How d’you like them apples?

Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite…

No wait, wrong blog!

Brighton Fashion Week started with a bang yesterday at the suitably glamorous beachside venue of the Hilton Metropole, where the fashion loving and fabulous people of Brighton flocked in droves to celebrate the start of Brighton’s 6^th fashion week.

Once I’d managed to navigate the cavernous and labyrinth-like hallways of the Hilton, I found myself inside a chandelier-lit hall filled with Brighton’s fashionable finest.  Brighton prides itself on its extensive art community and is a magnet for the fashion-forward, cultured, musical and media savvy of the South East, so I wasn’t at all surprised to be confronted with a melting pot of unique styles and personalities, all sweltering away under the 100 degree heat of the various spot lights and camera flashes.

Clothing wise, it was a style explosion as retro playsuits crossed paths with Saturday night’s finest, gothic mingled with the glam and a stunning floor length champagne (wedding?!) dress was actually spotted, for what I imagine must be the first time ever, in the same room as a brave chap wearing a black, loose knit, dropped stitch, crotchet jumper… (wow).

People-watching aside, the launch party had a whole lot to offer, starting with canapés from Brighton based Oki Nami all the way through to digital photo-booths supplied by Say Fromage where guests could relive their perky teen years by squeezing into a booth and taking zany, wacky and hilarious snaps, all which will be available to view on www.sayfromage.co.uk.

After a lovely ‘word from our sponsors’, we were treated with a juicy taster of what is in store for us over the next 4 days…

Jez Eaton’s Trashion show sampler felt like perhaps Mugatu was up to his old tricks again, and Zoolander had become real life…models stormed down the catwalk wearing such items as hoodies made from Lidl bags, outerwear constructed from Kettle Chips boxes (sea salt and balsamic vinegar… the best flavour!) and a full length gown made entirely from umbrellas! Now I know what to do with my umbrella the next time it turns inside out.

Before I could say “blue steel”, the Couture Show kicked in. Strutting out, to the sound of The Tings Tings, models wore the finest creations from designers such as Joanne Fleming, Flik Hall, Serina Poppy and Andrew Bannister to name just a few. A personal favourite was a pale kimono jacket coloured with splashes of emerald green and worn with a sweet Japanese rosebud mouth.

The show was spectacularly topped off with a performance from the colourful, polka dot adorned duo My Bad Sister.  But unfortunately, like Cinderella before me, time ran away from me at such a speed that I had to slip out the door before I turned into a pumpkin.  Luckily for me, even pumpkins were given a goodie bag on the way out!