LONDON FASHION WEEKEND 2014

As soon as the last model steps off the glamorous catwalk at London Fashion week, Somerset House opens to the public for the most stylish shopping event of the year. It was not only the shopping that drew my attention to this event but the catwalks that showcase this seasons biggest trends with designers from Nicole Farhi & Julien Macdonald to Stella McCartney & Valentino. London Fashion Weekend is the place to be. 

Getting the first class train down to London from Manchester was a breeze (I would highly recommend an upgrade for only £10!!) Once in London we were a little early and since Somerset House is relatively close to the River Thames, we decided to take a stroll. The weather was beautiful and I got some good snaps of the skyline.

Once we entered, I collected my free filled goodie bag which this year was designed by OBE Julien Macdonald. I was super excited to see the Essie nail varnish and Maybelline baby lips. Kinder Bueno were part of the sponsors which was a win win as the gave out a huge amount of freebies.

The shopping experience lived up to the standards that I’d heard and the quality of the clothes were beautiful. The latest of SS14 was on show and it included a lot of electric blue, pastels and bling. It was such a shame that all the clothes I fell in love with were a tad over my budget. (sigh) 

Sponsors such as Maybelline had two stands and were giving free make overs and boxes full of make-up for a bargin price of £15-£20. (For around four products)

The first catwalk was the trend show presented by irish beauty Angela Scanlon. All the clothes were styled by TheOutnet.com, which is the sister brand of Net A Porter and a great place to buy designer items at a percentage of the price. I was lucky enough to have front row seats to gawp at the beautiful garments portraying the trends, Precious Metals, Flower Power, Good Sport and Lace Embrace. 

Lunch was fab. A small cafe called Fernandez & Wells is permanently set up in Somerset House and served me well with a blood orange juice, a chicken focaccia sandwich and a small chocolate brownie. 

The final catwalk was the ever so fabulous Julien Macdonald, who seemed to win over the people of London Fashion Weekend with the gorgeous gowns, which included a lot of beading yet very little material. Hilary Alexander whom spoke before the catwalk said  “anyone to wear of his clothes must be confident in the body that they are in.” True. 

In addition to all that fashion talks were taking place in the Vodafone lounge for advice on joining the fashion industry. When asked about any upcoming designers Hilary also mentioned Simone Rocha and J.W. Alexander, so any fashionista’s, keep your eyes peeled. 

Overall it was an amazing day and I hope to return again next season!

Immy xo

P.S. Drawbacks include waiting in a long line for the ladies toilet.