Fashion Diary: London Calling

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Gossip, first impressions, trends in the making, celebrities and style setters. A regular feature by fashion critic Booth Moore.

Glasgow-born, London-based designer Christopher Kane has created one terrific collection for Topshop. Debuting Sept. 18 at Topshop stores and online, it’s full of the kind of feminine yet fierce pieces we’ve come to expect from the designer who got his start at Versace. He uses lots of grommets for a 1980s-meets-’Gladiator’ look (see dress, left), and some softer-looking beads and paillettes (see dress, below left). The embellishments are pure Kane. After all, we have him to thank for the sequin trend that’s everywhere. He was doing overgrown sequins back in fall of ’08.

Priced from $60 to $310, the Topshop collection should fly off the racks. I will be flying to London the day it debuts, and who knows if there will be anything left to buy by the time I land? I’m looking forward to attending London Fashion Week, having skipped it for a couple of seasons. I missed seeing the raw talent that the city has to offer. Must-sees include Kane, of course, as well as Erdem Moralioglu, Todd Lynn and others. Because it’s the 25th anniversary of LFW, several British designers who normally show elsewhere are returning to their hometown runways, including Luella Bartley, Matthew Williamson and Burberry. Should be fun.

**Photos have been removed

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