London

Read the mid-week installment here

Read the first installment here

It's been a busy old week in London for design aficionados what with Fashion Week jostling for attention with Design Week. Being complete suckers for fine clothing, we headed to the former and hit as many fashion shows as we could. What did we discover? A vast mix of old-school style in the form of Paul Smith and Betty Jackson, mad creativity courtesy of Gareth Pugh and Noki (who made a timely comeback at Fashion East on Wednesday), London classics like Margaret Howell and Eley Kishimoto, to punchy newcomers Louise Gray, Smithspence and the rock band chic of Rodnik. Here, we round-up the hits... Feature continues

Top ten shows of the week

1. Giles - more grown up, refined and beautifully crafted than ever before. GIles Deacon, we salute you.

2. Matthew Williamson - Prince, beautiful prints (and people), spectacular colour, a 10th year anniversary: all the makings of a star show.

3. Gareth Pugh - avant-garde but unexpectedly luxurious and modelled most eloquently by Kylie Minogue dancing on the bar at Gareth's after show party.

4. Roksanda Ilincic - old-school red-carpet glamour. This girl knows how to dress a woman.

5. Basso & Brooke - cute as candy and more wearable than ever.

6. Christopher Kane - taking a new direction with flouncy chiffon. Au revoir body-con?

7. Erdem - delicious dresses and slick tailoring; Erdem Moralioglu is coming of age.

8. Aquascutum - luxurious but modern takes on the classic rainmacs with a few new garments thrown into the mix.

9. Gavin Douglas - we're loving Douglas' jaunty new take on dressed-up femininity.

10. Duro Olowu - diaphanous, light and bouncy summer dresses in virbrant prints.

Aitor Throup's creepy installation at MAN

Top ten trends

Pink/mauves/lavenders - Peter Jensen, Giles, Markus Lupfer for Armand Basi, Louise Goldin, Richard Nicoll, Victim.

Chiffon - Duro Olowu, Basso & Brooke, Avsh Alom Gur.

Ruffles - Christopher Kane, Nathan Jenden, Giles, Gavin Douglas.

Midnight blue - Aquascutum, Topshop, Smithspence, Roksanda Ilincic.

Luxe fabrics - Smithspence, Giles, Gareth Pugh.

Beading – Peter Jensen, Marios Schwab.

Tailoring – John Rocha, Betty Jackson, Deryck Walker.

Holographic - Marios Schwab, Ben de Lisi.

Metallic - Jens Laugerson, Julien Macdonald, Kristian Aadnevik, Spijkers en Spijkers,

Shoulder pads - Roksanda Illincic, Ann-Sofie Back, Gareth Pugh.

Most promising newcomers

Smithspence delivered beautiful, couture-like gowns from Julian Smith and Mia Spence in their debut collection at LFW.

Louise Gray showing for Fashion East displayed her elegant, adorned shift dresses with charming rosettes of chiffon and gold chains - we're already smitten.

Rodnik - the jolly duo kitted out their huge, rough-edged Smithfields studio for a secret gig, parading a surprisingly sharp, luxury collection.

Aitor Throup - talented new menswear designer showed a collection of transformable outerwear at an eerie installation entitled “The Funeral of New Orleans”. Through his clothes he tells the fictional story of how a five piece marching band protected themselves and their instruments when hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. Coats featured built in gloves and articulated visors while sculptural additions to the jackets detached to form instrument covers.