With all of 2.5 hours sleep my day began at 8.15 as I made my way over to somerset house. The only thing to keep me going (besides for the fact that I had a fashion filled day) was that I was wearing one of my favorite LFW outfits. The outfit channels something between Kate Moss, Rachel Zoe & Jared Leto. A rockstar inspired, androgynous look compliments of my friend Lora!
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.
I arrived an hour before the show was due to begin. Queues during Fashion Week are never good and for a Westwood show I thought they would be nightmarish and as I only had a standing ticket I was not going to risk being denied entry due to over capacity. As I stood there 2nd in line I began to be snapped by various photographers. A small woman came and asked me to talk her through my wardrobe , when I asked if it was for a blog she replied 'No we're from Vogue Turkey' - so since my outfit had the VOGUE seal of approval I smiled and waited patiently...
...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.
...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
SO jealous! looks like you had an amazing time!
ReplyDeletethanks hun! just checked out ur blog - love it! am now a follower hehe follow me and keep up to date with all my happenings. have my last LFW posts to do tonite x
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