LCM DAY 2

After zigzagging several times between the two main show venues on day one, I had their rough travel times and respective tube stops firmly imprinted in my brain. Disaster struck when I woke up to find my own tube station had been closed for "scheduled repairs" during the weekend. Delayed on a shuttle bus, I made my way to 180 Strand just in time for the Agi & Sam runway show - and a 2nd row seat!

The Fashion

Agi & Sam kicked off day 2 of LCM with a catwalk show who's notes nodded towards gender roles and the urban house-husband. Classic menswear patterns like gingham and windowpane checks were subverted florals applied to the face and traditional men's ties used as scarves. Jackets came loose and with dropped shoulders, while trousers ranged from oversize culottes (almost skirtlike) to drainpipe skinny with high waistbands. William Morris-esque wallpaper patterns looked great printed on full suits under duster coats and one cheeky element sure to be a streetstyle hit was the long leather gloves which were reminiscent of rubber gloves.

The second noteworthy show from Day 2, was Tiger of Sweden. Tiger holds a special place in my heart, as it was one of the first LCM shows I ever got to attend on my first trip to London. This year's runway show was set in the cavernous P3 Gallery, and did not disappoint. A perfect fusion of clean Scandinavian tailoring and prints from the baroque and Rococo era. Models hit the runway through a giant neon archway modeled after Sweden's Royal palace, which through moving image changed throughout the presentation. The show was divided into several tribes, from a neutral, khaki and loden section with tiger stripes to a "Third Culture Kids' section which featured variegated blue stripes, logo- mania, mesh over poplin shirts and MA jackets. This final section was a commentary on the multi-culturalism of Sweden where "People from one culture move to a second culture - then they create this third culture" - Andreas Gran (Co-design of T o S)

Runway Images via : Theupcoming.co.uk, The Guardian.co.uk

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The Look

Day 2, was one of those get ready in the dark (because my house guest was still asleep) in 5 minutes kind of mornings. I opted for ripped white denim from Stampd LA, a shirt I DIY dyed last summer in my microwave (we'll get to that another time!) and a black kimono. I neglected the age old adages of "less is more" and "take off one accessory before you leave" and piled on two necklaces, a few too many bracelets and stuffed my trusty grey Bottega Veneta portfolio with show invites, my BFC pass, a portable charger, coconut water and everything I "thought" I might need for a long day ahead.

The Presentations

Standout presentations from day 2 at LCM included YMC, which fused African and British style from the 60s through 80s. The presentation space proved a welcome respite from the rain - where on geometric black and white tiles stood an army of diverse models opposite a full band playing ,filled with abstract printed jacket and short combos, boldly striped shirting and a colour palette comprised of bold pinks and citrus shades. The second memorable presentation, Hardy Amies was in stark contrast to YMC. Situated on iconic and historic Savile Row (directly across from Lanvin Savile Row store), was the Hardy Amies salon presentation. Models stoop atop white cubes, in relaxed denim, checked double-breasted jackets and crisp white suiting. The colour palette was clean and pared back, and included shades of truffle, sable, sand and soft grey.

The Coffee...

Throughout day 2 of LCM, there was many a static presentation with passed canapes and trays of champagne. Realizing I had a long day and night ahead, I opted for water or coffee at each stop along the way. It was until someone on snapchat msged me to say "Isn't that your fifth latte?" that I realized just how much caffeine I'd consumed. It was right after my 2nd espresso mint refresher that my hands began to shake. Needless to say with my heart racing and half the city shut down for the Queen's Parade - I found myself a little aggressive as I fought my way through swarms of tourists surrouning the Mall. I cut my losses and headed to a friends to get ready for the Candid Magazine 'Design issue" Launch at Century Club.

The Parties

One of the highlights of a week's worth of parties was definitely the Candid Magazine party atop Century club's roof. Of course having just been named, Fashion Contributor to the mag I may be slightly biased. With a guest list that included Hilary Alexander, Pam Hogg, Daisy de Villenueve, and cover star Stephen Jones (in a pink Christopher Kane suit no less!) it was saturday's hottest ticket. Sipping on the Stephen Jones designed custom cocktail "The purple Veil' with Shine London moonshine, I set my phone to airplane mode to enjoy the moment and field calls from all the "friends" stuck outside. The launch party was an excellent chance to meet and chat with icons Stephen Jones and Hilary Alexander and talk business with industry friends into the wee hours while sipping G+Ts. For the party, I braved the humidity in a silk paisley Etro tuxedo shirt, silver Armani blazer, rogue biker denim and the Andre patent + elastic tuxedo shoe from Kurt Geiger.

All images by Tyler Kenny.