Smith keeps it old school

IT was back-to-school time at London Fashion Week yesterday as British designer Paul Smith injected a little Harry Potter inspired geek-chic into his catwalk collection for spring-summer 2008.

Supermodel Lily Cole wore Harry Potter-style circular black specs with grey skinny school trousers and a prepy navy blazer with white trimming. Other stunningly tailored school blazers were in red and white stripes or in pure white with pretty pink edges to give a cheerleader feel. The blazers were neither new nor inventive, but they once again showed the designer’s ability to please the crowd and look set to make the blazer a key piece for next season.

Smith also presented a “stolen from your boyfriend” schoolgirl look, as models wore thick-striped dresses styled like over-sized rugby shirts and cable-knit boy’s sweaters below the knee.

Models wore crisp white waistcoats and geeky green anoraks and paraded down the catwalk in a group, giving the impression of a rebellious gang. They all wore t-bar shoes in bright colours with straight hair.

The designer also displayed a “school’s out for summer look” with pale pink silk dresses with a scrunch of flowers at the front, pretty silk florals with mismatched stripes at the top and bottom and a chic trapeze dress in black chiffon with long white kick pleats.

The school references in the show, which took place in London’s Royal Horticultural Hall, come ahead of the release of the remake of St Trinian’s film which will star Lily Cole and chronicle the unruly adventures at the school for young ladies.

Smith’s collection marks next season’s return of tailoring as we throw away smock tops and fill our wardrobes with blazers, high waisted trousers and victorian shirts. This was also demonstrated by the tailored wide-legged trousers and skirts with clinched waists at the Anna Sofie Black show which closed day three of London Fashion Week.

She became yet another designer to introduce shoulder pads for next season, this time giving more height than width. She also used square toed shoes similar to mid-1990s office wear.

Celebrities including supermodel Kate Moss and actresses Sharon Stone and Sienna Miller last night attended a gala dinner, hosted by designer John Galliano, to open the Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition entitled The Golden Age of Couture.

The exhibition shows the process and inspiration behind some of the most glamorous styles of the 1940s and 1950s, featuring work by couturiers including Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy.

One of the biggest events of London Fashion Week, the Matthew Williamson show, takes place at lunchtime today. The Manchester-born designer is known for his pattern, print and colourful palette.