Fashion focus hits London as fashion week opens

[September 17, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- Traditionalist Paul Costelloe kicked off London Fashion Week on Friday by breaking with his old-school tendencies, offering a brash, eye-catching show filled with short, flouncy dresses in soft colors.

Abstract checks and some diamond-shaped art deco styles completed the look.

Costelloe was the first to offer his vision for the spring and summer 2011 collections as fashionistas descended on Somerset House next to the River Thames for London's five day, champagne-fueled extravaganza.

The corks popped early for Costelloe's fans, who included an elegant man styled as Michael Jackson during his tuxedoed "Off the Wall" period and a young woman with elaborately ripped leggings and blonde hair pulled into a unicorn-style spike above her head. Some women wore vintage dresses from the 1940s, with hairstyles and makeup to match.

Costelloe usually opens fashion week with a somewhat sedate show emphasizing cut and quality, but he kicked it up Friday with a display described as "Tinkerbell-turned-party girl."

The short dresses included metallic weaves and twills that indeed twinkled in the spotlights, many featuring high waists and subtle pleats. A handful of floor-length dresses were topped by silvery metallic-style jackets with a space age look.

His playful mood was highlighted by his own outfit -- Costelloe wore a jacket and tie with dark slacks, accented by white Converse sneakers.

His menswear was fanciful -- few will opt for the sports jackets, pressed shorts and black patent leather shoes with dark socks a few models were wearing -- but the crowd enjoyed the six young men in well-cut suits who strutted out near the end of the show.

Costelloe will be followed in the coming days by a host of London favorites, including Vivienne Westwood -- who usually uses her Red Label show to push her environmental concerns -- Christopher Bailey of Burberry, Stella McCartney, Paul Smith and others as the fashion focus shifts from New York to London.

The weekend will be marked by late-night parties for the fashion faithful, but the mood will turn solemn on Monday when a memorial service will be held for Alexander McQueen, the celebrated designer who took his own life earlier this year.

The gatherings reflect the importance of fashion here. A recent report by Oxford Economics, commissioned by the British Fashion Council, said fashion is Britain's 15th largest industry, employing more than 800,000 people and contributing 21 billion pounds ($33 billion) a year to the economy

Fashion Week, according to the council, generates orders worth around 100 million pounds.

The crowds thronging Somerset House included dozens of fashion buyers looking for trends and unique collections, and exhibitions featured special collections of handbags, lingerie, jewelry and other accessories.

Friday's schedule also included a last-minute addition dealing with environmentally friendly "sustainable" fashions to be shown at one of Prince Charles' residences.

[Associated Press; By GREGORY KATZ]

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