Once upon a time take 2

On Friday the 17th of September there was a tangible feeling of excitement in the air derived from more than just the humidity. Sightings of designer jacket lapels, high-end tailoring, top-knot buns and heeled shoes were mounting and sunglasses were out in force.
This was the day London Fashion Week begun, and at 7.30 in Bloomsbury Square the fairytale dreams of many were being realised as the ‘Once Upon a Time’ fashion show begun to open its heavy art-deco doors and of course Fashiontv was there to film it from start to finish!
Taking cue from their sponsor, luxury watch company Audemars Piguet, the ‘Once Upon a Time’ fashion show teamed up with Fashiontv and enraptured its guests with displays from a range of designers and pieces from high-street to high-end, all in aid of Hauser Bears, a charity dedicated to the passionate care of bears worldwide. There were pieces of luxury lingerie, kilts, kitsch and couture; indeed, something for everyone.
The venue was fabulous. The Bloomsbury Ballroom was the perfect setting for each modern Cinderella who would later that evening meet her prince at the “Ever After” party, in the form of his highness Mr. Jimmy Choo. Even walking to the show was an experience; with each step taken along the twisting stairs from the entrance towards the main room, guests’ hands lightly skimmed the heads of glittering roses delicately entwined with ivy. Once down, we were greeted with the breathtaking sight of the catwalk, shining white as though it were made of ice.
The lights dimmed, and the orbs of light lining the catwalk illuminated the darkness. Suddenly, stepping out of the shadows was the sylph-like Gail Porter with her beautiful daughter Honey to introduce the show and tell us all about the wonderful work performed by Hauser Bears to save the majestic creatures which so soon could disappear forever. Then, the music kicked up a gear and strutting out onto the catwalk was a sneak-peek at the new, limited-edition range of David and Goliath t-shirts for Hauser Bears emblazoned with cheeky slogans like “Kiss My Bear Ass” and quirky, cute designs, which will soon be available for purchase online. The fun and funky tshirts were teamed up with brightly coloured Audemars Piguet watches, which added a further contemporary feel to the presentation.
Up next was the wonderful architecturally-inspired lingerie by Nichole de Carle, featuring bras, underwear and basques made up of complicated angles and structured fabrics. In complete juxtaposition to the previous collection, the English Kilt Company then wowed the female contingent with their display of men’s kilts demonstrated by burly topless men. The kilts featured the contemporary designs of Stephen Jacobs which were woven straight into the wool worsted fabric – a first in kilt production. Not to be topped, the ‘dressing up box’ themed display by Loulou Bontemps and her boutique of designers captivated the audience as it featured feathered couture, wearable art and bejewelled teddy bears. The grand finale was a spectacle, as couture designer Florian Jayet showcased eight of his breathtaking insect-inspired avant-garde designs teamed up with some more of Audemars Piguet’s luxury timepieces, which accentuated the luxuriousness of the fabulous collection.
‘Once Upon a Time’ didn’t end with the displays of fantastic clothes. Immediately after we had been enthralled by the work of each wonderful designer, there was a canapé reception with vodka cocktails created especially for the event by F.vodka held in the bar. The bar also looked wonderful, with different coloured lights which threw purple, orange and yellow tinges across the room alongside tall cases of glittering jewellery and watches by Audemars Piguet. Fashiontv had their film crew there and were conducting interviews with all the designers which we got to watch, making us feel very glamorous indeed as we stood looking as fashionable as we could in the background.
Barely had my drink been completed when I re-entered the ballroom to see it transformed. Leather chaise longues filled the room and surrounded circular glass tables, and a glittering bar had been erected along the left side serving quadruple-distilled F.Vodka to all the fabulous party-goers. Sarah Jones London and their fantastic new luxurious body crème “Bare Alchemy” made for Hauser Bears from Shea Butter, Sage, Cypress and Eucalyptus oils was also given to the guests to sample. Not only a wonderful re-hydrating treatment for your skin, Bare Alchemy also contributes its profits to Hauser Bears and was a sure hit with guests eager to protect from winter’s skin-damaging blistering winds which are only around the corner.
The soundtrack to the whole evening was just right. Music played all night and in between the fabulous performances from Amanda Morra, Ruby and Nate James, which finished with a dj set by Remi of Gorillaz Soundsystem. The drinks were flowing with cocktails and shots by F. Vodka, the elixir of fashion.

We danced away the evening until the early hours and enjoyed every minute of the night and the company of so many wonderful and fashionable people. And I literally went home without any shoes, just like Cinderella.

Kate Newman.