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London Fashion Week blog spring 2007: Tuesday
By Maggie Davis

Posted: Wed Feb 14 2007
More rain, lots of figure-skimming dresses, metallics and patent leather shoes gave the second day of fashion week a punchy edge

Aimee McWilliams' princess robe
Today's loves and loathes
A catwalk decorated with hundreds of lampshades in Victoria’s grand Royal Horticultural Hall was the setting for Paul Smith’s a/w 2007 show. Smith, who has a turnover of £230 million a year (he’s big in Japan) is one of those designers with universal appeal so everyone from the cool kids at Dazed and Confused to the glossy fashion magazine editors turn up for him. This man knows how to makes quality clothes that you can actually wear (shock horror!) and unlike most other London designers done-well, hasn’t defected to Paris, New York or Milan. That in itself is enough to keep him close to our hearts. Feature continues

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So, what’s exactly does Sir Paul have in store for us this autumn? Oversized knits worn neatly tailored trousers; trilby hats and biscuit-coloured woollen coats, cropped tuxedo jackets and floaty chiffon dresses with dropped waists and worn with strings of pearls. The vibe was 1920s tea dance and the colour palette much more subdued than usual until the finale when a flourish of vibrant shades including acid yellow and hot pink revealed themselves.

Sinha-Stanic's glittering creations
Over in Bloomsbury, cutting-perfectionists, partners and design duo, Fiona Sinha and Aleksander Stanic, gave their understated luxury a dash of glamour in the form of Swarovski crystals worked into the clothes in panels. There was a lot more sparkle than usual: metallic geometric leather motifs on organza backings and geometric bronzed knit appliqués featured. Taking inspiration from Samurai armour, the pair sent out neatly fitted panelled dresses, which they say are designed to ‘protect from the urban environment’.

Slicked-back hair and short skirts at Ann-Sofie Bak
Protection seemed to be a theme running throughout the collections today - Ann-Sofie Bak and Mario Schwab, fashion darling on the moment, also subscribed to this trend. Bak’s nod towards urban armour came in the form of neatly padded skirts and jackets which at times looked a little awkward and lumpy. She triumphed when it came to quirky detail – an old black feather boa worked into a skirt and coiled telephone wires used as straps on the odd dress or pair of shoes won us round.
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