When House of Holland proposed the return of big shoulders for autumn/winter 2009 at London Fashion Week, it did so with a little help from catwalk darling Agyness Deyn. The model strode out wearing a boxy mint green blazer by the label's founder Henry Holland, a friend from her youth in Lancashire.
Predictably, the palette explored by the designer - who's famed for his one-liner slogan tees - was not for the faint-hearted. Jackets, shift dresses and wide-leg trousers came in bling hues of turquoise, pink and purple, all accentuated by being offset by white detailing.
The 25-year-old's admirers, including Pixie and Peaches Geldof, cheered with approval throughout the show, which was held in luxe London eaterie Quaglino's.
Shoulders were also big news on the runway of Peter Pilotto, the cosmopolitan label formed by half Austrian half Italian Peter Pilotto and his Belgian/Peruvian partner Christopher de Voss. The pair, who were showing for the second time at London Fashion Week, added epaulettes to their body-skimming dresses, and then extra detailing in the form of crystals.
Afghan-born Londoner Osman Yousefzada had been playing with silhouettes, too. From the front his futuristic garments looked tightly fitted, yet flared out elegantly at the back.
Meanwhile Bora Aksu, a Turkish designer based in the capital, offered goth-inspired cocktail dresses, consisting of sheer bodies with silk skirts for a naughty-but-nice effect.
Singapore's Ashley Isham seemed to have designed with the Dubai super rich in mind. His goddess gown affairs in jersey and organza were rolled out before an appreciative audience, among them Tess Daly and model Erin O' Connor. Although she's five months pregnant, Strictly hostess Tess kept up with the fashionistas in trendy ankle boots and a 'bandage' dress that was a steal at £65.