PPQ
Winter cruise anyone? PPQ took to the seas this season with a collection that hinted at nautical. Stripey blue and white cowl neck tops, jersey smock dresses and midriff-baring cardigans all had sailor shirt necklines. With voluminous tops, bottoms were skinny – fire engine red hipster cords and indigo cigarette jeans were spray-on tight. Meanwhile paisley prints popped up on halter neck jumpsuits, cropped trousers and flippy skirts. Too summery? No matter, PPQ’s tweedy coats are sure to keep you warm; they came oversized with big buttons and bigger lapels, or better still, the black trapeze coat with thick furry collar and black and white checked scarf. Details such as beaded necklaces and bow ribbon corsages finished the look.



    
Ben de Lisi
Ben de Lisi’s opening look – a dazzling shift dress made entirely from gold rectangular sequins, set the tone for this season’s premiere-perfect collection. More red carpet looks followed, including floor sweeping fuchsia chiffon gowns with plunging necklines, lacy, racy looks in Miami sky blue and kaleidoscope printed georgette ra-ra dresses ideal for dancing the night away in. Many came with finishing touches either in the shape of diamante ring broaches or dangling sequin discs that swung from empire lines, hems and waists. And what else would a starlet wear to keep warm on those cold winter nights but fur? It came cropped in steel grey and knee length in glossy black, belted with a velvet ribbon bow.



    
Sinha-Stanic
Sinha-Stanic struck an ideal balance between urban and feminine. The collection boasted several clever twists but more importantly they were clothes you just wanted to wear - from the way jersey dresses were gathered and oversized to the way a cut-away cardigan revealed the racer back of the dress underneath, everything looked refreshingly lived in. Aside from a series of cornflower dresses – the best in bunched silk jersey and another in a belted sheath style with sequin panelling, Sinha Stanic kept to muddy hues of mushroom, stone and black. Tailoring was also a hit - in particular the charcoal ‘mans pants’ and grey trapeze coat that on a windy afternoon in London you wanted to take straight off the runway and put straight on your back.



    
Julien MacDonald
With a stellar cast – Naomi Campbell, Lizzie Jagger and Lily Cole and a stellar front row – Juliette Lewis, Rachel Hunter, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Tracey Emin, Julien Macdonald showed his most focused collection yet. Tailoring was razor sharp, best played out in high waisted ultra-long trousers and second skin pencil skirts with many exploding into kick ruffles that flicked out with every restricted step. Both were teamed with buttoned up silk shirts with billowing balloon sleeves worn under printed camisoles or metallic cable knit tanks. Glamour came in the shape of sweeping silk gowns in petrol blue, chiffon dresses in wine with a scattering of feathers and a gold sequin version with a centre slit to the thigh and feminine off-the-shoulder cap sleeves. And the ideal throw over? Chinchilla and rabbit fur jackets with Swarovski panelling (albeit MacDonald showed his with faded ripped jeans).



    
Camilla Staerk
If Camilla Staerk is anything to go by, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple. Her colour palette consisted of black, navy, chocolate and rust and she stayed with simple shapes too. Due to the launch of her men’s wear line this season, Staerk carried the aesthetic through to women’s wear – on offer were backless waistcoats, boxy oversized tux jackets and shirt dresses that looked like something you could borrow from a boyfriend’s wardrobe and cinch yourself with a belt. Other standouts included panther print silk dresses, low slung tailored pants that tapered at the ankle and swingy Forties coats. And, with a beautiful floor length navy pleated gown with dropped waist and plunging V-neck, Staerk proved she was more than capable of arresting eveningwear too.



    
Basso & Brooke
Staged in the BMW showroom in Westminster an area normally deserted on a Sunday, the local Starbucks was thrilled with an influx of trade. And duo Basso & Brooke thrilled with their so called Power Prints. Winners of the Fashion Fringe Award in 2004, the duo showed their mettle with a fantastical collection inspired by Succubus, a European Folklore tale about a magical woman who devours men. The prints featuring screaming faces and fantasy scapes were certainly sexually loaded in imagery. The clothes they adorned were harem pants spilling beneath tight little jackets, waistcoats atop swirling skirts over print leggings and print shoes in graduated shades of bronze, blue, tangerine and sky blue. Dizzying! The quality of making and execution was top grade.



    
Bora Aksu
Four times New Generation Award Winner Aksu demonstrated his increasingly sophisticated vision. Merging the conceptual with the commercial, there were simple feminine jersey dresses in olive, deconstructed knits and oversize heavy cotton skirts and coats. All set off by web-like crochet hoods, collars and petticoats in mohair. With a subdued palette of mauve, rust and chocolate, the clothes were love-worn and looked gently bleached by the last days of summer. Traditional craft was at the core of the collection; wide leg butter soft leather culottes, oversize tooled leather bags and bold carved wood jewellery. Aksu is a connoisseur of construction; with the art of making it all look oh so effortless.



    
Jenny Packham
From the deco elegance of Claridges ballroom, Packham proved that she is still the party queen’s favourite. Dropped waist gold sequinned flapper dresses shimmered down the catwalk, looking fresh teamed with punky fuchsia tights and glittery courts. The cheeky 1920s progressed to high octane Hollywood glamour. Think old-school opulence with floor length bias-cut satins, twinkling crystal-encrusted, cascading flamenco tiers and decadent snow-white ostrich plumes. With Minnie Driver and Lisa Snowden in attendance, and Erin O’Conner taking a turn on the catwalk, expect to see these dresses on the red carpet soon.



    
Emma Cook
Cook continues her sweet reverie in a pared down collection - hence the title "Simple Susan." There were some great pieces here like a washed satin zip front dress with peel back decollatage, cute salopettes in washed cotton and quilted bomber jackets and trimmed leather shorts. Colours were muted in greys and greens, powder blue. Her signature dresses this season in jersey included a empire line style half in pink half in grey, print chiffon bubble dresses - yes volume is still big for A/W - and sweet yoked styles.



    
Karen Walker
Walker is a true child of the 1970s, but think The Ice Storm suburban chic, not Studio 54 glitz. Cosy, docker style plaid jackets with sheepskin collars were teamed with high waisted, teal cords or taffeta tulip skirts. A terracotta and blush leaf print was dispersed over gentle bustle dresses, pinafores and skirts. For evening there were plush velvet jackets with super short, silk taffeta skating skirts. Clothes were playfully layered - dresses over T-shirts, knits over dresses and prim blouses under dungarees. Chunky cable knit scarves, beanies, outsize oilskin capes and vintage owl belts topped off the look.