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School's in for Vivienne as Sienna touts London cool at fashion week

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Fittingly in London Fashion Week's 25th year the focus was as much on the veterans - Dame Vivienne Westwood, Betty Jackson and Nicole Farhi - as the newer kids on the block.

The doyenne of punk took followers back to school, casting Jo Wood as the 'headmistress' in a three-piece trouser suit and a scarlet academic robe, based on the ones she designed for King’s College in London.

Bounding onto the catwalk in six-inch heels, the 68-year-old received rapturous applause for a collection in which models paraded clothes based on tribes such as swots and goths.

There were also classic 'Vivienne' signatures aplenty, such as pirate-style musketeer boots, tartan cloaks with pointed hoods, and dresses featuring her trademark exaggerated shoulders.

Lancashire-born Betty served up angora knits in a sophisticated egg-yolk and blue palette, punched up with jazzy accessories in lilac and turquoise.

Showing at the Royal Opera House, Parisian Nicole borrowed from the Forties, mixing sheer metallic printed chiffon with embellished cashmere knitwear.

Among the memorable catwalk parades from the younger generation was that of Kinder Aggugini, who presented an exquisite update on Twenties flapper girl style, and Topshop's Unique range, which offered an intergalactic adventure of dayglo jumpsuits.

Earlier Ashish Gupta had kicked off the extravaganza with a colourful circus-themed show. The hot ticket, though, was Sienna and Savannah Miller's London Fashion Week debut with the Twenty8Twelve label. Their London cool-themed proposal for next winter includes sparkly mini-dresses and skinnyfit disco trousers that look like they've been sprayed on.

Taking their bows wearing funky belted dresses, the siblings were cheered by their three 'mothers', real mum Jo, former stepmum Kelly Hoppen and June Miller, currently married to their dad Ed.

Photo: Getty Images
Britain's high mistress of fashion was the act to follow when the curtain went up at the capital's fashion week over the weekend
Photo: Getty Images
Jo Wood provided one of the highlights in a collection that combined classroom-themes with classic 'Vivienne' staples such as tartan and pirate boots
Photo: Getty Images
Sienna and her sibling Savannah made their London Fashion Week debut with Twenty8Twelve's autumn/winter collection. The label is named after the date of the Hollywood actress' birthday

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