Time to show off at London Fashion Week by fashion designer Colin Wolfenden

4:25pm Friday 23rd February 2007

Thursday February 15. Arrive London Kings Cross at 8.48am, jump into a cab and head straight for a double espresso at Starbucks. With a whack of caffeine gushing around my system and my man bag full of overnight essentials, I'm ready to take on the fashionistas. First stop is the Natural History museum where most shows are taking place.

Tickets to these events are as rare as rocking horse poo, but I've managed to beg steel and borrow some to the key shows.

10:30am: Nicole Farhi. Nicole Farhi gives women what they want to wear and this season is no different. The colours are a mix of black and tones of grey, from darkest charcoal to lightest silver grey. The shapes are simple and elegant, the look is a layering of classic pieces, loosely-belted cardigans over well-crafted wool trousers shrouded in a softly draped knitted coat. A feminine look but not flouncy. Simple tunic shapes in sequinned grey satin are worn with charcoal grey wide leg evening trousers in soft wool jersey. Her tailored jackets are sharp but softened with thin leather belts worn around the waist. The whole collection is a lesson in the art of understatement and elegance. Bravo!

11:45am: Margaret Howell. This quintessentially British designer shows a collection of the simplest shapes, no fuss and nonsense to this very English range. The colours again based around a palette of greys but the addition of peach and soft lime give freshness. There was a 1940s utility feel to the collection with short sleeve striped polo knit tops teamed with wide leg trousers. A range of pastel-coloured satin blouses in peach and soft lime with the most delicate dart detail gave a softness and femininity. The simple mini shift dresses in cotton or tweed worn with thick dark tights were on the money. The look was completed by a range of softly tailored coats with fabric tie belts.

12:45pm: Betty Jackson. More grey (I think you can see a theme here), this time with rust brown and ochre yellow which gives the collection a rustic charm. Simple empire line mini dresses in bold 50s inspired abstract prints of charcoal brown and yellow give a youthful playfulness to parts of the collection. Tailoring is a combination of short boxy jackets and wide-legged trousers cropped at the ankle in tones of brown. Teamed with A-line cable knits with ruffle necks in rust, the look is a wearable everyday outfit. A grey boucle wrap dress with large buttons ending below the knee and matching edge to edge coat give a sophisticated 1950s feel - think Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn.

1:30pm: Lunch meeting at Bibendum on Brompton road with my agent. With time to reflect, it's clear that these three women designers know what the modern women needs in her working wardrobe - unlike a lot of male designers who tend to design for fantasy women who wouldn't dream of washing up or taking the kids to school. These women designers produce collections of simple, practical and beautifully-crafted garments in colours and fabrics that are easy to co-ordinate. They're only clothes that will last season after season - and you'll be able to run for the bus in them!

4:30pm: Finish lunch - oops! Once you get chatting it's hard to drag yourself away and it'd be rude to leave almost half a bottle of Laurent Perrier Rose champagne. I have a dilemma: do I rush back to catch the Gareth Pugh show (20 mins away) or nip into Chanel (across the road) to see if they have the sunglasses I've been searching for? They didn't have them but I'm on the list and should have them for summer. I heard Gareth Pugh wasn't all that anyway!

5:30pm: Whiz to Harvey Nichols to meet friends who have guest list for the Select Models party tonight. A few G&Ts later it's all sorted. I need a power nap.

7:30pm: OK, it was more than a couple of G&Ts but I'm back at a friend's flat who has let me crash in his spare room - in exchange for a guest list to the select model party. Nothing's free in this game. It's into the shower and on with the face. We crack open another bottle of bubbly - it's Fashion Week for crying out loud!

8:30pm: Balans restaurant in Soho. Starter only for me if I'm going to be surrounded by wafer-thin girls and buffed boys.

11pm: Arrive at the Limelight on Shaftsbury Avenue where the party is in full swing. Hundreds of people are trying to blag their way in. It's full of the great and good of the fashion industry, but not many A-listers. I spotted a few Corrie stars and Celeb Big Brother's Chantelle, but I was expecting Gwyneth Paltrow and the real Paris Hilton. Oh well, the music's banging and the eye candy is top. Nothing more to report, the rest is a blur!

Friday February 16. 8am: Alarm goes off. 8:15am: Alarm goes off. 8:30am: Alarm goes off. 8:45am: Alarm goes across the room.

10am: I get out of bed. Oh my head. What was I thinking?

11am-7pm: I seem to have lost a few hours here so I should fill with a bit of topical journalism. I was pleased that the British Fashion Council had asked designers not to use unhealthily thin girls but didn't ban them outright. I think the designers should ultimately be responsible for their own actions. I know people have strong opinions about this and the debate will carry on. It was good that in a struggling British fashion industry we were able to focus on the positives at the shows; the creativity and passion of our home-grown talent.

7pm: Not feeling that great. I get myself to Claridges Grand Salon for the Marc by Marc Jacobs fashion show - the highlight of London Fashion week. He's the most influential guy in fashion at the moment, his style will have touched most of you fashion-savvy women out there. That quilted leather-look handbag with the gold chain strap from Primark, the simple silk tunic dress worn over skinny jeans from Topshop were all first seen on the Marc Jacobs catwalk in New York last year. So what has he in store this season? A mix of vintage and sassy street style, from silver metallic Barbarella-type prints on A-line mini dresses to super-short baby doll knits worn with coloured tights, the whole collection was a feast for the senses. No grey here, it was a riot of plum, purple, silver, bright red and gold. Well done Marc! I skip to Kings Cross to catch the 20:30 train back to Leeds, reeling from my fashion moment. Or is it the gin? Who cares

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