London Fashion Week

It has taken me this long to write anything about London Fashion Week, as it has been quite frantic, and I have only managed one party -- Vivienne Westwood's book launch at the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park. And I spent that chatting to my Picture Editor just inside the VIP area, which seemed mostly to be occupied by Vivienne's ultra stylish ancient mother and her entourage. Years ago, I organized a masked ball with some friends in London -- when we were young and could stay up all night. I made a mask out of netting sprayed gold which gave a blank gold face with no features, teamed with a blue pointy hat and blue and white ballet dress. Ms Westwood was the roaming judge of best costume, and she chose me! She was nothing like so grand and famous in the early eighties of course, but very cutting edge with her Sex fashion shop on the King's Road, and association with all the coolest London scenes, punk then New Romantic.

Anyway, I don't think she was at her own party on Tuesday, but it was fun anyway. As to the shows, I don't get to them as too busy putting it all online in Vogue House, but do click through them on www.vogue.co.uk picking up the themes and enjoying the curious coming together of style that happens every season.

Satin and sculpted fabric are two huge trends for Autumn Winter 2008 -- ranging from soft, satin backed crepe to rich, thick, sculptural Duchess satin, in wonderful colours -- orange, lawn green, cerulean blue, lapis, swimming pool -- all accented with black. On the catwalks, some of the dresses give me a shiver of pleasure. There are a couple by Giles Pugh -- a very hot name of the moment here in London -- which were satin seemingly wrapped in satin feathers, one in scarlet one in black. I wasn't sure about the burglar-type black stocking veils over the models' faces however. Gareth Pugh, whose clothes until quite recently were really surreal works of art - with padded areas and a Goth/SM thing going on, have now gone wearable. Again, lots of satin, in grey and black. Henry Holland, another new comet in the fashion sky, is seen everywhere with Agyness Deyn -- his lifelong friend and partner in style. His House of Holland show was overwhelmingly about purple tartan, with Agyness closing in a tiered strapless tartan wedding dress with rainbow veil and - wait for it - antlers!

Roksanda Ilinicic was also all about the satin -- some dresses too wide for my tastes, some with clever, jutting hips cut from the thick satin that would be very flattering (no one would think it was you filling it out underneath). And so it goes on. It is all quite nicely grown up. I feel there are trends here I can wear. As I am terminally lazy and/or busy every morning, it is always about the dresses for me. Trying to get one reluctant 15-year-old out of the house in one piece (he leaves trailing bags, odd shoes, bits of paper, sandwiches -- never all safely adhered to his person). And one seven-year-old, who always seems to be bouncing at least two footballs while I try to assemble him as well. I need dresses to wear, that I fling on, zip up and go. I long to wear high heels, but have to keep them kicked under my desk in Vogue House -- and put the flat black boots on to rush about from pillar to post. As for day into evening - dresses are perfect for this as you can sling on a necklace and a little glitter eye liner, rushing home from every party to try and catch the little one still awake after his exhausting day.

So I was very pleased to see lovely, knee covering (paranoid about my legs) grown up dresses with interesting details, simply everywhere. Getting dressed should be a cinch as the year moves on.

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