London Fashion Week AW 2010 so far....so good.

Its been 5 days now at London Fashion Week. And to say that the fashion here is outgoing or innovative is an understatement. The fashion here is just advanced by North American standards. At some point the key trends and pieces will eventually trickle down to other parts of the world. But if you’re one of those people who want to be different, unique, stand out than the rest of the crowd, London is your town.

Sarah Brown and Harold Tillman, chairman of the British Fashion Council

Photography by Holly Falconer

LFW opened last Friday with Sarah Brown and Harold Tillman, chairman of the British Fashion Council (BFC) doing the honors. One of the unique things about London Fashion Week is the presence of an exhibition which houses local and establish designers and their wares. This gives attendees from around the globe a chance to purchase either individual pieces or place orders for their stores. Esthetica, the BFC’s fashion initiative was also launched that day. This program is London’s epicentre for ethical fashion and practices. Currently with 28 member designers, Esthetica continues to leads the way and prove its strength in the industry.

Photography by Laura Pannack

Now the shows. Menswear doesn’t happen until tomorrow up to Friday. So for now, I’ll talk about some my favorite shows so far and my favorite pieces for  AW 2010.

Paul Costelloe

Paul Costelloe has been showing at London Fashion Week for 15 years. Having opened LFW for the last five, he started the show with a collection that showcases unique materials, unexpected tailoring, and impeccable detailing while still maintaining classic silhouettes for both the men and the ladies. Some of my favorite pieces:

Jena.Theo

Jena. Theo was the other label that I thought had great pieces. Run by Jenny Holmes and Dimitris Theocharidis, these you designers focused on a lot of draping, fabric and new silouhettes for AW2010. With the 50’s as the inspiration era and an almost 3D effect to the way their clothes flow, this label is going a long way. I hope to see their stuff in North America soon. Although I wasn’t a big fan of the styling here are my favorite pieces”:

Sass and Bide

I first caught of Sass and Bride on the MTV show “The Hills” when they did a show in Los Angeles with publicist Kelly Cutrone. Since then I’ve been hoping to see one of their shows live, and I did here at London Fashion Week.

Hailing from Sydney, Australia, designers Sarah-Jane Clarke (sass) and Heidi Middleton (bide) showed a very strong collection this season. Known for their signature clash of the bold, the beautiful and the obscure, Sarah and Heidi had pieces that should be in every woman’s closet. From the Victorian lace details to the clown pinstripe pant and the shark tooth shaped purse, the whole look for Sass and Bide, although chaotic is perfectly placed. My favorite pieces:

Mark Fast

Mark Fast is the “The Canadian that did”. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Mark has gone a long way in the world of fashion here in London. He’s also caused a lot of controversy primarily with the use of plus-size models for his runway shows. A knitter at heart, most of Mark’s pieces is contoured to the body with the use of elastomeric yarns. He is daring in the way he wants his clothes to fit and drape. More importantly, he dares to be different in all aspects of fashion, on and off the runway. My favorite pieces:

The shot that made front page in all fashion media.

Matthew Williamson

Award-winning Matthew Williamson has wowed the crowd again with his AW2010 collection. From coral blues, Victorian collars to the fur wraps, the styling and the clothes themselves were just inspiring. One of the key elements in Matthew’s work has always been that the clothes hug the woman’s body so it shows every curve and line. It drapes almost perfectly, to the point where one thinks that it was made especially for the woman wearing it. My favorite pieces are:

Vivienne Westwood Red Label 

British fashion icon Dame Vivienne Westwood has once again made me want to go back in time, pick out some great pieces in modern history, and wear them today. Like other Westwood shows, the models were all decked out in pale, theatrical makeup, with hair teased and backcombed in different places. The color palette, the silhouettes, the styling, and overall look and feel of the show are beyond amazing. A symbol of organized chaos, Vivienne did well in creating balance among a mixture of plaids, solids, and menswear inspired pieces. To some it can look deshoveled and to others its great Vivienne Westwood. My favorite pieces:

That's about it for my catwalk report. More menswear coverage to follow.

All runway photos provided by Catwalk.com