ALL TO LONDON AT HIS FEET

       British designer Matthew Williamson made his hotly anticipated return to London Fashion Week on September 6, injecting some serious glamour into the event as it celebrated its 25th anniversary.
       His spring-summer 2010 collection was typically colourful, ranging from grey to florescent pink and enhanced by intricate beading, metallic fabrics and shards of mirrors that created a strong, sexy, sophisticated look.
       After years of showing in New York, the return of the Manchester-born designer caused huge excitement in London - even if it still isn't clear whether this heralds a new commitment to the city that made his name.
       "It's great that he's coming back to London," his friend Twiggy said ahead of the show. "I wish they would all come back to London - that's where they originated, that's where they trained."
       "I love him," the celebrated 1960s model said of Williamson. "He's gorgeous. I think his clothes are wonderful because they're so feminine, and I love his bright colours.
       "Often fashion shows are all black and grey and cream, and then you come to Matthew and it's like, 'Ooh!'"
       Williamso is one of a number of big designers back for the 25th anniversary celebrations, others being Antonio Berardi, Pringle of Scotland, Burberry Prorsum and Jonathan Saunders.
       Their presence was a major boost for the six-day event, which has in the past struggled to be heard among the fashion-week big guns of Paris, New York and Milan.
       The London week saw some magical shows, notably from Italian-born Kinder Aggugini, who built on years of designing for Versace, John Galliano and Calvin Klein to create a truly beautiful solo collection.
       But the attraction of having a designer like Williamson, who counts Sienna Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Moss among his clients, was undeniable.
       And he didn't disappoint this month, kick-starting his show with a beaded metallic linen dress matched with a stone leather jacket, followed by a gold beaded jacket and high-waist, metallic shorts.
       The metallic theme dominated, with his crushed metallic skirts married with bodies adorned with shards of mirrors, and a crushed metallic parka over a silk chiffon shirt- bold outfits for strong women.
       And there were jewels everywhere, from black beaded hotpants paired with a brightly printed swimsuit to intricate green and stone-beaded cocktail dresses, and a soft grey leather jacket with gold beads on the shoulders.
       "I liked the way he moved forward from that sort of boho [bohemian] look to a much more body conscious, more sophisticated but still very sexy look," said Daily Telegraph fashion editor Hilary Alexander.
       "A lot of it was inspired by sea urchins, hence all that rather spiky embroidery. I thought the colour combinations were beautiful.
       "But this is what we want from Matthew, we want colour and excitement - and he never fails to deliver."
       Williamson was in London in 2007 for a one-off show featuring a surprise performance by pop star Prince to celebrate 10 years since he set up his design house there. But for the past seven years he's been a regular in New York.