Topshop Unique, Friday 14th September 2007

As every fashion journalist in the country gears up to the bi-annual glam-stress-fest that is London Fashion Week, Topshop kicked off the proceedings a day early with the Unique Collection. The design led outlet for the High St Leviathan presented an eclectic range with varied results. The colour palette was dominated by nude and greige shades, interspersed with fantastic shocks of colour in peacock and coral.

In terms of silhouettes there was plenty to please each sector of Topshop’s market. Drop crotch boiler suits and hooded oversized poncho dresses will be on the young North East Londoners wish-list. Cream pin tucked silk flowing dresses perfectly hit the bohemian notes for the yummy mummy residents of NW8. Well cut classics included cropped slacks and relaxed jackets which were well directed at the fashion moderates.

For evening wear there was a show stopping peacock-chiffon-one-shouldered-all-in-one-trouser piece which was far more wearable than it sounds and some short silk numbers with breathtaking slits to the hip- more for the teens than Liz Hurley.

However Topshop’s reputation for knocking out ‘catwalk inspired’ (no-one is fooled) High St fodder was further cemented with the melange of tie-dye fabrics and Wedgwood prints from sky to petrol blue. These silk panelled dresses and tops are patent Balenciaga rip-off, but I doubt Nicholas Ghesquiere is loosing to much sleep. It is a pity that an obviously creative team has failed to properly harness the Unique mission to create a design led rather than design ’inspired’ operation.

As for celebs, they were pretty low on the ground although most of the glossies were well represented with their fashion editors and direstors showing just how relevant the label is to the British industry. The Geldorf sisters were well dressed and Daisy Lowe towered over the diminutive Peaches. Daphne Guinness also put in a slightly wan appearance. The most hilarious moment of the whole do was the moment of fame for one of the venue’s cleaners whose presence on the catwalk at the beginning of the show created a murmur of titters- for a second I though that Topshop really had come up with an interesting concept…!

Aside from the clothes the food was excellent with delicious seared tuna coated in the thinnest batter and dark chocolate cubes of scrumptiousness. All of these morsels were washed down with quantities of Laurent Perrier- just the right way to start fashion week- more than a little half cut!