London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2008

What a Week we've had. Six full-on days of shows spread across the city. Luckily, The Bar Italia Scooter Club joined us this season and helped out with some rides. What a top bunch! I will never forget seeing magician and Bar Italia Scooter Club member Fay Presto pulling up outside my gaff to take me to the first show on Saturday morning on a Union Jack scooter wearing a bejewelled helmet. Fay, you are a star and a very stylish lady indeed. Simon also impressed us, wowsers trousers that man wears sharp clothes. Thanks to Mark for escorting Selene and Nick for taking Karen and getting 100% into the spirit of the event. Nick reckons the guys will be back next season - Oh yes please! I might even get a ride on my favourite BISC scooter, The Bitterest Pill, if former club president Al is able to join us.

A Week of so many surprising, uplifting and wonderful shows and we've got several new talents to share with you. Vauxhall Fashion Scout we thank you for Georgina Harley-Smith, Hackney born'n'bred, now based in Streatham and a top talent creating London womenswear dripping with attitude and style. Can't wait to see her next collection and we hope that some good stockists will support her. Yuko Yoshitake, LCF graduate, we found her clothes last year and used them in a shoot - she's amazing at making menswear and womenswear that crosses over - women I think can get away with her menswear and vice versa. She showed on the cobbled Newburgh St, the show was due to start at 7.30pm and there were no lights provided. By the time it did eventually start, the skies were darkening over London Town and our photos are a poor reflection of the quality of this collection. I say it every season - good photos are in investment in your own collection so designers make sure that if you are going to the bother of putting on a show, snappers can get decent pics.

Avsh Alom Gur also at Fashion Scout, cracked us up. He and his team have been rescuing rubbish from the streets of London and turning everything from Morrison's carrier bags to Red Bull cans into beautiful clothes. He combined this with a homage to Raleigh and all things bicycle. Sounds bonkers, but seeing the clothes close up I promise you he's made some gorgeous pieces in vibrant colours. Nana Aganovich, cheers lady for bringing the booming voice of Bob Hoskins into Fashion Week. This was my favourite show, if I am only allowed one favourite. The black Union Jack, the Long Good Friday speech and Linton Kwesi Johnson - a phenomenally powerful mix and ironically even though Nana loves London (and you can tell this is really her spiritual home) she was in fact born in Serbia, was brought up in Denmark but has lived in London for a decade.

A big surprise for us was Sado. Evan and Carlotta hail from Italy, are based in London and currently show at Moscow Fashion Week! They collaborated with an artist who created a print by putting fabric inside a piano. Half way through the show there was a performance by Taz of Stereo Nation, it was all a bit different and the clothes are very glam, well made and some interesting ideas are in this collection, including a few showstopping dress/cape/jacket combinations.

Basso and Brooke continue to do London proud and John Rocha charmed us once again. Big thanks to all our team, Ian Gillett, David Jones, Maia Adams, Selene Pearson and Karen Savage, all the PRs, Michael, Anna Jenny all the team at Blow, Mandi Lennard, George at Goodley PR, John and Martyn at the Fashion Scout, Andy and Gavin from LCF who stepped in when our video camera broke, and Mark Scaratt from BrightonArt who let me borrow his baby camera. Lastly, a huge ta to the folk at Carnaby London, your support is greatly appreciated.

Marian Buckley
fuk.co.uk editor

carnaby.co.uk

biscl.com