a Men's collection and a Women's collection, rather he merged the two together for a postmodern interpretation of androgynous fashion.

I'm loving the muted tones throughout the collection and the metallic shoulder pads are pretty darn powerful.

Credits:
Images courtesy of www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
@fashion_critic: www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com
www.graziadaily.co.uk

London Fashion Week is coming to a close and whilst I never attended, I was certainly there in spirit. A bout of the common cold, left me without the 'get-up and go' zeal I normally have and instead I've had to keep abreast of the latest updates via the fellow fashion junkies on twitter and of course the official London Fashion Week website.

It's been bitter sweet experience not being in the thick of it all. Bitter because there's is truly nothing better than literally being there, and sweet because I found comfort in reading about it instead of writing about it for a change.

Thankfully my trusted circle of friends have kept me completely in the loop and it's been refreshing to consider fashion week from a range of perspectives.

That said, I simply couldn't let one of biggest style events of the capital pass by without adding my own opinion into the mix. So be sure to check out my Fashion Week highlights, it acts as my wish list of shows that I regretfully couldn't make and the backstage scenes where I'd have loved to be a fly on the wall. Highlights to following shortly....

Congratulations to the winner of the Scholl On|Off LFW Competition, Leanne Mawson who will be blogging about her fashion week adventures at the catwalk shows and parties. Not only will she be experiencing the excitement of fashion week, she will also enjoy an overnight accommodation in a central London hotel, a Scholl-gifted iPhone 3GS, A pair of fabulous Scholl Diego Dolcini shoes and Scholl footcare products, including Limited Edition Snowflake Ultra Slim Gel Cushions.

As well as seats at On|Off, Leanne will be dancing the night away on Saturday the 19th at the weekend after party with £200 spending money in pocket. What a lucky girl!

Check out her blog 'The Party Feet Diaries' for the hottest trends from On|Off. She'll be giving you all the gossip; from the designs on the catwalk to who's wearing what in the front row.

Visit: www.partyfeetbloggirl.co.uk and read tweets at twitter.com/PartyFeetDiary.

London fashion week is fast approaching and here's a fantastic opportunity to be in the thick of it all. This year Scholl will be backstage at On|Off fashion shows and is looking to recruit a dedicated fashion follower to report on all the news from the highly anticipated catwalk shows.

They are looking for an energetic fashion lover who is also a social networking butterfly to be the editor of their new London Fashion Week report blog.

Come September the 18th, Scholl will be launching The Party Feet Blogging Diaries; the first of it's kind to bring the latest up-to-the-minute happenings. To help cushion the excitement of being at London's hottest fashion event of the new season, you'll be treated to Scholl's Limited Edition Snowflake Party Feet Invisible Gel Cushions, so that you can totter around in statement heels or saunter in flats, safe in the knowledge that foot ache won’t slow you down.

You'll also be given an iPhone for keeping your friends posted on all the backstage gossip via twitter and facebook.

Interested? To be in with a chance of winning, visit www.partyfeetbloggirl.co.uk and send a recent photo of you in your favourite pair of shoes, they could be Louboutins, quilted Chanel pumps or a trusted pair of heels you’ve had for years! Whether designer or vintage; they just need to be special to you. Then tell them in under 100 words why you think you’d be the best person to launch Scholl’s blog at On|Off London Fashion Week.

Good Luck!

It’s that time of year again! The hottest shopping event of the year is back in the capital, and it promises to be jam packed with everything a fashionista could wish for!

On the lawns of The Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London Fashion Weekend follows the prestigious London Fashion Week with collections from over 150 designers, catwalk shows, major shopping, and champagne- in other words fashion heaven!

I am pleased to announce that the lovely organisers of London Fashion Weekend are giving away tickets for two Pretty Stylish London readers (aren't you spoilt!) but hurry the deadline to enter is just 24 hours away, so you've got to be super quick!

I'm sure you know that London Fashion Weekend is undoubtedly London's most stylish fashion and shopping event, showcasing over 150 LFW designers selling their collections at fabulously discounted prices including Luella, Ben de Lisi, Emma Cook, Missoma, Sara Berman, Philip Treacy and Pauric Sweeney.

Just think - gorgeous clothes, personal styling advice, fantastic discounts and pampering treats - all at one fabulous event. This opportunity is not to be missed. It's the perfect start to your weekend; enjoy a little retail therapy and save a fortune on designer labels and must-have spring pieces.

What are you waiting for?

Enter your details below for your chance to win. Good luck!
Plus! I'll send you more fabulous competitions and offers direct to your inbox.
Competition closes on Wednesday 4th March, 8pm. (London, GMT)



Terms and Conditions
Tickets valid for Thursday 5th or Friday 6th March (Daytime or Evening) only.
Entries must be UK residents or visiting London at the time of the show.
Winner picked at random and will be contacted by email, shortly after the competition deadline closes.

To round up my fashion week diary, I attended the Nolcha fashion week exhibition. Nolcha is an international network connecting industry professionals from London to New York. The event was held at the Amaka Showroom in Great Portland Street and featured fresh, emerging talent.

After spending last week peaking from behind the front row at the catwalks, it was great to be at the exhibition where a more interactive approach was adopted. Models effortlessly mingled with visitors whilst wearing the designer pieces and company representatives explained the inspirations behind the collections with guests.

During my visit I met the designer behind lifestyle brand Anavaa Kisasa and representatives from retro label Eenamaria. Both companies are based in New York and currently promoting their designs to a new, untapped market of style savvy Londoners.

Zulema N. George owner of Anavaa Kisasa, displayed her latest collection of handbags. Speaking about her designs she said "My brand caters to the woman who loves fashion. The accessories I create are made to be effortlessly cool and invitingly authentic." True to her word, just looking at her creations you instantly imagine that her customers are both stylish and distinctive, anything but ordinary and always stands out in a crowd.

From Wonder Woman to Xmen's Storm, her AW09 collection was inspired by fictional 'super heroes'. Using Italian leather and for the highest quality and great attention to detail, her handbags really were fun and attention grabbing.


Sarah Morgan, the designer behind label Eenamaria showcased a stunning collection of retro inspired handbags with an art deco feel. Her fashion roots started in Britain from a very early age where she studied art and design and with her grandmother being a fashion designer in Paris, it seems the love of fashion runs deep in the family. Similar to Zulema, Morgan has a distinct woman in mind when creating her collections.


Described as 'the urban nomad', Morgan explains that her bags are designed for 'sexy, secure individuals - impatient and enterprising. She's a rising star." The handbags certainly do make a statement; strong in colour and unusual in design. They remind you of that unique vintage bag, originally from Paris that you would be hard-pressed to find at your favourite thrift boutique , only these are lavished with a delicious vibrancy and cleverly created to fit easily into modern day style - and that's quite an accomplishment. These designers are definitely ones to watch!

Nolcha London Fashion Week
Monday 23rd February 09
Web: http://www.nolcha.com

Amaka Showroom
75-77 Great Portland Street
London
W1W 7LP

4th to the 8th of March 09

Times: Wednesday 5pm - 9pm
Thursday and Friday 12pm - 9pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Admission: Tickets £10 - £75

London Fashion Weekend is undoubtedly London's most stylish fashion and shopping event, showcasing over 150 LFW designers selling their collections at fabulously discounted prices including Luella, Ben de Lisi, Emma Cook, Missoma, Sara Berman, Philip Treacy and Pauric Sweeney.

Special Reader Offer:
Get a FREE Catwalk Seat at London Fashion Weekend!

This season, London Fashion Weekend has teamed up Pretty Stylish London to offer readers a free catwalk seat when booking a Gift Ticket to the event on Thursday 4th or Friday 5th March (Daytime or Evening) via Georgina@single-market.co.uk and quoting Pretty Stylish.

The Gift Ticket priced at a modest £36.50 includes entry in to the event itself, a glass of wine and a personal stylist session with a London Fashion Weekend Stylist on the day. Please see www.londonfashionweekend.co.uk for full information.

London Fashion Weekend
Natural History Museum,
Cromwell Road,
London SW7 5BD

Danielle Scutt vamped up the catwalk with razor sharp tailoring. Following the principles of Helmut Newton and his highly aesthetically powerful reflection of women, Scutt aims to put the same prowess and feline energy that Newton captured on camera into her designs.

Style notes: Sharp tuxedo suits, bodices and shapely dresses all accented by 'dracula -style' lapels and mono prints. A sultry collection that successfully mixes sartorial elegance with edge. My favourite piece is the black skirt suit with patent frills adorning the jacket and along the hem line - it's powerful and playful.

Colour notes: Black, white, red and grey.

Gossip: This highly anticipated preview from Scutt was warmly received by critics and discussions were rife about her next boutique collection for high street chain Top Shop.

Here are my highlights from the catwalk:




Click here to see the catwalk video

For information on Danielle Scutt's collection see londonfashionweek.co.uk

Danielle Scutt
Mandi Lennard Publicity Ltd
2 Hoxton Street
London
N1 6NG
www.daniellescutt.com

Images credit: Catwalking.com

Taking big inspiration from travel and tourism, Eley Kishimoto's collection presented a fresh and unique approach to the uniform. If designers Eley and Kishimoto were to design airline uniforms, I suspect it would be the official choice of travel for a wealth of fashionistas and probably branded the most stylish airline ever to take flight.

Style notes: A mixture of Jackie O coats, retro cardigans and skirts featuring fabrics and prints that encapsulate public transport and the travelling experience. My two favourite pieces were the flamboyant navy and red diamond checkered skirt suit with the pussy bow shirt, complete with red bowler bag and matching hat. It was busy and eclectic whilst remaining sophisticated. And the figure flattering captain dress with soft draping in navy blue and deep purple. If only uniforms off the catwalk shared the same character!

Colour notes: Red, orange, navy and grey with a injection of purples and pinks.

Gossip: Leith Clarke, stylist to Kiera Knightly and founder of Lula magazine was spotted in the front row making frantic notes.

Here are my highlights from the catwalk:





For information on Eley Kishimoto's collection see londonfashionweek.co.uk

Eley Kishimoto
215 Lyham Road
London
SW2 5PY
www.eleykishimoto.com

Images credit: Catwalking.com

Oh lala! I love this collection from Graeme Black. It's fierce but feminine with decadent tailoring. There's a hint of Parisian chic in his pieces, all of which ooze power, sophistication and sex appeal. Seeing Black's collection was by far my biggest highlight of London Fashion Week.

Style notes: Strong shapes ruled. Boxy tops and bell-like skirts made a surprisingly good partnership. Opulent dresses added to the wow factor. Gem stones embellished the waist with a distinct play on textures for tactile appeal. My favourite piece was the orange and white two piece, sprayed generously with chocolate brown. Divine!

Colour notes: Black and grey tones dominated. Warm gradients of colour also featured throughout, particularly in rich tones of red, orange and brown.

Gossip: I wasn't surprised to hear front row critics sharing my enthusiasm for Black's latest collection.

Here are my highlights from the catwalk:




Click here to see the catwalk video
For information on Graeme Black's collection see londonfashionweek.co.uk

Graeme Black
151A Sydney Street
London
SW3 6NT
www.graemeblack.com

Images credit: Catwalking.com

The dynamic duo Bruno Basso and Christopher Brooke presented an extra special collection of divine prints and playful designs for their Autumn/Winter offering. Having won Fashion Fringe in September 2004, the pair have been perfecting their eccentric and individual style over the last five years. Technology is always a big inspiration for them, and this year digital printing takes centre stage throughout their work.

Style notes: The pieces are like contemporary works of art with watercolours and pastels dominating the designs. Digital prints combine for bittersweet kaleidoscope of colours and a delicious mix of ornate and primary shapes. My favourite is the pencil dress, nipped at the waist with a bright orange band, featuring eye-catching cubic art across the front - it's just beautiful.

Colour notes: Paintbox pastals, shimmering greens and industrial greys.

Gossip: One fashionista said to another "It's tacky, but still somehow tasteful!"

Here are my highlights from the catwalk:






Click here to see the catwalk video
For information on Basso and Brooke's collection see londonfashionweek.co.uk

Basso and Brooke
29-35 Rathbone Street
London
W1T 1NJ
www.bassoandbrooke.com

Images credit: Catwalking.com

On Saturday the 21st of February, New York based designer Nathan Jenden presented a collection aptly entitled "Frostbite". A Londoner by origin, his work almost certainly takes inspiration from the weather and the city skylines from London and NY. Jenden's pieces were ultra cool and city slick.

Style notes: Strong, structured and sharp. The pieces look almost industrial with shapes and graphic lines reminiscent of elegant buildings and contemporary interior design. Manish tailoring and graphically sculpted dresses gave Jenden's collection plenty of edge. My favourite being the snowflake dress; particularly the stunning cut-away patterning throughout the pleated a-line mini.

Colour notes: Industrial greys and monochrome combinations.

Gossip: A hit with fashion connoisseurs and the W1 venue was buzzing with discussion of Jenden's certain future as one of London Fashion Week's resident designers.

Here are my highlights from the catwalk:




Click here to see the catwalk video
For information on Nathan Jenden's collection see londonfashionweek.co.uk

Nathan Jenden
www.nathanjenden.com

Images credit: Catwalking.com