All Systems Go!

Well it's started today, POW! The Pope-mobile cruising around London and Fashion Week kicking off and what am I doing...fleeing across the Channel to see our French cousins for a brief 48 hour flying visit back at silly o'clock Monday morning.

Its's kicking off with shows from Australian contingent Sass & Bide, Felder Felder and Hannah Marshall to be followed up by some gems over the weekend; Hot tickets include House Of Holland, Julien Macdonald, Matthew Williamson and Richard Nicholl. I'm also looking forward to seeing the latest offerings from Michael van der Ham and Mary Katrantzou who are both making their solo show debuts but I'll have to catch up with all of that on Monday as I'm powering through my work before hot-footing it to le Eurostar!

In the meantime here are a smattering of iconic images from Fashion Week's past, let's hope this year produces some smashers! What are you excited about seeing? Who should I be looking out for? Isn't it great just to feed off the buzz of the city whilst events like this are going on? Also remember the GREAT event for grabbing bargains, London Fashion Weekend, Thursday 23rd - Sunday 26th September at Somerset House.

In 1995, Kate Moss made a special appearance on the catwalk for Stella McCartney's Central Saint Martins graduate show causing a media storm and generating ALOT of interest for the young designer.

Alexander McQueen's debut collection in 1992 won headlines with his almost-rude, ultra-low-cut bumster trousers. The range made such an impact on Joan Burnstein of Browns that she bought the range for the famous boutique.

Here, for his spring/summer 1996 show, McQueen's trademark clever tailoring was put to cheeky use.

In February 2001 - after her incredibly modest and tasteful July 1999 wedding to David and just six months before the release of her first solo single, Out of Your Mind - Victoria Beckham took a walk down Maria Grachvogel's catwalk.I remember loving her new cropped hair.

Agyness Deyn won the Model of the Year Award at the 2007 British Fashion Awards and called her mother from the stage: "It's my mum on the phone," she said as she took to the stage holding her mobile phone to her ear to collect her award – presented by Roland Mouret.

"Yes Mum, it's like a fashion Oscar. Here, have a word with everyone," she added as she held the phone to the microphone so we could hear the excited squeals of a very proud parent. "She's well chuffed," said Agyness, before thanking Hilary Riva, Alexandra Shulman, the Northern Massive, Katie Grand ("for my first Pop cover”), Mario Testino ("for first putting me in Vogue") and Giles for the dress. "Even though everyone keeps stepping on it, it's still good!"

Hussein Chalayan’s table dress from his autumn/winter 2001-2 show – during which models took off chair covers to dress themselves before using the furniture itself - was the epitome of conceptual fashion...though not perhaps the easiest for popping to the shops.

Sophie Dahl's first appearance at London Fashion Week came in 1997 – two years after she'd been discovered "crying on a doorstep after a row with her mother" by Isabella Blow. During the autumn/winter 1997-8 collections, Sophie and her famous curves modelled knitwear that left little to the imagination by Lainey Keogh.

Recognise the chap on the left?! The first London Fashion Week in the format that we know it happened in March 1984: John Galliano, Ghost, Betty Jackson, Wendy Dagworthy, Zandra Rhodes and Jean Muir Bodymap were featured on the schedule. Here, a young John Galliano is pictured receiving the British Designer of the Year award three years later, in 1987, from Trade and Industry secretary Lord Young.

And lastly..just because it brings a smile to my face....in the Anglomania Autumn/ Winter 1993 show..a certain super took a tumble..!