Catwalk Queen's fashion week intern, Pui-Tien Man, writes...
...and the dynamic duo are back! Yes, intern Kim has returned to the CQ fold, and together we bring you the best of London's fashion scene, as it happened on the penultimate day of London Fashion Week!
Well, that said, the majority of Thursday morning was spent uploading and typing up our Street Style pics, reliving that moment when we blurted "we LOVE what you're wearing" to unsuspecting passers-by. Before long, though, it was off to do what we do best: go to exhibitions and bring the action right to your screen...
We were packed off to meet Chris the cameraman at the Royal Academy, the venue for LFW's On|Off Exhibition for New Gen designers. We got to voxpopping the featured designers about their experiences, collections and feelings - check out the video here a little later.
One thing many of them mentioned was the relative quietness in the exhibition thus far... so once the buyers suddenly came streaming in at about 2pm, a frenzy was sparked among the designers to catch their attention. We made a hasty retreat for a quick lunch in Piccadilly Circus to avoid the storm.
Back in the exhibition, we interviewed a few more designers and browsed Richard Sorger's heavily sequinned collection before Chris had to dash off to work his editing magic. We opted to stay in the On|Off Exhibition and see what we could pick out to show you all.
The first thing you see 
when walking into the first exhibition room are four sinewy mannekins, donning some absolutely spellbinding deconstructed outfits. The modelled pieces include a nude-coloured gown with feathered train, and a showgirl ensemble complete with feathered top hat, fitted suit jacket and texturally distressed tutu, all showcased by up-and-coming designer Reem. Inspired, we flicked though her display rack. Heavy use of lace and an intriguing mix of antique and new fabrics was rife in her collection, although we were slightly alarmed by her penchant for using broken bald dolls' heads on some pieces. Spooky.
Her collection was certainly a highlight of the exhibition, with its highly intricate detailing and often surprising clash of textiles. One item that caught our attention was her 'Antique Leather Glove Collar', which is just what it sounds like: a bib, made solely out of soft ivory leather gloves. Pui-Tien had just put it on to model when another sculptural piece piqued her curiosity: a highly dramatic fur coat, accented with strings of beads, and tied with a black ribbon. The coat is expected to retail at around £2,000, while the collar will be £450, but we definitely wouldn't wear them out together, as in the pic - unless you're going for a kooky "Cruella de Ville" kind of look.
Kim's pick of the day was a double-breasted jacket by Sandrine Philippe who, like Reem, boasted a selection primarily featuring light or neutral colours. The outer fabric of organza silk forms a sheer outer layer over lilac wool, which gives the jacket an slightly disorientating inside-out feel. The tie-front ensures a flattering fit that highlights the waist. The jacket, £500, also comes in other colours, but we liked the dusky lilac hue of this sample, which fits neatly into the current season's obsession with pastels.
Despite being mesmerised by Reem's collection, it was a single, immensely wearable dress by Christoforos Kotentos that became Pui-Tien's definitive pick of the day. First spotted by eagle-eyed Kim, the 'Nikita' dress may be somberly coloured, but the style is far from boring: back at Shiny Towers, we got some comments comparing the look to Kylie's infamous risqué hooded outfit! The beauty of the dress is all in the details: from the metalwork on the zip to the flattering runches of the front piece and the streamlining of the hood; the material was of a satisfying winter wooliness that gave a feeling Pui-Tien can only describe as "substantial" when worn: simple enough for everyday wear (although we would certainly baulk at wearing a £750 when randomly out and about!) Pui-Tien loves the dress though, and is now desperate for more affordable versions of hooded dresses on the high street.
By the time we had glugged down as much of the free Fiji water as we could stomach, and watched bemusedly as a presenter chatted up Richard Sorger's mannequin for the camera, we were well overdue for our return trip to the office. 
We bumped into Kim and Iso on the way back; their busy schedules meant they had a spare show ticket for us to report on; score! But until the 7pm start, it was back to Shiny Towers for some typing-up and some surprises (including cake for Valentines Day, and maybe the surprise arrival of flowers for someone on the Fashion Team? We're not telling who!)
Check back for our final installment of LFW coverage, intern-style, for details on the night's events...
