My fashion week has not been glamourous. It has been anything but. The thing it has had is oodles of talent in every shape and form - but we will never have Alexandra Shulman of British Vogue holding court at the Ritz. She is a lovely intellectual working woman . A very hard worker indeed. So is Lucy Yeoman's of Harpers Bazaar. And while she gives incredible parties through the year - a few of which I have been invited to - they can't compare with the excesses of Paris. The red carpet is a difficult affair here unless you want a private dinner in some hidden dining room. Personally I like fashion shows hidden away, like Erdem's in a garden, but this is not always possible, the volume of traffic and timings always being so tricky. Quite a few I missed this season because of the traffic, but Somerset House is a convenient, beautiful place. So we are lucky.

Last night I went to Elizabeth Emanuel to see her new show. (A big crush of fans and singer Jimmy Demmers. Lots of people there to welcome her.) But I did not manage to see the show. I had to be at Issa. Then of course, because of going to Elizabeth's, I missed Issa. Still, I caught the Biba party at Homes House - ate their chocolates and saw the dresses - before going to the Jean Loup Sief exhibiton at Hamiltons which I loved. His photographs of nudes are some of the best. Next, Momo's - too early, but I had fun talking to Lara Bohinc, a stunning girl, who does wonderful bags and jewellery. So stunning actually that one was stolen from me from off the back of my bedroom door last year. I then suddenly remembered Detmar Blow's opening at Annabel's for his new book on Isabella, Blow by Blow. He was sitting down to dinner when I arrived. Yikes, one of those days..

Anyway here goes, I like Issa. I like them because they are real clothes for real woman, of course with big boats too, but you feel that you could slip them on, on thin and fat days. She also is able to get celebrities to her shows this time Lilly Allen with a bump.
From Brazil she is one of their major flagships, and very loyal to Great Britain. Thank you.

Elizabeth Emanuel I am so pleased for. After many struggles and huge amount of optimism she is back on form again happy with the girls creating little black dresses for us. I am so sorry I did not see her show. I was there with her. It was a nightmare of a day.