Topshop: Epicenter of Cheap Chic

Stopped into Topshop today, which is without a doubt the best place in London if not the world to take the pulse of fashion. It was amazing how much of the inventory looked like maternity wear! I will be happy to see all these trapeze and babydoll shapes go, I have to say.

It was also interesting to see how the store's knitwear department has grown. This, of course, follows another huge trend. There were short sleeve sweaters, long sweaters, cropped sweaters, babydoll sweaters, etc. And this is something that looks to be moving forward to next fall as well.

But the funniest thing I saw were versions of the Tati bags, those woven plastic shoppers that sell for pennies on street corners. At Louis Vuitton last season, Marc Jacobs sent them down the runway with the LV logo for a tongue-in-cheek take on high-low chic. And now, the epicenter of cheap chic Topshop has done its own! Just buy one off the street why don't ya? Funny.

It was great to see Manolo Blahnik, the shoe guru, in the flesh today at the Christopher Kane show. The shoemaker has all but been eclipsed in recent years by Christian Louboutin, whose recognizable red soles seem to be trodding nearly every runway around the globe. Except for this one -- Blahnik collaborated with the young designer on the pointy shoes with ankle ties.

Kate Moss' runway modeling days may be behind her, but she still knows how to make a stir at London Fashion Week. She was at the National Portrait Gallery last night to celebrate the opening of "Faces of Fashion," an exhibit of fashion photography. And she's also being immortalized in wax this week at Madame Tussaud's.