London Fashion Week is a whirlwind of front rows, designer clothes, celebrities, champagne and chauffeurs for all attendees, right? Apparently not. We chatted to fashion week regulars from four different sectors of the industry to find out to find out how they got on at the Autumn/Winter 2011 shows in February. Who got to meet the designers backstage? Who was on the look out for clothes for their celebrity clients? Who wanted to ‘capture the zeitgeist’? And who started planning their fashion week outfits three months in advance? A stylist, a buyer, a fashion editor and a blogger describe a day in their life at London Fashion Week.

Imogen: shamelessly snapping front row

Imogen Fox – Deputy Fashion Editor at The Guardian

How does a typical day start at London Fashion Week?

I’d normally be at the first show location by about 9am. I was very happy if that was the Topshop venue because they were doing amazing breakfasts. On the Monday I had a miniature banana yoghurt pot, a muffin and a cappuccino.

How do you travel between shows?

The British Fashion Council very kindly provided us with a car which we were sharing with the Editor in Chief of Tank magazine.

What were your favourite shows on Monday?

I’d say Christopher Kane was my favourite, which is the hot ticket of the week really. I loved the venue and thought the show was beautiful. I liked it better than the neon last season and all the best models were there. After the show we went back stage to speak to Christopher. He was talking about sodastreams and other references for the collection, there was a really good upbeat atmosphere. Pringle was good as well, it was in a lovely deconsecrated church, I thought it was like a British version of Chanel in a way, with really strong knitwear.

Any celebrity sightings?

At David Koma I was sitting opposite Samantha Cameron so I spent a lot of the time nosying at her. At Pringle I was in the same row as Tilda Swinton who I love, she looked beautiful. I shamelessly took a picture with my Blackberry.

Do you make a lot of extra effort with your outfits for LFW?

Definitely. I’d be such a liar if I said I didn’t. My favourite thing to wear this season was a jumpsuit from Joseph, it’s navy with gold buttons.

Did you go to any parties?

It’s sad to say I didn’t actually. When your last show of the day is half eight or 9pm and then you have to write afterwards there’s not time. And I’d just come back from New York so I was exhausted from that.

What do you think is the best thing about LFW?

It’s really nice to get right into it and completely immerse yourself in fashion. Working at a newspaper you get tied to the office quite a lot, so it’s good to be able to see what everyone is wearing now and check out the front row trends.

As a journalist, what are your aims at LFW?

It’s two things mainly. It’s about getting stories in the newspaper and on the web instantly, and blogging about the lighter side of it. But also as a team we spot things to keep on the back burner, ideas for what we might do next season.

Joel Dash: Stylist for Ms Nicki Minaj

Joel Dash – Stylist and Creative Consultant

How many shows do you go to on a typical day at London Fashion Week?

I usually have tickets for ten, but I choose the three that will cater to Nicki [Minaj – a current client of Dash’s] the best. So on Monday it was Todd Lynn, Burberry and Mark Fast.

How do you travel between shows?

I had a driver on Monday, but the rest of the time I just get cabs or the tube.

What were your favourite shows on Monday?

I loved Todd Lynn, it reminded me of Tron, there was kind of dominatrix and warrior theme. Because with a fashion show designers aren’t just putting clothes on a runway, they’re creating a character, so I want to look at how I can recreate that character for my client. Actually with Burberry there wasn’t so much a fictional tale, but they were really pretty clothes, some great coats. And my last show was Mark Fast. I think what he does is amazing, and Nicki loves his stuff. It’s been talked about a lot, but I do really like that he uses plus size models.

Did you go to any parties?

I went to a few, they’re good for networking and just having fun with friends. My favourite this season was the House of Holland party on the Friday. I chatted to Henry Holland for a while and found out that he’s a big fan of Nicki.

Any other celebrity encounters?

No, that doesn’t really bother me when I’m working. At fashion week you see people all the time who are considered fashion icons, for example I met Alexa Chung, but for me it’s about the clothes.

As a stylist, what are your aims at LFW?

Seeing what’s on the runway and getting a better understanding of the collections. Also because building relationships is so important for a stylist I try and also speak to a PR or the designers themselves.

What do you think is the best thing about LFW?

Definitely the clothes, experiencing the designer’s perspective and understanding the ideas behind the collection, that’s what I love.

And are there any downsides to LFW?

No, not really. Pretty much everything about it is a plus, from seeing the new collections on the runway to checking out the street style and the everyday application of fashion on the street.

Precocious fashion blogger Abi Marvel

Abisola Omole – The writer behind fashion blog I am Abi Marvel

Do you have to get up really early to get ready for a day at London Fashion Week?

Yep but I suck at waking up. I was almost late for Paul Costelloe at 9am, but luckily one of the security guards recognized me and let me straight in even though my ticket was with my associate inside.

How many shows do you have each day?

Friday was my busiest day, I had twelve shows.

Which were you favourites out of those?

I thought Aminaka Wilmont was amazing but Felder Felder was my favourite, hands down. I loved the blues, the feathers, and the embellished jewels on the skirts. I went backstage too so I was there for about an hour. I spoke to the girls [twin designers Daniela and Annette Felder], they were really nice – and they’re really tall.

Any celebrity sightings?

I saw Mark Ronson at the Charlie Le Mindu show, and Beth Ditto at Julian J Smith. I spoke to her and took a photo, she was so nice. I saw Twiggy too, and Diana Vickers – but I don’t really count her as a celebrity.

Do you make a lot of extra effort with your outfits for LFW?

Yeah, I definitely do. I did a post on my blog for what I wore each day so I started thinking about my outfits in December, which I realise sounds ridiculous. I started buying stuff and talking to PRs about what I was going to borrow. For example, I was allowed to borrow the Peter Pilotto ‘Kipling’ bag which is not even out yet.

Did you go to any parties?

I really should have, I was supposed to go to some, like a party at Bungalow 8, but didn’t – by the time I finish the shows, I’m just too tired.

What’s the best thing about LFW for you?

Besides of course seeing the visual spectacles that are the catwalk shows, I really like meeting people, whether it’s bloggers who live far away and you only get to see them during fashion week, or you’re sitting front row and you happen to end up talking to a fashion editor, I love things like that.

Are there any downsides?

That it isn’t big enough. It hasn’t happened to me, but I’ve seen people turned away from shows because there isn’t enough space. It’s the same with the press lounge, people end up queuing outside as there’s no room. Apparently at New York fashion week everything’s better.

Jo Hooper heads up buying at John Lewis

Jo Hooper – Head of Womenswear Buying at John Lewis

When are you busiest during London Fashion Week?

The weekend is busiest for me, but it’s nice that unlike journalists who go from New York to London to Milan to Paris, I just get to dip in for a few days, it’s great fun.

Do you make a lot of extra effort with your outfits for LFW?

Yes, because you realise you might be under scrutiny more, and you want to look like you know what’s going on in fashion. Also you might end up on TV, as I did when I was front row at Paul Costelloe. People were texting my husband asking if that was me. I think I was noticeable because I was wearing a bright coral pink Miu Miu cowl coat, with crop trousers and flats.

As a buyer, what are your aims at LFW?

Firstly we want to see the shows of the brands that we stock at John Lewis, so that’s Nicole Farhi, Jaeger and also Osman, who we do an exclusive collaboration with. We want to capture the zeitgeist for their collections for the following season. We’re always on the look out for new brands too, and we want to get an overall feel for the season. You have to be like a sponge and absorb everything. Also it’s important as a department store that we talk to journalists, for instance we bumped into the team from the Times and took them for a glass of wine.

Which shows did you like the best?

They were all fabulous in their own ways. Osman had some really elegant commercial pieces. Clements Ribeiro was great on colour. But Alice Temperley was the real knock out, it was in the British Museum which was a fantastic location and the collection was very feminine and beautiful.

Did you go to any parties?

I went to the Club Monaco party at the Royal Academy, which was a fantastic venue, and drank a few top many Moscow mules!

Any celebrity sightings?

I saw Samantha Cameron, she looked fantastic. I think she looks approachable, and people look at her style and think ‘I could do that.’ Also Tracey Emin and Lou Doillon were at the Club Monaco party.

What’s the best thing about LFW for you?

The best thing for me is that you get to see fashion in its purest form. We all have to wear clothes everyday, but catwalk shows are so theatrical and gorgeous, they really capture a moment.

Are there any downsides to LFW?

That it gets so busy, with people getting anxious about where they’re sitting, whether they’re front row or not, jostling for position. I like that I only have to dip in to that and then return to my world which is much more practical.