Your guide to London Fashion Week

With just three days to go, Karen Dacre tells you everything you need to know about London Fashion Week
10 September 2013

The Newcomer

Along with Brit-born brand 1205, LFW’s newest arrival is the divinely beautiful Barbara Casasola. The brainchild of the Brazilian-born, London-based designer of the same name, Barbara Casasola offers dreamy column gowns and elegantly cut eveningwear with a twist of drama. The label makes its London Fashion Week debut on Sunday evening.

Tom Time

While fashion week attendees will be invited to shop in the British Fashion Council’s newly appointed Pop-up Shop, the rest of the capital will head to Tom Ford’s first UK flagship, which opens its doors on Sloane Street this weekend. The retail venture — 8,000 square feet in area — will encompass all of Planet Tom Ford, from fashion to beauty to sunglasses and beyond. For a chance of catching a glimpse of the man in charge, set up camp there now.

Amazing Grace

With every London Fashion Week comes a new crop of young British models to win our hearts: this season it’s all about Grace Anderson. The crystal-clear-skinned beauty from Berwick is among the most promising new faces around. Since being scouted on a shopping trip in Glasgow, the 17-year-old Elite Model of the Year hopeful has modelled for everyone from JW Anderson to Chanel, and has appeared in Vogue and i-D.

Wait in the Lobby

For a totally fabulous way to kill a bit of time between shows this weekend, may I suggest you pop into Claridge’s, where esteemed fashion illustrator David Downton is showcasing a series of spellbinding images. Running from September 14, Midnight at Noon brings together Downton’s drawings of some of the hotel’s most illustrious and fashionable friends. Portraits include Diane von Furstenberg, Dita Von Teese, Joan Collins, Alber Elbaz, Christian Louboutin and Erin O’Connor.

The Zoolander Moment

While London Fashion Week is never short on Zoolander moments — see sequins at Julien Macdonald and blue steel at Jasper Conran — those in need of the real thing are invited to St Martin’s Courtyard on Sunday evening where Silent Cinema will be showing Ben Stiller’s classic film followed by a series of catwalk highlights provided by the British Fashion Council.

Bags (and shoes) of Talent

With further proof that bags and shoes are every bit as important as coats and dresses, accessory designers are to play a starring role during LFW’s five-day proceedings. On Sunday, Sam Cam’s former stationery brand Smythson makes its fashion week debut, while shoe royalty Manolo Blahnik also unveils his collection. Rising star Sophia Webster will display her offering for spring/summer 14 on Sunday. On Tuesday, bag lady Anya Hindmarch opens proceedings.

Location, location, location

From a car park in Soho to the 35th floor of Heron Tower, London Fashion Week venues are notoriously vast and varied. This season, Topshop has decamped from its previous show space in Tate Modern to a new home in Regent’s Park. Designed by Swedish architect Pernilla Ohrstedt, the new location has been devised to bring the outdoors in. Real grass will be used throughout, including on the catwalk, while a secret garden forms the backdrop against which Meadham Kirchhoff, Simone Rocha and, of course, Topshop Unique will unveil their latest collections.

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