Kate Middleton has too many outfits - Westwood

FASHION icon Dame Vivienne Westwood has called on the Duchess of Cambridge to stop buying so many different outfits and instead make more of an effort to be environmentally friendly.

Speaking before her London Fashion Week showcase at the Saatchi Gallery yesterday, Dame Vivienne said that when Kate goes to so much effort to get an outfit that looks good, she should wear it more often.

The designer, who believes in quality over quantity, said she disapproves of Kate’s expansive wardrobe.

“I don’t have any advice to her, except I think it would be great if she wore the same clothes over and again, because that’s very good for the environment and it would send out a very nice message,” she said.

“If you’re going to all that trouble to get an outfit that suits you, then you should keep on wearing it. I mean you don’t have to have a red outfit one day and then something almost the same in blue the next.”

Westwood’s Red Label collection was one of the highlights of day three of London Fashion Week, which sees designers showcasing their autumn/winter 2013-14 collections. With 57 collections being shown over five days as well as numerous fringe events and off-schedule shows taking place, the event is a celebration of all that British fashion has to offer, from emerging student talent to young, hip designers and established British brands.

Yesterday saw a little bit of everything. L’Wren Scott, whose partner Mick Jagger sat in the front row, has previously shown her collections in New York and Paris, and the high-profile designer’s decision to showcase her work in the UK for the first time this season is a coup for London. The fashion capital has traditionally been viewed as the rebellious younger sister of the four big fashion weeks, but is increasingly proving its worth as a powerhouse in its own right.

Other highlights of day three included Mary Katrantzou and Matthew Williamson, while the Scots design contingent remained as strong as ever. Jonathan Saunders’s collection was one of the most buzzed-about shows of the day as was Edinburgh ­designer Holly Fulton’s.

Her punky designs were black, white and red all over and – taking her inspiration from DIY fanzines – her girls wore heavy make-up and lashings of leather teamed with big digital prints. They even had fake “gaps” painted between their two front teeth.

The British high street gave the world of high fashion a run for its money too. At Topshop Unique, models’ bags came with concealed cameras so that those watching at home could get a model’s eye view of the proceedings, while the inaugural ­Whistles show – an intimate, salon-style affair – set Twitter aflutter with its simple, wearable and affordable pieces.

The biggest show of the day, however, was undoubtedly Mulberry which traditionally vies with Burberry for the starriest production of the whole week. Originally a luxury leather goods company, Mulberry – which celebrated its 40th birthday last year – has evolved to include a strong catwalk collection and found its stride on that front a couple of seasons back. While handbags remain at its core, the brand has recently managed to establish itself as fashion house with a holistic approach.

Guests arrived at Claridge’s Ballroom for yesterday morning’s show, fighting through a pack of photographers waiting for the arrival of fashion’s gang of “it” kids. Making their way through rooms decked out with enormous blue butterflies, Alexa Chung was joined by actors Juno Temple, Douglas Booth and Vanessa Kirby, while musician Lana Del Ray carried a bag created especially for her by Mulberry.

Fashion royalty was out in force, too, with Anna Wintour – the ultimate fashion seal of approval – sitting in the front row. Mulberry is a decidedly British brand which plays on its English heritage roots and its collection for AW13 was no different. Designer Emma Hill took inspiration from the earthy colours of the English countryside with sombre floral prints and ladybird motifs.

Her muse, however, was a city girl at heart; models wore swishy leather skater skirts with matching capes, armpit-length gloves and four-inch chunky platform heels. Trousers were wide and cropped and often worn with a flouncy skirt over the top of them, while plaid mohair jackets were roomy and swinky and came with upturned sheepskin collars.

A palette of oxblood, navy, mustard and moss was decidedly autumnal, while daywear took on an evening slant with simple tops and dresses finished with glittering sequins in an oversized tartan pattern.

The show’s finale saw Hill taking a bow to the patriotic strains of Rule Britannia, a fitting tribute to London’s increasingly influential role in the international fashion scene.