Phew. What a fabulously fashion-filled day. After my toxin intake went from 0-160 in 0.2 hours last night, I wasn’t sure how the fashion would fair today – would I be drooling on my front-row neighbour, apologising for making their Swarovskis shine with my sleep-induced saliva? Thankfully the first show of the day for me (my bed kept me prisoner from the early-morning Ms Farhi) was enough to widen the eyes without a pocketful of Pro Plus.

Ashley Isham presented his gorgeous collection in the superb surroundings of the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House. The bright, bold, block colours opened my eyes quicker than a double-espresso with three sugars.

With the exception of a couple of skirts and suits, the collection was made up of what Isham does best – glamour embodied in a dress.
The drapes were serious and the colours were mischievous. The models appeared like Greek goddesses dressed in silk, via a dip in a pop-art paint pot. Rope and chain embellishments added youth to classic shapes, as did the continuity of colours such as fuchsia pink, turquoise and citrus green.

Origami-style twists heighten the individuality of each piece and if I could, I would’ve taken every item straight home with me – which is what it looked like Michelle Collins wanted to do by the size of the smile on her face after the show.

See photos and videos from Ashley Isham’s show when you become a fan here.

And so to JoJo&Malou.

The New Generation-sponsored design duo put the fun of their fashion under the spotlights today. The Swedish ladies showed their talents for unique hand-drawn prints are still alive and kicking – with the two main prints being the ‘Melting Clock’ and the ‘Magritte’, which featured bright Martini glasses. The patterns were printed across pretty summer dresses, lightweight macs and cute turn-up shorts.

Hats topped off the fresh looks with a bold block of colour – yellow, red, white and black played their parts gladly. Like a pack of winning cards, their wasn’t a losing hand to be seen and JoJo&Malou continue to be ones to place bets on.
Ana Sekularac’s choice of show venue (33 Portland Place) brought back many strange after-party half-memories and brought forward an origami-orientated, refined collection whose sharp, structural silhouettes cut an impressive figure. There was lace and silk and all things lovely – like grace and top tailoring and femininity. However, the seating arrangements were so squashed I could hardly see and my mind was wondering away in anticipation of the shows I was so excited to be going to at the Royal Academy…

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. At the On|Off Presents… (Alexander Koutny, Rozalb de Mura and Mark Fast) show, the front row opposite me was full of celebs eager to see the hottest new talent as chosen by On|Off. Jemma Kidd, Peaches Geldof and Nicola Roberts (‘the ginger one’ from Girls Aloud) were all awaiting the showcase of On|Off’s best exhibitors at this one unique catwalk show. Spot the front-row fashionistas in my VIDEOS of the show here.

Peaches and her friend, both in matching stripy shirts and clutching disposable cameras, seemed to have quite a bit to smirk at during the first two presentations from Alexander Koutny and Rozalb de Mura. Very avant-garde and innovative, others may agree they represent an acquired taste. But the adventure and experimentation that they brought to the stage was something I was happy to see and had expected more of in London.

However, it seems everyone had the taste for Mark Fast- the purveyor of perhaps the sexiest knitwear in the world. The front rows were mesmerised by the fascinating fluidity of his intricately hand-knitted pieces, promising that this young Canadian is on the fast-track to sure success. See the video of his great show here.

Then came what I had really been waiting for – the Afshin Feiz show (read my interview with him here). The collection was beautiful. Mostly decorated dresses with a couple of daywear pieces featuring baggy trousers and ‘boyfriend’ blazers. Every single item was instantly wearable. Layers of chiffon, silk crepe and satins made it all very soft, very floaty and full of feminine fantasy. The desirable dresses flirted with me until I found myself fluttering my eyelashes in a bid to make an impression on them, just as their dreamy weightlessness had on me. This idyllic collection, this commitment to beauty and love which is apparent in every seam, will be fantastic for sales and will rightfully raise the profile of one of our most talented designers. However, I have to admit (hangovers breed honesty) that I had hoped to see something a bit more risky, a continuation of his last collection which had experimented with a range of fabrics and styles and left me speechless. But I don’t doubt that when the nation will become besotted by Afshin’s ability to effortlessly bind beauty up into fashion, he will do something quite unexpected and leave me, once again, happily lost for words.