Nicole Farhi fuk@lfw a/w 07

One of the great things about London Fashion Week is that, on occasion, it gives you access to locations that you might not otherwise have. Nicole Farhi's show allowed us to see the inside of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden without having to sit through two hours of arias. And we can report that it's truly glorious –- soaring, airy and filled with light.

But enough of architecture, we're here for the fashion. We'll say one thing for Nicole – she gives good coat. Having spent the last God knows how long looking for the perfect navy trench, fuk.co.uk thinks they may have found it. Now, it's just a simple matter of growing six inches before autumn...

That's the thing with Farhi, she creates clothes for women blessed with way above-average height. And when you're layering chunky-knit cardis, over long skirts and under belted trenches the risk of looking swamped increases as your stature diminishes.

That said, break it down and there are more accessible numbers to be had here. Thick, ribbed grey wool leggings add a young twist to an otherwise rather grown up collection and skinny leather belts add form to voluminous shapes. Bustier dresses worn over cashmere knits are quirky-cute and sequinned dresses with a chiffon over-layer which mutes the sparkle will no doubt be copied by the high-street. Let's just hope they lop a few inches off the bottom.

Words: Maia Adams
Photos: David Jones