Day One, London Fashion Week SS 2013

Nico Didonna, Christopher Ciccone,  Claudia Ligari, Massimo Casagrande, and Giulio
Mazzarini present…

Day One, London Fashion Week 2013. Snowy woke up excited in anticipation of London
Fashion Week, knowing Pandemonia had made him collars to match her new outfits.

It was P&S' first big event at the Italian Cultural Institute, for ModaitalianaLondon, and Pandemonia has chosen of the latest ensembles, including a turquoise wrap dress with contrasting white sleeves and belt, and fabulous blonde high hair that do with yellow highlights.

There, Carlo Presenti, director of the institute, told us that he had created and organised ModaitalianaLondon to bring together innovative Italian fashion and food.

He added that designer Nico Didonna was selected to launch the event with a fashion show on first floor of the institute.

Pandemonia and Snowy scaled the stairs and managed to snatch a comfortable vantage point to sit, from where they watched Nico's collection sail by on a bevy of females, from M&P models and First Model Management, punctuated every now and then by strapping lads in Nico's menswear. The show was accessorised by Christopher Ciccone's rubber footwear range and Bronzallure rose gold-plated jewellery and watches.

Post show, Pandemonia and Snowy chatted with Christopher Ciccone, who confessed that "Nico's show is my first global runway show."

P&S fluttered through the crowd to Norwegian fashion designer Nina Naustal, who said, "After seeing Nico's show in such a magnificent location, I now want do my own London runway show next season, instead of holding parties in my Walton Street store, and I want you both to be there"
Pandemonia and Snowy, of course, accepted her invitation immediately.

P&S then headed downstairs arm in arm with forensic accountant whizz Julia Wallace-Walker to explore the ground level that housed the work of six Italian creatives for the last three days.

Claudia Ligari and Carlotta Gherzi gave P&S a tour, with fashion designer Claudia explaining her minimalist approach to the women's collection and capsule of menswear.

Carlotta, the ever-talented designer, who, using her own signature prints, created My Love My  Leggings—a brand that includes products made out of the best-quality stretch fabrics and bursting with multiple colour variations. Pandemonia responded: "I love colour!"

P&S were handed over to the men of the hour: Massimo Casagrande and
Antonello Tedde.

Massimo walked them through his collection of crisp, white shirts for guys that consisted of
architecturally constructed shirts with simple graphic detailing outlined in grey or black.

Then, we approached Antonello, who fanned over his collection of luxury, ethical handbags that have been made out of yarns and dyes extracted from indigenous fauna and then manufactured using traditional looms in Sardinia.

Photographer Giulio Mazzarini and fashion designer Eva Cammarata were next to have the pleasure of P&S's company.

Snowy was more than impressed with Giulio's work, some of which has graced the chic pages of magazines such as Marie Claire, Vanity Fair Italia, Elle Italia. Today, however, Giulio's images spanned from fashion over to reportage.

Eva was on fine form as she explained the two-part story behind her upbeat and colourful
collection. One part is knitwear, exhibiting pictorial images, and the other is tailored garments. Both of
these two collections were pulled together using ethical, organic cotton and silk.

In the evening... Photo/copy Stephen Mahoney

Vogue Italia's presentation, The Italian Cultural Institute

Extract from Pandemonia Front Row Report


By midday, the following day, Pandemonia and Snowy were in need of sustenance, so they rendezvoused with Cristina Polizzi, Shelley Pick and 55 TV crew at Cafe Bar, 136 Strand, WC2R 1HH. 





While sipping a cup of tea, P&S were pleasantly distracted by luxury fashion designer Nadja Solovieva. Nadja said "I'm delighted to find someone who as tall as me and snuggled up to P. 

Fortified, P&S made it to The Italian Cultural Institute, for Vogue Italia's presentation, of up-and-coming young professionals.

The first of this new breed of fashion designers exhibiting, Pandemonia and Snowy encountered, were Antonio Romano and Francesco Alagna from the label "Come for Breakfast".  Their collection of separates for guys/girls, was in spiderweb lightweight knitwear, double wool crepe, silk organza and the prints-that were inspired by urban street life and billboards. Surrounded by all of these tactile, soft fabric's, Snowy wanted to immerse himself in them & have a snooze.



Over at the next show space was for Tomaso Anfossi and Francesco Ferrari, the faces behind Co|Te. For P&S, their tale, was of clean cuts, simple shapes, in sky blues, stark whites, vivid orange and dove grey and T&A sleeveless shirt dress with a ballon print, was lovely, but Pandemonia surmised this collection was more suited for Mediterranean cruise, than tramping Camden Town in A/W. 



Pandemonia and Snowy were then drawn to the lively stand of Caterina Gatta, the Rome based designer. Caterina spends her days, sourcing vintage colourful designer fabric's from Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, etc and turns these redundant textiles into her fashion statement garments.  And what bold ones they were, almost as bold as Ms Gatta, who once she got he mitts on Snowy, she fell under his spell. 



So much so, that Pandemonia had to prize Snowy away Ms G and then resume tagging along the trail of Director of Vogue Italia Franca Sozzani. Franca looked equally surprised to find them there, since, at this moment in time, most of London's style figures were racing to the Burberry Prosum show.



From one fashion icon, to two of the best, and Pandemonia & Snowy favourite's, Martine Hadida and her daughter, owners of of l'eclaireur, one of the finest fashion/lifestyle store group's in Paris. After giving P&S a squeeze and air kiss, the Hadida's were off, like bats out of hell, to their next appointment. 



Another of P&S pals taking in the Italian show, was Israeli socialite Hofit Golan. Pandemonia was in deep conversation with Ms Golan and about to quiz her on what fabulous dress she was going to wear to Elton John's Oscar 2012 party.

P was interrupted, when Snowy got harmless bump, by "A-Lab label" model, as she forged her way through the assembled crowd, back to her stand and A-Lab designers Alessandro Biasi and Simona Betterelli.  



P&S thread was lost and they headed to see designer Nicholas Julitta. Old Nick, is known for his experiments, in morphing into coats, bomber jackets, clothing and knitwear items, made out of padded Nylon and polyester, wool and cotton, that he fades to black and orange, that Mr Julitta thinks, work like "organic" surface.  Snowy pulled away, when NJ eye fixed on his old dog collar, fearing might be commandeered and wind up in his next recycled collection.

As P&S ambled by Salar stand, the designers Francesca Monaco and Salar Bicheranloo, who were captivated by Shelley Pick from the New York Fashion Calendar. Shelley was angling to purchase one of Salar luxury zip handbags, only duty called and Shelly had to give her American Express card a rest and hop it for next show.  



Pandemonia & Snowy, found their amico, Carlo Presenti, Director of The Italian Cultural Institute, to thank him for todays invite and kiss T the LA/New York Model, before high tailing it back to VFS for Prose show

To read full article Pandemonia Front Row Report