By Sarah Harris

February 10, 2008


London , UK - Much to the delight of designers and their throng of attendees, London Fashion Week kicked off under perfectly blue skies yesterday. The week was opened by Sir Stuart Rose and Sarah Brown, introducing Harold Tillman, the new chairman of the British Fashion Council.

Highlights included Jean-Pierre Braganza, whose collection, 'Chromacolyte', centred on the human form and its "interplanetary possibility". It all translated into beautifully tailored silhouettes in exaggerated proportions. Cocooning skirts, enveloping coats and cropped leather jackets with collars worked into origami-precision folds. A strict palette of black, grey and flashes of fuchsia, these were just some of his clever design tricks. This young designer has already gathered attention from Karl Lagerfeld, no doubt it's a fan base set to soar.

It was off to Claridges' Ballroom for Biba, its charmed surroundings were perfectly fitting for a collection that focused on eveningwear. Cocktail dresses were crafted from tiered organza, while others were voluminously mini skirted. 'Flock' print knits were a cute addition, so too were the bags - a new launch for Biba; the tightly edited collection includes clutches and totes in ponyskin, suede and padded patent.

Osman Yousefzada drew inspiration from a trip to Japan , and a tour of Buddhist temples. His palette comprised fresh pastels and blush tones accented with bolts of cobalt and coral. There were fur-fronted pencil skirts, tasselled jackets and ornately embroidery pieces.

From young talent to high street giant, Jaeger London took to the catwalk yesterday for the first time in its 125-year history. Its audience was wooed by chartreuse wool skirts emblazoned in an enlarged snakeskin print, glossy alpaca coats, fuzzy felt wool knits and Seventies-style geometric print shift dresses, all accessorised with carpet bags - just one question, why did they wait so long? ...

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