Richard Nicoll’s A/W 09 was the most somber show I have been to this week. I know I keep on mentioning the recession but it seems relevant at LFW’s Caligulian wealth orgy and I think Nicoll’s approach was one of the few which actually seemed to take the mood of day onboard. He used greys, blacks and creams in a variety of fabrics and was never pompous. The soundtrack was classical and confident and not as wildly optimistic as everyone else’s. It seemed that there was a weird clinical vibe in the whole space, even on people’s faces; but maybe I was just tweaking on free Red Bull.

Nicoll collects celebrity fans including Chloe Sevigny, Christina Ricci and, of course, London’s indie princess, Alexa Chung – who I caught up with briefly back stage.

Vice: Oh hi TV’s Alexa Chung, how are you? What do you think of Richard Nicoll?
Alexa Chung: I’m good thank you! I really liked it. I have to report it for Harper’s so I’ve just been drawing all of this stuff. I think the shapes were quite simple, although I think in terms of stuff I would actually wear I like the see-through Mac situation. There was like a two-piece suit and gold shirt that was really nice, other than I think it’s quite feminine for me.

So quite a lot of designers this week have been really “forward thinking” in regards to an optimistic response to the recession… This show was pretty somber though.
Oh so I haven’t actually been to any other shows, do you mean in terms of people in the audience or?

No, I mean designs.
Oh, er… I guess. I think that this show was quite nun-like, kind of pilgrim with a stray eighties vibe.

I was getting clinical vibes.
Yes…

Big plans this fashion week?
I can only go to shows today and tomorrow. I am filming with Grim next week. I am going to Aquascutum, PPQ, er, Louise Goldin… y’know, all those guys. Oh, and Henry Holland.

Good choices.

ALISON SEVERS