‘Is she someone?” one blogger whispers to another as they both furiously snap away, capturing the feathered gothic vision before them. It seems to not matter either way. To our left, another crowd is gathering and their attention is diverted.
This is London Fashion Week, and we are in front of Brewer Street car park. Just down the road 11 Irish designers are exhibiting in the beautiful surroundings of the Institute of Contemporary Arts.
The regal building perfectly complements the modern Irish design and is an oasis of calm and cool. But in the car park zone, where the main London Fashion Week events take place, it’s a different story.
From the sublime to the “is that an actual prawn on her head?”, everyone who is anyone, or who wants to be, is on their way. The narrow roads surrounding the building are thronged with photographers and bloggers. It’s here, and not on the catwalks of the building inside, where the real (and surreal) fashion happens.
Here is some of the London Fashion Week street style we encountered:
Angelina Matluma
A vintage fur lover who has brought her dog Miilou along for the day; he loves all the attention he is getting. Matluma is wearing mechanic overalls that used to belong to her (very small, colour-loving) dad and has matched them with Louboutin shoes.
Tony Alexander Stone
Works at a vintage clothes shop in Covent Garden. He’s wearing boots from Portobello Market, a jacket from Wild Retro, a camera from Finland and a hat from Stockholm. His style is inspired by 1960s music. He never leaves the house without a hat.
Phoebe Lettice
Creative director of Illustrated People and former Made in Chelsea star. She is wearing Nike and Givenchy and wishes her Uber would hurry up.
Meti Olan
A fashion apprentice who is enjoying checking out new designers and is digging her newly unleashed hair.
Frida Silvermark
Wearing a jumpsuit from Barcelona, a vintage turban, and bag and glasses from Monki. Her bag is full of garbage.
Donia Coibanu
A fashion blogger with 115,000 Instagram followers. She is wearing Versace, Givenchy, Aldo and Mathew Williamson. The best fashion advice she has ever received is “dress with your heart”. She thinks fashion can be spiritual.
