Fashion Fringe fuk@lfw s/s 06

According to founding father Colin McDowell in the literature that accompanied the Fashion Fringe show, this year was set to rival last year's massive success. In the wake of the four collections, many of those who witnessed them were not so sure.

While there were certainly some interesting ideas and nice collections, they just didn't seem to have the je ne sais quoi quality that was in evidence the first time around.

Modernist sent out jackets and skirts with slouchy pocket-like pouches around jacket and skirt hems while Jo Jo and Malou showed printed shorts, puffed sleeves, ra ra dresses with pinafore fronts and red sparkly shoes in a collection that had a whiff of Alice in Wonderland.

Irish girl Lou Donahughe's fine cobweb knit and draped silk dresses were pretty but the judging panel that included Diesel CEO Renzo Rosso, Jade Jagger and American Vogue editor at large Hamish Bowles finally plumped for Erdem Moralioglu's more sculptural collection that was full to the brim with unusual pleating and black and white printed fabrics lifted here and there with touches of orange, turquoise and yellow.

Words: Maia Adams. Photos: David Jones.