London Fashion Week – Day 2

Retro Chick is currently poorly and at home under a blanket. Do I hear a chorus of “Aahhhhhs”? No?

Well, my second day at London Fashion Week this season started well, and rapidly went downhill, partly due to my burgeoning disease.

It started well with the Kinder Aggugini show. A collection you can read about here, as I loved it, and think it deserves more space.

I’d planned to spend the afternoon at the exhibition, check out EstEthica and then head to the Lulu Guinness pop up shop. I had the Belle Sauvage show in Bloomsbury at 5:15 and then back to Somerset House for the PPQ show at 8pm, to which I had, to my extreme delight being a big fan of party frocks, been emailed a ticket with apologies for not getting it out sooner late on Friday.

As I wandered aimlessly and without purpose around the exhibition I realised that if I didn’t get some rest I would be useless for the rest of the day, so I headed off and got a quiet coffee and a sandwich to recharge my batteries before the afternoon.

At 3:30 I caught the International Young Fashion Entrepreneur awards presentation in the BFC Tent. The award was won by the very excitable designer and milliner Mich Dulce of the Philippines, wearing a gorgeous orange dress, which I assume is one of her own designs.

The presentation was the culmination of a weeks tour of the British fashion industry for the 8 finalists meeting industry leaders and attending meetings and seminars designed to help them further their businesses. The award also comes with a £5000 grant which will allow Mich Dulce to head a project with the British Fashion Council in the Philippines.

Once the presentation was over and the mingling had started I headed off to Bloomsbury for the Belle Sauvage show. After spending 10 minutes stood in the wrong queue (It was for Henry Holland, from what I heard  I think if I stood there long enough they’d have either let me in or I’d have been squashed by angry fashionistas) I finally made it into the right building to be greeted by this beautiful installation.

I obligingly joined the queue for standing tickets, as is my proper place. The problem is, when you’re all alone at these things everyone else seems to know each other and be carrying the hugest bags, you become slowly invisible.

40 minutes later they were still calling for stickered tickets and I became tired and claustrophobic being jostled by bags and squished into corners. Beginning to become panicky I cut my losses and headed back out to the street.

Next on the agenda was PPQ. Set to be a star studded affair I was very excited and I arrived early clutching my ticket and explanatory email from the PR firm.

At the standing tickets door I was directed round to the seated door where apparently all the PR people were. I found myself in another squish at the door as seemingly hundreds (though probably 10s, if I’m honest) of people clutching e-vites were told to stay to one side and wait. After 20 minutes we were herded off the ramp and I decided to go back to the standing ticket queue in the hope of there being less chaos.

Another 20 minute wait later and it loud music started from inside. It seems the show had been massively over subscribed and many people clutching actual physical tickets had been left outside in the cold. Some nice people from Herbal Essences dished out goodie bags containing shampoo and and conditioner to those left outside, but I’m still sad to have missed the show, especially as I could have watched the live stream.

I suspect part of the PPQ palaver was down to me.

I emailed asking for a ticket, but when I got no response I wasn’t astonishingly surprised by it. Out of the blue, I received a last minute email apologising and offering me a place. Being still unfamiliar with exactly how the shows worked I assumed that an email from the PR would mean I could get in (though obviously I would expect to be stood at the back behind a tall person, probably wearing a hat)

Valuable lessons learned for next season, and unless I am physically holding a nice ticket on thick card with my name specially written on it I shall stay home in the warm and focus my energies elsewhere.

You can get a look at what I missed in this video of the PPQ collection.

Black velvet and gold lame featured heavily. I love the keyhole necklines and plunging backs on the LBDs and the sharp tuxedo style tailoring. Beautiful sleek coats worn over sharp evening dresses is a perfect Autumn Winter party look and one I’ll look forward to wearing. Plus, the collection featured CAPES, which are on my wish list.

Dramatic fur collars and puffed sleeves teamed with a sleek tailored sihouette and a simple but bold colour pallette evoked a 1970s studio 54 type feel which was enhanced by the centre parted hair and dark eyes. There were a few pieces I wasn’t so keen on; the 80s style prom dress with a gold lame hem, gold leather shorts and an overly ruffled tiered dress. I also wasn’t keen on the shoes with the big ties, but otherwise the PPQ collection was an Autumn Winter winner if you’re looking party wear.

IYFE pic via chuvaness.com