Georgina Harley-Smith fuk@lfw s/s 08

We came to Georgina Harley-Smith's show with absolutely no expectations or preconceptions. I've seen her name before, but never cast eyes on any of her clothes so we were overjoyed to find a proper London designer who creates real clothes for real women. The soundtrack was very 80s and the street-cast models worked the music and even danced. In a Week where the catwalks have been dominated by skinny Eastern European expressionless girls, it was refreshing to see models with bums and boobs and London attitudes.

Georgina is a London College of Fashion graduate, born and bred Hackney girl who now resides in Streatham. Perfect scouting territory for a designer and trademark elements of South London lovelies are well in evidence here. Prints are crucially important to the story, as is aertex-style punched leather which appears in trousers, on batwing jackets and on the cap sleeved shoulders of several tops. Hip hugging trousers have back zips and are designed to accommodate and accentuate one's bottom. Georgina's goregeous soft blue leather trench coat with wide ruched cuffs almost had us careering down the catwalk after it. With red the dominant accent colour and accessories including red leather driving gloves and just the right amount of big and brassy gold jewellery, this collection was an outstanding debut.

www.harley-smith.com

Words: Marian Buckley
Photos: Ian Gillett