London Fashion Week Sept '08

London Fashion Week was a sorbet coloured, cocktail fuelled 80’s flashback for Elle’s Stacey Duguid, but boy did she embrace it. Read on to hear about the hottest looks and what it was like dancing the night away with Roisin Murphy and getting an eyeful of Pammy!

Hop off the red eye at terminal 5 at 9 am, having had a wonderful night’s sleep thanks to the lovely man sat next to me on the plane. I have never seen so much Duane Reade (big US pharmacy chain) shop stock in one little knapsack!

How many beautiful young things are there flitting around London these days? I spied Alexa Chung at Ossie Clark looking ever so cute in a vintage paisley print dress with bare legs and ankle boots (a look that yours truly has been working since early summer I might add). The next show was all about the 80’s and so were the crowd (even though few were born circa ‘85). While London designers were mad for the ‘Me’ decade, I felt like I was on the set of Dynasty for most of the week! To illustrate, it was jumpsuits galore over at Charles Anastase, statement heels at PPQ and lace was rearing its holey head again (I did actually wear lace tights the first time around).

Literally melted in the manner of the wicked witch of the west in the Moet room designed by Gareth Pugh. “I told them to use low-watt bulbs but they didn’t listen, never mind,” he whispered in my ear whilst we downed champagne to stay cool. Thankfully, I was wearing a cute little smock dress with not much else.

Still made it to the PPQ after party later on to shimmy on down with the aforementioned beautiful young things at La Vendome. I loved the light-up dance floor and cheesy 80s music. Pah! The Geldofs ducked out early leaving yours truly bopping the night away with Roisin Murphy and Henry Holland. Roisin and I are probably the two oldest swingers in town! Never mind, we’ve still got it. Speaking of old, I LOVED Luella, “it was all about a psychedelic granny,” she told me backstage. Get in line Luella - I’ve been working pensioner chic for the whole of fashion week! I loved the tangerine bubble skirt and matching knit, think I’ll pass on the funny specs and crazy hairpieces though.

On a different note, how hot are the Kings of Leon? Très hot, that’s what. When rumours started to fly around that they were due to play at the ACNE jeans party, news spread like wildfire. Absolutely unbelievable and absolutely untrue - a PR had concocted it to get everybody to the launch. Kind of genius in a way!

Not so genius was trying to get into the Westwood show. It was SUCH a scrum but my goodness it was worth it when I realised I had been seated next to Pamela Anderson. Viv had dressed her in a gold bustier dress. I tried so hard not to look down. Viv’s front row was the best in fashion week. I spied Kate Moss (looking jaw-droppingly beautiful), Dita Von Teese, Jasmine Guiness and Kimberly Stuart, who were all wearing Westwood. Definitely the party of the week!

As for the rest of London, it was all about sorbet coloured clothes and sorbet coloured cocktails and that’s almost all I can remember!

Photos: Rex Features