Spring/summer collections look on the bright side at London Fashion Week

1.00pm - By SUSIE RUSHTON


Optimism and "natural stuff" were the inspiration behind Sir Paul Smith's spring/summer 2005 collection, which was paraded yesterday on a real turf catwalk at the Royal Horticultural Hall in west London.

Floral prints abounded: yellow daffodils, forget-me-nots, pink pansies and purple hydrangeas decorated satin shirtdresses, tailored shorts and tiny bikinis.
The flowery look worked best on girlish sundresses, its innocent charm wilting somewhat when applied to pencil skirts or jackets.

An attempt at the "eclectic" look - knee-high schoolgirl socks - also thwarted what should have been a straightforwardly pretty show.

Sir Paul's womenswear has never quite equalled the reputation of his quirky menswear, which was the foundation of a worldwide empire with an annual turnover of £229m.

For Sir Paul, Britain's most financially successful fashion designer, an emphasis on cheerful prints was tantamount to political statement.

"There is so much trauma on the news at the moment. I wanted a collection full of nice stuff!" he said.

To Jonathan Saunders, the 26-year-old designer who also presented his spring/summer collection yesterday, printed clothes are close to an art form. For his third fashion show, the Scottish designer sent out figure-hugging jersey dresses and long chiffon frocks, lavished with handcrafted techniques such as devore and acid dyes.

Saunders said that the Bauhaus school of architecture, if you please, was the inspiration behind multicoloured, hand-drawn prints. The final effect was kaleidoscopic, if not particularly accessible. But the much-vaunted young designer is well aware that his designs, as seen on the catwalk, are destined only for a "niche" market.

"I don't want to become a big global brand. These dresses are so expensive to produce, it just doesn't make sense," he said.

Instead, Saunders plans to diversify with a move into interior design. It is ironic that Saunders' complex printing techniques should make his designs so wildly expensive and rare. Bold prints usually sell extremely well, as Sir Paul is no doubt aware.

Closure of the chasm between youthful innovation and big business was a burning issue at London Fashion Week yesterday.

The British Fashion Council, which organises the event, is apparently toying with the idea of allowing high street fashion chains such as Topshop or Marks & Spencer to stage catwalk shows on the official schedule, alongside bright young talent such as Saunders.

- INDEPENDENT