Matthew Williamson's party frocks

Loved Matthew Williamson's party frocks, but parkas left me cold (and oh, for a can of paint to throw on Rachel Zoe's fur)

By Liz Jones

Showing in the turbine hall at Tate Modern, the first time the museum has allowed a fashion show, the front row at Matthew Williamson filled up slowly: Plum Sykes; Samantha Cameron's sister Emily Sheffield (also on here was the Miro exhibition; most guests at the show thought Joan was a woman).

Guests found the extreme slope down to the entrance challenging in high shoes. The gift - for front row only - was LadurĂ©e macarĂ³ns: wasted on these folk.

The collection? Slub silk separates either draped or simple; evening wear silk columns in saffron, red, canary, cut-out lace and sequins.

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Front row: Sienna Miller attended the Matthew Williamson show with mother Josephine, left, and greeted U.S. Vogue editor Anna Wintour, right, who criticised Sienna's teeth and hair on a cover of the magazine

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Luxe, but not boho: The collection included slub silk separates either draped or simple and evening wear silk columns in saffron, red and canary, and neon prints,
a Matthew Williamson trademark


Ostrich feathers too, and lots of neon prints, a Matthew Williamson trademark. He is the designer, remember, whose mantra is more is not enough.

He also gave us luxe boho chic, beloved of the Primrose Hill set (Sienna Miller sat entranced front row; there was an awkward moment when she greeted Anna Wintour, who you remember criticised her teeth and hair on a Vogue cover), but happily he has matured from that.

I loved the orange cashmere jacket with spangled pockets, the pink tux, the fringed bags, and the silver sequin and feathers cocktail (hot models Dree Hemingway and Anja Rubik walked).

I liked less the parkas and military wear: he should stick to what he does best: clothes to party in.

We can dream about these clothes or, soon, buy the diffusion label MW, which at first glimpse has lost nothing in translation (we will review MW in the next few days).

BTW, Rachel Zoe was front row in a real fox jacket. Oh, for a can of red paint.

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Fringing and sequins, cut lace on silk: Matthew Williamson played to his strengths

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Show girls: Fringing, sequins and cut lace; neon prints on single-shouldered

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Show man: Matthew Williamson, on the catwalk following his show at the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall; his military wear Liz cold