Stella McCartney used a flash mob, Issa relied on colourful floral prints and Alice Temperley turned to 18th century paintings for inspiration as London Fashion Week moved into high gear on Saturday.
It was a day of elegant, sexy dresses, raucous performances, and beautiful detailing as London designers showed what makes their fashion approach unique.
While some designers looked to the east for inspiration, Kinder Aggugini set his sights on cowboy chic, evoking the streets of Laredo in an impressive catwalk show that used acid-drench silk with western motifs.
The imaginative shows left little doubt that London's sense of self-reliance is growing as the 2012 Olympics approach. Britain may be gripped by economic gloom, but the designers see no reason for pessimism.
"Things are difficult business-wise," Aggugini said before his show. "But it has sparked creativity. I see a lot more talent germinating. I see a lot more newness than I ever did."
Brazilian designer Daniella Helayel, whose label is known as Issa, also scored with audiences.
Long a favourite of the former Kate Middleton (now the Duchess of Cambridge), Helayel made liberal use of furry caps and fur trim around the shoulders, the brown and grey nicely offsetting her dresses' forest greens and splashes of red. The prints were radiant, with oversize floral motifs, and red-and-blue swirls that looked like the models were wrapped in bubbling lava.
The colourful shows offset a certain severity that developed early Saturday.
John Rocha draped his models in voluminous black dresses that clung to their bodies like trash bags. Rocha's billowing black womenswear was among the most original of the lot, although the work may not find much purchase outside the Goth community. Black lace, black leather-looking sleeves, black veils and webbed tops were in evidence, as well as what looked like furry black leg-warmers.
