Blog: London Fashion Week: Day Four

Nathan Jenden's spring 09 collection

• Increase image
• View all images

There's nothing like a bit of bling to get audiences oohing and ahhing, and day four at London Fashion Week had sparkle and shimmer in spades.

Jenny Packham started the crystal revolution with her diaphonous selection of ruched silk minis, satin tiered evening gowns and gathered bustiers. Frosting featured right across the board, subtly as tiny gems studding long chiffon gowns, moving through to sprinkles of antique beading, whole dresses covered in swooshing beaded tassels, and cumberbunds full of oversized rubies, saphires and emeralds. A perfect collection for party girls everywhere.

On to Basso and Brooke, where the Swarovski crystals that shone on floaty silk georgette dresses paled in comparison to the motifs used by the kings of print. Whole Japanese landscapes were round around the hems of super short kimonos and featured every colour under the sun, while intricate paint splashes adorned both backs and fronts of silk wraparound coats. Dresses were given built in plaited waists, sexily draped at the back or darted on the top part to create a futuristic structure. Other statement prints included chevrons, polka dots and colour blocking geometrics, as dip dye got another look in this season in a graduated yellow, white and pink colourway. More disappointing was the sharply dressed fashion journo sitting next to Drapers who thought it more interesting to tap away on his Facebook than watch the show. Unless it was Basso and Brooke 'friend requesting' him from behind the scenes I'm not sure that's really acceptable...

Onto Nathan Jenden's show, where a huge glass and white structure had been erected near Battersea Power Station for the occasion. His biggest fan, Diane von Furstenburg, sat opposite Drapers on the front row, eagerly awaiting each of her protegees pieces. Jenden's collection was definitely one of the highlights of the week, beautifully constructing even the simplest of shift dresses and ultra short minis with his exquisite use of cut. Again we saw plenty of blinging details, with quilted peplems in a gold and black jacquard, encrusted shoulders on military inspired jackets and strips of irridecent foil swishing together on a bubble shaped skirt. The more straightforward pieces looked just as good and included a mustard wool suit with pencil skirt, cinched at the waist with an oversized hot pink bow, and a set of water-like chiffon dresses which glided along the catwalk in shades of egg yolk yellow and mandarin.

Party night for the Drapers crew tonight and first stop was the launch of Outkast singer Andre 3000's new menswear collection, Benjamin Bixby. The Laudre Tearoom in Harrods was the venue, a slightly saccharine choice for a range of preppy Americana tweed jackets and duffel coats, but both clothes and venue seemed to go down well with guests, who got stuck into the champagne and macaroons with gusto. Drapers BFF Alexa Chung was there again, as was shoe maven Jimmy Choo. Next up was the Rock and Republic party at the Pool Room in the Haymarket Hotel. Despite the slight smell of a leisure centre (courtesy of all that chlorine), the drinks were free, and the crowd buoyant. Not the most predictable of guests, which included GMTV presenter Jenny Frost, and Neil and Christine Hamilton, but hey, isn't that what we all love about fashion week? You never know who you're going to meet...