The Closest I’ll Come to London Fashion Week or Any Fashion Week

As all fashion media types are throwing around their comments about NYFW or LFW, I’ll remain working in rural England. This was as close as I got-- a visit to Somerset House, a week ahead of London Fashion Week.

If you see any off-duty model shots or “street” style photos, they’re generally in front of Somerset House. Somerset House is a beautifully proportioned neo-classical London building, home to the Royal Academy of Arts, not exactly a scruffy street where one expects to find experimental street style. Its huge size and enormous courtyard mean that it is physically far from any street. Still, I was prepared to be asked to have my picture taken and answer all kinds of questions about the collections, what I’m wearing, my style, must have autumn items, the most interesting trends, etc.. I’d even settle for a “Gosh, it’s raining” comment.

   

Note the large chasm between me and the stone wall, surely a metaphor for the distance between myself and London Fashion Week. Even the bright orange and cobalt print are overwhlemed by grey stone. 



Top, Warehouse. Earrings, Accessorise. Orange Pencil Skirt, 1980s Marks and Spencer. Bag, charity shop.

Alas, the only other “photographers” around were a group of women wearing fluorescent pink hats, on a hen night. For now, I’ll have to remain an elusive influence on London Fashion Week.