London Fashion Week opens for the autumn/winter 2010/11 season

By Hilary Alexander, Fashion Director at London Fashion Week Published: 11:56AM GMT 19 Feb 2010

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Harold Tillman, the chairman of the British Fashion Council, called for a minutes silence in memory of the late Lee Alexander McQueen, at the opening of London Fashion Week, at Somerset House, this morning.

Mr Tillman said: "His impact was extraordinary and he will be sorely missed."

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London Fashion Week has also put up a memorial wall for fashion press and buyers to leave messages for the much-loved designer.

London Fashion Week, for autumn/winter 2010/2011, was officially opened by the prime ministers wife, Sarah Brown, who wore a printed dress by Erdem, one of Londons brightest rising stars, accessorised with a belt made from a recycled fire-hose.

Mrs Brown said she was full of admiration and awe for the young designers who were securing British fashions future. "I am uplifted by their passion and fearless determination."

"Fashion has taken its place as one of the most dynamic parts of the creative economy."

Mrs Brown said she was hoping to attend shows by two of the Topshop-sponsored NewGen winners, the knitter, Mark Fast, and the trompe loeil print specialist, Mary Katrantzou.

"The rest Ill watch on live streaming," she said.

There are so many designers live streaming their shows from the LFW catwalks this season (more than 40), that the British Fashion Council has had to produce the worlds first digital fashion schedule.

Burberry is breaking new ground, by live streaming, in 3D, the Burberry Prorsum show on Tuesday.

MP, Ben Bradshaw, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, also attended the opening ceremony, fresh from a front-row seat at the first show on the calendar, by Paul Costelloe.

Costelloe presented a strong collection which featured short, "crinoline" skirts over stiff, canvas petticoats, in tweed and silk jacquard; blouses and dresses with leg-o-mutton sleeves; and finely-tailored riding-jackets and coats.

Mr Bradshaw was also flying the flag, in a suit by Ozwald Boateng and a shirt by Paul Smith.

This London Fashion Week features 68 catwalk shows and more than 200 labels in the companion exhibition. The event regularly boosts the capitals economy by more than £30 million, and generates more than £100 million in orders. In addition, worldwide media coverage is valued at more than £60 million.

More than 5,000 press and buyers are expected to attend, but all eyes will be on the American Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, who will attend the Burberry show. The perennially-chic editor-in-chief of French Vogue, Carine Roitfeld, visiting LFW for the first time, arrives tomorrow; along with the editor-in-chief of Vogue China, Angelica Chung.