This must be the most chic Diet Coke Break possible.. French designer Jean Paul Gaultier has followed in the feet of Matthew Williamson, Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli by becoming this year's creative director for Diet Coke. The limited edition designs (left) named 'Day' and 'Night,' are available at Harvey Nichols but I was lucky enough to be given one at Vodafone's London Fashion Weekend.
Below: With my haute bottle of Diet Coke.
Just when I thought London Fashion Week was over and the ungodly swarm of models that invaded London had all jetted on to Milan, taking their insanely long legs with them, Vodafone UK sent me an invitation to their London Fashion Weekend...
Twice a year, Somerset House hosts London’s largest and most exclusive shopping event holding catwalk shows, pop up shops, fashion panels whilst offering mahooosive discounts from designers to the public. DJ/Presenter Izzy Lawrence (left) and I attended on the first day where we watched the Daks’ A/W’12 show (presented by a leather-clad Zoe Hardman, below) and made good use of the genius Vodafone mobile rechargers on the Front Row and then watched a talk held by elle.com editor Carrie Tyler and designer Henry Holland (above) both of whom I interned for maaaany years ago! This event really makes Fashion Week a little more accessible to everyone, the vibe is very welcoming and unpretentious and I would definitely recommend getting tickets next season.
I was lucky enough to be invited to Huishan Zhang’s SS’13 presentation in the Portico Rooms at Somerset House this London Fashion Week. This was the Chinese, Central St. Martin educated designer’s highly anticipated debut at Fashion Week and I was holding one hot ticket. There were three presentations held throughout the morning and each one was as jam packed as the next.
The collection was a contemporary take on a more traditional Chinese style, taking inspiration from Chinese dresses (silk fabrics with high necks and leg slits), Huishan Zhang has created beautifully feminine, delicately detailed dresses all with an edge of strength and power to them.
Stunning Chinese imagery (including miniature pagodas, mahjong tiles and Swarovski crystal embellished ancient birds) is printed on to beautiful ruffled backless dresses with ethereal, patterned lace detailing on striking midnight blues, pretty blushes, exquisite aquamarine and minty green coloured silks. The entire collection had a distinctly youthful, modern and exciting feel to it, encouraged by the models’ colourfully painted, shimmering cheekbones and double plaited ponytails. Huishan Zhang is not just a designer, he is an artist and I am really excited to see what he will come up with next.
