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Matthew Williamson and Antonio Berardi made their hotly-anticipated return to London Fashion Week on Sunday, injecting some serious glamour into the event as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Williamson, who has made New York his home for the past seven years, presented typically colourful, sexy dresses enhanced by intricate beading, metallic fabrics and shards of mirrors for a strong, sophisticated look.
"It's great that he's coming back to London. I wish they would all come back to London, that's where they originated, that's where they trained," Twiggy, the model who became the face of the 1960s, told AFP before the show.
She added: "I think his clothes are wonderful because they are so feminine, and I love his bright colours. Often fashion shows are all black and grey and cream, and then you come to Matthew and it's like, 'ooh!'."
Williamson opened his show with a bang, starting with a short, beaded metallic linen shift dress matched with a stone-coloured leather jacket, followed by a gold beaded jacket and high-waisted, metallic shorts.
The metallic theme dominated, as he married crushed mini skirts with tight bodices adorned with shards of mirrors.
And there were jewels everywhere, from black beaded hotpants paired with a brightly printed swimsuit to bejewelled cocktail dresses in green and stone.
"I liked the way he moved forward from that sort of boho (bohemian, hippy) look to a much more body conscious, more sophisticated but still very sexy (look)," said Hilary Alexander, fashion editor of the Daily Telegraph.
She told AFP: "I thought the colour combinations were beautiful. But this is what we want from Matthew, we want colour and excitement -- and he never fails to deliver."
British-Italian Berardi, who has been showing in Paris since 2005, also returned home Sunday with a collection that maintained his trademark miniskirts with dresses sculpted from the waist outwards, matched with bustiers.
"I'm very proud to be here, I'm very proud because I was born here, England's my home. I haven't shown here for 10 years and so to come back it's a big thing," he told AFP, adding: "I've been very, very scared!"
The two designers' return, alongside Pringle of Scotland and Burberry, has caused huge excitement here -- even if it is not yet clear whether they will stay after the celebrations for London Fashion Week's 25th birthday die down.
They are a boost for the six-day event which has in the past struggled to make itself heard among the fashion week big guns of Paris, New York and Milan, relying on its reputation for emerging talent to draw in press and buyers.
Italian-born Kinder Aggugini was one of the week's hottest tickets, and built on years of designing for Versace, John Galliano and Calvin Klein to create a truly beautiful solo collection.
But the established designers have also stepped up their game this season, from John Rocha to Nicole Fahri, who showed Sunday how clothes could both fit perfectly and be comfortable with an effortlessly stylish spring/summer line.
And Vivienne Westwood showed she remains the fashion queen as celebrities from Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams to Boy George and artist Tracey Emin lined up for her latest sparky, irreverent collection for her Red Label.
To a pumping soundtrack, her models strutted, swanned and even smoked their way down the catwalk in dresses and suits that looked like they had once been striped pyjamas and men's shirts but were given a sexy make-over.
Westwood offered short-sleeved, knee-length frocks in brown, white and yellow stripes with the collars faded back and suits customised to become loose jumpsuits as she celebrated her very unique vision of Britishness.
