Well, it’s the beginning of London Fashion Week, and what better way to celebrate it than go to Wearable Art for Durable People? It helps, of course, to know one of the designers showing off her creations – and to have a girlfriend wearing one of them – but there we go. As in previous years, the event was held at Egg nightclub on York Way – not the first venue I’d choose, but it’s a pretty cool place. We didn’t quite make it to 5am for the celebratory breakfast, I must admit. I didn’t even get my free drink, although I did get a bite of parma ham. Swings and roundabouts.

I’m much more of a fan of reportage, backstage photography of make-up being applied and models hanging around being far more natural than they are on the catwalk, but I snagged a spot at the end of the runway anyway and, I think, captured a few good shots. (Chatting with some of the other photographers, it seemed none of us were very happy with the set-up, but then it was a tent in an outdoor nightclub not set up for fashion shows, so it’s hardly a surprise it was cramped. Plus, any complaints about the lighting should be compensated by technique. Which I’m not terribly good at right now.)

There’s a gallery after the jump, so click on through. (Warning: there are a few nipple tassles involved!)

The models in most of the photos are Vicky Bond, Jess French and Liberty Kathro, wearing creations by Shabnam Spiers. Other information about last night’s event is here. It’s biyearly, to follow the pattern of London Fashion Week, so if you missed it this time, there’s always September.

[Show as slideshow]