Catwalk Queen's fashion week intern, Pui-Tien Man, writes...

Rush rush... Weds morning was spent dashing around trying to find a USB cable to fit our camera (I must have trampled around half of Central London!), so it was a rather dazed and flustered little intern who turned up at the LFW tents at noon. See, it's not all glamour and high fashion this week!

Yes, it's just me today (sorry). Unfortunately Kim was ill and couldn't make it in... the chaos of fashion week really isn't the best place for anyone under the weather. Get well soon, Kim! I wasn't totally alone though; this afternoon I got the Shiny cameraman all to myself, and we were set on causing mischief in the LFW world...

We tried to interview show-goers outside the Vauxhall Fashion Scout venue and outside the BFC tents (where the main catwalk shows take place), but everyone was surprisingly camera-shy. I thought fashion was full of flamboyant, outgoing people... guess not!

Knocked back but not discouraged - far from it! - we staked out the exhibition tent and set upon unsuspecting LFW workers for a neat cross-section of life during this hectic time. From bar staff to designers (and their proud mums!), from LFW's 'Rubbish' mag editors to the New Gen pub landlord, we've tried to delve into the other side of LFW, interviewing those behind the glitz, who make it all possible. Check out voxpop video #1 here...

Show-goers must always look their best, ready to be snapped (maybe by us, for our Street Style posts?)... Toni and Guy are sponsors of this year's LFW, and have set up their own little salon inside the exhibition. In the name of research (of course!) I decided to see what magic they could weave on my lacklustre locks, and had the experience filmed for you all to enjoy! Watch my (probably terrible) first go at solo presenting to camera a bit later, when it's up. I confess that I'm never too cut-up about haircuts going wrong (my motto is "meh, hair grows"), but I knew I was in good hands with the stylist Julia, who has been cutting hair with T&G for the last eight years. Sure enough, I left with a smile and a newly bouyant barnet.


Chris, our cameraman, had to return to Shiny Towers edit the morning's videos, so I took my last chance to wander the exhibition tent before it closes later today. It was my final opportunity to choose my picks of the day, but there was so many pieces I loved! But what better encapsulates our own style capital than this 'Tube' headpiece, by Stephen Jones Millinery? A mass of colourful tube lines encircle the head, with the idiosyncratic Underground sign cocked cheekily on the side; its irreverance is irristable, and I just had to put it on. What can I say; showing off is an unavoidable side-effect of having this beauty on your head...


I'm covering style from head to toe today, so up next are some boots designed by Meher Kakalia. All the footwear in her collection are extremely tactile; I particularly liked the soft leather Wrap Boot, with its embroidered buttons (which has apparently been catching the particular attention of the Japanese press), and the 'Marlena' boot, where the severe military style is contrasted with embroidered roses. I can see it giving a quirky slant to so many outfits. They are flat-soled, though; this naturally ensures über-comfort, but being only a tiny thing, I'm more inclined towards heels myself.


Lunch today was had in the LFW Café downstairs - I suppose a mark of high fashion is the amount of green on offer for lunch (choose between lasagne and salad, quiche and salad, or salad and salad). I sat with a lovely bloke working at the front desk issuing passes today, and we gossiped about fashion 'types' and snobby "do you know who I am?!" editors (Him: "No, not really. From where? Not heard of that either") before he had to go back to work.

Stopping to coo at Nicholas Kirkwood's angled platforms (I've been a fan for yonks, despite never before seeing his designs in person!), I became an impromptu shoe-model for Nick himself... I asked whether I could try on a shoe for a photo, and Christopher (who was manning the display) called him over from the bar and asked me if I would try them all on, one at a time ("We've never seen them on anyone yet", he explained sheepishly). Of course I was more than happy to oblige! They studied and prodded at the shoes on my feet ("this sticks out a bit. Maybe that can be changed") It's easy to forget just how much work goes into each piece so lovingly displayed at these shows, and that designs are constantly being improved and developed. Christopher also gave me an insight into manufacturing shoe samples, and spoke of the complexity in getting the right balance between aesthetics and fit. Yet the finished (or nearly-finished?) result is a work of art; I loved the jewel tones and intricate textural accents of the shoes, and can't wait to see the full collection to be shown in Paris.


Actually, d'you know what else I discovered today? Fridges full of free Red Bull cans in the Press Room! Doesn't that just give you the definitive proof about how crazy it gets? Speaking of which, how time had flown... it was already past four, barely enough time to rush back to Shiny Towers and upload everything, stopping a few times on the way to snap some cool Street Style pictures. And it's time to bid farewell to the Exhibition (ah, my home for the past 3 days!) as their doors close for the final time... what might the last 2 days of Fashion Week bring?