A Beginners Guide To London Fashion Week

The building is old and beautifully grand from the outside, inside it is decked out in minimalist white, with staff in dressed head to toe in black. Once inside, a small handful of designers stand eagerly beside their collections, waiting to be discovered. The atmosphere is buzzing, as excited chatter fills the room the designers are friendly, approachable, and happy to chat about how they’ve got to show at London’s prestigious fashion event.

I talk to two Greek designers to find out more about their work and how their first London Fashion Week is treating them. GREECE IS THE WORD Knitwear designer Ionannis Dimitrousis is tucked right in the corner of the exhibition. Surrounded by neutral colours and sombre looking collections, his colourful range of knitwear pieces clearly stand out. Classically cut menswear garments are splashed with colours, whether it’s adorned with beads, appliqued patched knits, shiny sequins or printed colours. The result is an eccentric collection of pieces for the rather discerning wearer.

“Anyone can wear my clothes”, quips the young Greek, from aged 18 in this, pointing to a white vest with printed dice and coloured sequins, to a tailored jacket with knitted fringing for the older man perhaps.

The designer is keen to talk about his latest ventures, including a recent collaboration with the contemporary arts museum in his native Greece about a forthcoming exhibition. Based on sixties clothing and prints, the designer is making an outfit entirely out of paper to feature in the show alongside Sophia Kokoslaki and other fellow famous Greek names. This, his second collection in fashion week has still to make it onto the runway.

“It costs in the region of £15,000 to put on a show at London fashion week, including PR, models, tickets etc. I am waiting to get strong support first and then I can think about it, at the moment I am concentrating on building up my fan base.” So far this doesn’t seem to be going too badly, selling at various high-end boutiques around London.

“The buyers wait to see who else is interested and then they all suddenly want you, it’s the way the industry seems to work. I’m hoping to speak to more buyers in the next couple of days.” Full name/Where are you based? Romina Karamanea, live and work in Hackney, East London Describe your collection/your style of work Femininely tailored garments, with a structured feel. Mini dresses with cleverly inserted panels in bold colours, from deep scarlet to black. How long have you been in the industry?

7 years Do you have a design background? Trained in London, most recently, creative pattern cutting course at St Martins. Worked for various designers (Preen, Clements Ribeiro) and also as Robert-Cary-William’s first assistant. I have also designed under-wear ranges for Debenhams and a leading underwear supplier in the US. Where can we see your work? Online and also at B-store, London. Have you been in any magazines/fashion publications? Yes, Blag magazine and British Vogue Who inspires you in your work/personal life? Style icon: Isabella Blow is definitely my inspiration.

I have always designed my clothes with her in mind. What have you been working on this year aside from your collection? I used to have a stall Portobello market, selling vintage clothing and some of my own, but I am now concentrating on my collection How difficult is it to make it in fashion? What risks have you had to take? It is risky, because you have to fund it yourself. I have had to get help from various companies to keep me going, and you are always waiting for that chance. It might never happen but how do you know if you don’t try.

The designer I was working for me told me I was ready to do my own collection, so I am. We’ll see what happens. What are you hoping to get out of LFW? Feedback from buyers, and to sell, of course! All designers are looking for a sponsor so that they can continue to grow, I guess this is the main reason for exhibiting work, in the hope that the right person will come along and choose to back you.

www.rominakaramanea.com  B store 24A Saville Row London W1 A CELEBRITY APPEARANCE My next stop is Harrods, where I go to view Julia Clancey’s debut collection. Running fashionably late (an hour) the event was luckily sponsored by Moet. The longer the wait the more the champagne flowed up, so no-one seemed to mind too much. When the dresses came down the make-shift runway in the middle of the store, it was well worth the wait. Floaty, feminine dresses in pretty colours were reminiscent of early Matthew Williamson creations, finished off by Grecian style braiding and plaited edges.

There was even a celebrity model in the form of Lady Victoria Harvey to bring some added sparkle to the show. After what seemed a second, the show was over. The designer came forward with her beautiful clan of models, gave a small bow and that was that. An afternoon worth the wait, and definitely worthy of a visit. Julia Clancey is available exclusively in the Harrods eveningwear department. Prices from £269. A full interview with the designer will be coming to Fashion Capital shortly.

Ellie Rivers