I woke up rather nervous and excited for the final day of LFW. See the night before I had recieved a voicemail message on my blackberry from the producer I filmed with on the Saturday of LFW. "Hi Denis i'm just calling in regards to the filming we did with you & Henry on Saturday. I've watched the footage and I just think you're really great on screen and have a great charisma & personality for this. I'd love to film with you on the last day of Fashion Week so give me a call & let me know what your schedule is" - needless to say I called him back immediatley and suddenly I had a day of filming prepared as they were going to follow my happenings at LFW for an hour or 2 for the day. How this was happening was beyond me , but I immediatley looked to my wardrobe for inspiration & decided it was time to pull out all the stops. Vintage Versace combined with a little Sass & Bide to bring out the animal inside of me & let my fashion roar
Before the filming began I had a very exciting presentation to attend, one that is very close to home - Antipodium. Australian fashion maestro Geoffrey J Finch designs fun playful chic clothes that 'cool' girls and guys want to wear. Fans including Alexa Chung, Diana Vickers, my client Laura Whitmore and ME! I am a huge Antipodium fan and was eager to see what Geoffrey had in store for next Spring Summer. Set upstairs in the Portico Rooms of Somerset House I was 
greeted by my Lubin Lovely Rachel and had coffee and a chat with the amazing Kara Goodley on the balcony. My Internship at Goodley is what opened my door to the fashion world and Kara - ever the inspiration - was still as inspiring as ever. Looking effortlessly chic in a striped breton , chiffon pleated skirt and shaggy gilet she did 'cool' like only KG can! It was lovely to see her and as we discussed New York Fashion Week & Twitter the presentation was about to begin. As the first look came out - a sensible printed silk shirt dress - I knew that this collection was going the be a winner! Last season's playful crucifix's made way for this seasons sheer opulence and 'bookworm chic'. Combining transparency with long silhouettes and layering the presentation was full of beautiful pieces the fashion world & It girls alike would soon all be coveting!
Before the filming began I had a very exciting presentation to attend, one that is very close to home - Antipodium. Australian fashion maestro Geoffrey J Finch designs fun playful chic clothes that 'cool' girls and guys want to wear. Fans including Alexa Chung, Diana Vickers, my client Laura Whitmore and ME! I am a huge Antipodium fan and was eager to see what Geoffrey had in store for next Spring Summer. Set upstairs in the Portico Rooms of Somerset House I was greeted by my Lubin Lovely Rachel and had coffee and a chat with the amazing Kara Goodley on the balcony. My Internship at Goodley is what opened my door to the fashion world and Kara - ever the inspiration - was still as inspiring as ever. Looking effortlessly chic in a striped breton , chiffon pleated skirt and shaggy gilet she did 'cool' like only KG can! It was lovely to see her and as we discussed New York Fashion Week & Twitter the presentation was about to begin. As the first look came out - a sensible printed silk shirt dress - I knew that this collection was going the be a winner! Last season's playful crucifix's made way for this seasons sheer opulence and 'bookworm chic'. Combining transparency with long silhouettes and layering the presentation was full of beautiful pieces the fashion world & It girls alike would soon all be coveting! 
My favorite pieces were a sky blue printed Miu-Miu-esque school girl dress & the transparent maxi dresses layered over a black bra and knickers. They were urban chic at its best and the subtle sea shell prints reminding me of the beaches and urban seascape of back home!
Once the presenation was over it soon came time for the filming to begin. As I met the crew we all had a bite together and got talking about how I came London & my love for fashion. Before long I was all miked up & the camera began to follow my every move. "Just do your thing , be fabulous and we will follow" - were my instructions. Now as I've just started working with the gorgeous Laura Whitmore I was about to become a very busy boy who needed to find some amazing brands to dress Laura in. As she's on MTV 5 times a week this was going to be quite the task so I decided to go for an explore throughout the stands/exhibitions of young up & coming designers and also some more established brands , and the camera's followed. In the first room I discovered an amazing jewellery duo Gemma Critchley & Zara Braganca behind their brand Cabinet. The girls create beautiful unique jewellery and INCREDIBLE embellished collars. When I set my sights on these sequinned and beaded babies It made me squeal! Truly incredible they are the perfect addition to jazz up any outfit. The girls , who I immediatley clicked with kindly let me play dress ups with their bedazzled &beauty's 
and wear the 'French Bead Collar' for the day - please ignore how dumb my face looks in the pic below & focus on the UN-BEELEIVABLE collar of which I was constantly asked about for the rest of the afternoon - at a cool 360quid this is an investment piece and something I feel would 
become like a heirloom. I could happily wear this every day for the rest of my life & never want to take it off! You all really need to check out the range on the website http://www.cabinetstudios.co.uk/ Collar in tact I bid the Cabinet girls' farewell and continued my exploration stumbling upon some great printed t-shirts and incredible shoes along the way. I then came to the stand by dutch designer Charlotte Sparre. It was her eye catching vibrant prints that caught my eye and I immediatley wanted to see more. Besides the fact that she is such a humble inspirational woman, her dresses and scarves are incredible and the fact that she designs all her own prints (100+ new prints are designed each season) is amazing & she has a 
strong celebrity following in LA. When a velvet scarf dripped in a gigantic skull print caught my eye it literally took my breath away. I put it on and could barely speak. "I never want to take it off" I told her "Well than its yours my love" she replied , taken a back I told her I couldnt possibly it was way too generous and she insisted I keep it! Needless to say its one of the most amazing things I've ever set eyes on & will be wearing it ALL WINTER quite literally! I cant wait to get Laura in her dresses! You guys can check her out at http://www.charlottesparre.com/ As we hugged goodbye I was off to the tents as it was almost time for my next show of the day. The producer was incredibly pleased with the filming, "People are just drawn to you Denis and you have a really down to earth sensibility of a boy making his dreams come true that people can relate to, we'll be in touch" and with those comments my mike was off and the whirlwind of the morning was still settling in to my now spinning head. Before I had time to comprehend what was going on I was sitting 3rd row at Todd Lynn. The collection was genuis. A slightly sci-fi element that combined shoulder pads , panelling, metallics and mirrored features. My favorite piece was a gilet with exaggerated mirrored neck piece , very gaga-esque & as the techno music pulsated through the crowd It was quite a short snappy show that provided much stimulation! 
I rushed to the cafe to grab a quick diet coke before the next show. Amanda Wakely is a designer who creates gorgeous feminine dresses , for all my aussie's reading think like the Lisa Ho of London. I didnt have an invite for her show but thought her dresses would be great for any upcoming red-carpet events Laura may have , so I politely approached the PR girl at the door and explained "Hiya , I dont have an invite , but I style Laura Whitmore from the MTV & would love to see the collection - " before I could finish my sentence "Of course come right with me" she replied and before I knew it I was being ushered to the front row. "No you really dont have to make anyone move for me you know" , "Don't be silly its no problem at all" was the reply & suddenly there I was between two , more than likely much more important people than myself , sitting front row at the show. What The Fuck - was all I could think. How is this really happening? I took a deep breath , closed my eyes and appreciated for a moment what was happening to me , opened my eyes and the show begun. The collection didnt dissapoint. An array of grecian style dresses combined with metal jewellery and chain mail details , was really beautifully put together and I must say the view from the front row made it oh so much better!
I left the show loving all things draped , however before I could spend another second thinking grecian goddesses and aphrodite silhouettes it was time for a quick costume change before the Ashish show. Ashish is one of my favorite UK Designers & his show was probably the show I was most looking forward to. Known for his love of sequins & pop culture he designs fun , flamboyant , playful clothes that celebrities and fashionista's love world over. Cheryl Cole sported his sequinned animal print harem trousers in her 'Fight for this Love' video - 
Suffice to say I am in love with Ashish's creations and in his honour decided to don some serious sequins of my own - my incredible Limited Edition Ksubi jumper covered in jet black sequins!
Sequins & wet look skinny jeans on (thankyou H&M) I was ready to go and as I sat with anticipation in 2nd row I chatted pre-show to the lovely Hannah Marshall & amazingly talented Marina from Marina & the Diamonds. The three of us questioned the socialite being papped like madness just two people away from us "Who is she?" we asked eachother "Some princess or something?" we replied all giggling , and as I sat there sharing jokes with one of the hottest designers and hottest singers of the moment I couldnt help but have another surreal moment!
Hannah & I had met on Night 1 straight after her show and had bumped into regurlarly since each time stopping to chat. She's one of the most down to earth people i've met in this industry and it was really refreshing! Other celebs included Pixie Lott & Paloma Faith but before you could say 'Mama Do' or scream 'New York' the show was abouto to begin. The words Amazing. Incredible. Out-of-control - all feel like understatements to describe the Ashish show - before I start talking about the clothes lets have a chat about the atmosphere. The music was banging , urban beats began to blare from the speakers and suddenly I felt like I was in a night club which happened to have a runway down the middle of the room. Guests cheered at their favorite looks - which in my , Hannah & Marina's case was about every 2nd look - and the energy in the tent was beyond exciting! Then there are the clothes - oh the clothes! A combination of sequins , fringing and tongue-in-cheek prints that kept me wanting more and more. The collection was what I would call 'Rodeo-gone-Ghetto' and a combination of sequinned bandana prints , fringed 
jeans and McDonald & Shell logo's made it clear the inspiration came from the United States of A! I loved every look , there wasnt a think I didnt like. The piece I died for If i had to bring it down to one - were the fringed sequinned animal print harem trousers. I would do anything for them and I was already thinking how much I would have to save to buy them for this summer!
As the girls did their finaly march I didnt want the show to end , in terms of style I personally like I would have to say Ashish was my favorite show - jam packed with glitz , glamour and a nice big table spoon of urban hip hop influences it was like a dream collection come true!
As I kissed Somerset House goodbye on the last night of LFW and walked through the cobble stoned paths and the arches that lead me back onto The Strand I hopped into a cab to watch the city of blinding lights pass me by on my way back home. I took a moment wound down my window and took a long deep breath inhaling in the cool London air - this London Fashion Week was truly life changing. How in the course of 5 days I managed to land a client who was about to send my styling career sky-rocketing, attend the show of one of Fashion's greatest Icons (thankyou Dame Westwood) , meet amazing celebrities and designers alike , was given a door to a possible television career (or guest appearance at the least), make a handful of great friends along the way & learn a little bit about my self at the same time - it was all so overwhelming and I couldnt believe it was all happening to me. A week later I still cant believe it did! The adventures to come is what I'm now looking forward to. Stay tuned xoxo Deni
At the strike of 6 we left the office and made our way over the the old Waterloo terminal , the venue for all the TopShop Newgen designers' shows. As I jogged my way to the massively long queue , I queued patiently for a show I had been anticipating all week. Last London Fashion Week while interning at Goodley the Meadham Kirchoff show was one of the most emotional experience i've experienced. The build-up backstage , the tears, the last minute adjustments, trying to co-ordinate the masses of crowds eagerly awaiting to be seated. The collection itself last season was some what olverwhelming and there were mixed thought from everyone. People either loved it or hated it or didnt quite understand it. Once Meadham Kirchoff's pieces are broke down however & their vision is clear , you can see the beauty in their clothes. As I made my way towards the show I was already overwhelmed, first by the sheer impact the venue had, such a great location for a show and then the set. MK had literally built a set of a somewhat twisted fairytale land. Wizard of Oz meets Alice in Wonderland - on crack! As the show began 
with the narration 'I Fucking won Miss Congeniality dammit' , the first look was out. Meadham & Kirchoff's vision was clear , a punk princess , twisted beauty pageant that combined textures of silks lace , painted leathers and over the top layering & styling like only MK can! An explosion of colour and vibrance that made you want to banish all things black & bathe in crimson & fuschia!
My favorite piece was an acid yellow painted leather jacket with what appeared to be an egyptian symbol repeated various times across the body and sleeves of the jacket! Literally made me want to jump on the runway and take it off the models back & throw it on mine!
As each look made me squeal more than the previous the show soon drew to its end and the parade of models that exploded onto the runway at shows end overwhelmed me as I was presented with a techni color display of Meadham & Kirchoff at their best! Not only was it inspirational but in many ways moving , I felt as though I was truly watching fashion history unfold infront of my eyes! These boys are unique that's for sure , love them or hate them I feel like this collection was Paris Fashion Week worthy. Eccentric. Theatrical. Incredible! I DIED!
I think what I like most about Meadham Kirchoff is that they make people think. As my colleagues and I walked out of the Waterloo terminal we each had distinct opinions about the collection. We each saw it in a different way and some of us loved it (me) and some of us didnt understand it (them) however it got us talking and it will have the rest of the fashion world talking - which ultimately is what differentiates the good designers from the great. Anyone can slap up a few sparkly dresses that are easy to look at , will sell and be copied by the high street however its the truly talented that have vision and tell a story through the fashion they send down the runway. Meadham Kirchoff , ladies & gentleman are truly talented! xoxo Deni
The first show of the day was one I was really looking forward to - Basso & Brooke - a design duo who have a way with silks and prints. I went with my new LFW bestie Yety (who i partied with the night before) and as we both met , nursing our hangovers , we took our second row seats and once again we were graced by Amber Rose in the front row! Looking Fierce as ever!
The collection began & what a collection it was. Beautiful printed silk jersey dresses in tribal & animal print , it was all very Alexander McQueen esque but it worked & yety and I loved it!
Following Basso & Brooke , myself and Random Magazine Editor Rivkie Baum made our way over to Bloomsbury Square for the Charlie le Mindu show. I'd never heard of this designer & was going as Rivkie's plus 1 and was promised to be amazed! I petted my shaggy gilet to keep warm whilst freezing in the wind and as we made our way inside I noticed a very strong selection of key editors from various publications making their way in 'He must be good' I said to Rivkie & then yet again Amber Rose placed in front row , I was beginning to be increasingly impressed. Charlie le Mindu specialises in making clothing from hair , human hair , horse hair , goats hair , all in a very unique way , so I wasnt sure what to expect. Then suddenly the lights went black and a model holding spotlights from her chest shooted out on to the runway in a very GAGA way suddenly there was an unmistakable energy in the room i hadnt yet experienced at a show. 
Everyone was excited & cheering and as the first look came out you could literally feel the buzz in the room. The way Charlie combines his 'hair' approach with animal print and interesting cuts and silhouettes is truly amazing & the whole collection is completely up Lady GaGa's alley and something Rihanna would wear on stage. Most certainly not for the tame! 
When he came out at the end everyone was cheering (myself included) something about this show just felt special! It made me want to run backstage & give him a hug! Very well done!
As I left the show suddenly my day was about to turn into attending the 'up & coming' show to the fully fledged elitists of the London Fashion Week Calendar. I recieved a text from my friend Marta , here with the Italian Fashion Magazine BMM , telling me she couldnt attend any of her shows today , so I should meet her to come and collect her tickets & I could go in her place. Her tickets just happened to be for the Julien McDonald & Vivienne Westwood show. Before I knew it I was off to meet her & invites in hand made my way over to Julien McDonald pinching myself!
As I walked to Banqueting House (the venue for the show) just by Westminster , passing Big Ben & Westminster Abbey slight tears formed in my eyes I couldnt believe this was all happening to me , as I arrived to the grand venue I was breathtaken as I was ushered up the grand stair case surrounded by marble and white stone. Originally the property of the Archbishops of York The Banqueting House was used to provide entertainment for Charles I and was later the scene of his execution. This was a historic Royal property and today became a little piece of my history. As I entered the large space with its ornate ceilings & chandeliers I was breathtaken. Beethoven played through the speakers and gorgeous boys in black shirts handed me with a cocktail & walked me to my second row seat. Even the chairs were gorgeous , in old french-victorian style 
duchess satin cushioning. They looked like chairs that should be placed around the dining table of a royal function and here I was sitting on them in the second row. My head was spinning & not just from the cocktails-on-an-empty-stomach! Supermodel Janice Dickinson was infront of me charming camera men and switching from smiles for the lense to a frown for having to wait for the show begin. She was a true proffesional, the second the camera was in her face, smile was on!
The venue began to fill and I was surrounded by beautiful wealthy people. Royals. Top of the line magazine Editors. When Anna Dello Russo (editor of Japanese Vogue) walked in I lost my breath! Then the It-Girls made their way in. First Olivia Palermo star of MTV's 'The City'...
...and then Michelle Williams strode in. Glowing in a coral Julien McDonald dress. As soon as she walked in I thought 'this is my chance to right the wrong I did by calling her Kelly' and so I took a skull of my cocktail and made my way over to her front row seat. I crept down on my knee slightly to be at her eye level as she had already taken her seat. "Michelle, I know you must get this all the time, but I have been a Destiny's Child fan from day one, since the age of 12. I've seen you girls Live every time you've come to Melbourne and I love your solo album. You're incredible, I listen to your song 'We Break The Dawn' everytime I get ready to go out" and with that she got up and gave me a big hug "Aw you're gorgeous honey, what's your name?" , "Denis", I repeated. "Aw Denis thankyou, enjoy the show babe" and with that we kissed on each cheek and I made my way back to second row to do just that - enjoy the show. The dresses were beautiful. The style was very 60s inspired , baby doll meets Brigitte Bardot circa Valley of the 
Dolls. It was also the first show I'd seen a model go A over T and slip on the runway. With grace she picked herself up and kept on going while everyone gasped for air! When Julien came out for his final bow , greeted with applause , I couldnt help but giggle, I had asked this man for his name while doing the guest list on the door at the Kylie event to which he replied "You should know my name young man" (I genuinely didnt recognise him because of his hair , of course I knew Julian McDonald) and now here I was sitting second row at his show. It was a nice feeling.
As everyone made there way out , I thought I had to go ask Michelle for a photo , the cheesy DC fan in me needed to take this opportunity. "Michelle Honey would you mind If I got a photo with you" , "Of course Denis come here" (she remembered my name - impressive) and just like that , we posed like two buds. She gave me another warm hug and kiss on the cheek & I was off!
After my brush with a child of Destiny I rushed off home for an outfit change as I had a very special event to attend in an hour - the VIVIENNE WESTWOOD show & I felt the need to change into something more Vivienne appropriate. I decided on a pair of vintage striped trousers I purchased in Brick Lane when I first moved to London. I've only worn them once as they are quite a piece but they're very Westwood and the one time I did wear them I was constantly asked if they were Westwoods. When I bought the vintage wonders there was no longer a tag attached only remaining thread where the label would've been sewn on so I guess i'll just never know. I decided to pair them with my H&M white shirt (fast becoming my LFW staple piece) an amazing vintage velvet blazer I bought for 1 quid and a checked Peckham & Rye bow tie I was gifted with. Ready for this once in a lifetime opportunity , invite in hand I headed to the location.
...within half an hour the A-Listers began to arrive and arrive they did! Everyone from Cat Deeley to Nicola Roberts , The Saturdays and Tolula Adeyemi . However when Pamela Andersons car pulled up I thought the paparazzi were going to kill her. As I stood behind the railing all I could feel was literally a roar of flashes and the railing plummet down to the ground as they all pushed each other out of the way to get the money shot of Pammy entering the show. Her big burly security guard protected her as best he could and she truly did make an entrance. 
Once the A-Listers , Editors and VIP's entered the PR woman at the door announced (to the probably 200metre queue behind me) "Ok guys we're over capacity in there and only the first 10 people in the standing line are getting in" , I literally stopped breathing , thank god I got there when I did. As the rope was let down I made a mad dash up the stairs of the Grand Conaught Rooms (a swanky hotel in Covent Garden) and as I entered the Grand Hall , the chandelier adorned ceiling and elevated runway took my breath away , there were people everywhere she really wasnt joking about the over capacity. Adamant to have the best view possible I jumped into the caged off Paparazzi pit and was leaning against the railing with a perfect view. Nothing was going to stop me from seeing this show and as the first look came out I couldnt believe here I was at Westwood and she didnt dissapoint. From her signature tartans, stripes , check, houndstooth , corsets and fab dresses - everything was pure Westwood and truly amazing. 
As the last look strode the runway suddenly the lights went low and a really sad song started playing by Elvis - the title or even the lyrics escape me - and then the lights came back on and there she was Dame Vivienne Westwood with her army of models behind her , lead super Jacquetta Wheeler embracing her with a bunch of flowers. As the music played Vivenne sashayed down the runway and looked so happy to be doing what she was doing. I was beside myself , I did my oral presentation on Vivenne Westwood at Fashion School and the fact that this iconic woman was walking here before me was so surreal before I knew it my goosebumps turned into tears and the emotion overwhelmed me. She is the face of british fashion & it has always been a dream of mind to attend her show and suddenly here I was. I'll never forget that moment! Why this was all happening to me is beyond me I cant believe it how lucky I am
As the show concluded and we all made our way out I bumped into Cat Deeley, wiping my tears we both caught each others eye and concluded the show was amazing & then before I knew it we were talking So You Think You Can Dance & the camera was out for a quick snap before exiting!
Recapping my amazing Westwood experience I made a dash over to Somerset House for the last show of the day , another great up and comer Kinder Aggugini and took my place in the second row with my LFW buddy Yety. Telling her all about Westwood we were suddenly captivated by the amazing Anna Dello Russo , italian editor-at-large of Japanese Vogue. Ever the fashion icon I saw her earlier in the day at Julien's show. She was now sporting a sexy black frock (different to her fur gilet of the day) and a massive cherry headband , she looked fabulous in the front row!
Kinder's show was a very nice collection of what I call 'Lady Like Tribal' the beat of african drums kept everyone bopping in their seats from start to finish and as the press release stated he was influenced by travels through Africa and the history of the continent. 
It was a nice way to end the evening and as I parted ways with somerset for another day I walked home recapping on the days events. I genuinely cant believe this is all happening to me at times , I feel genuinely blessed and it seems that for now this fashion world is right where I belong! xoxo Deni