London Fashion Week, which opened on Saturday and runs until Thursday may follow New York as night follows day in the fashion season, but the two cities are worlds apart.
New York's polished commercialism, with established names always dominating, contrasts with the platforms and publicity given to young designers in London.
Although there are significantly fewer ramp shows than last season, and more designers defecting to lucrative selling pastures in New York or Paris, a number of younger London designers are using less expensive alternatives to the catwalk to display their collections to press and buyers.
Along with the collapse of the Elite model agency in New York, it signifies a change. Some are producing books or showing photos on the Internet, while others are opting for slide-show supports or "real people" as models.
Joanne Hynes from Dublin, one of only a handful of Irish exhibitors, is presenting her autumn/winter collection as a film called Porcelain in Soho tomorrow. Buyers, however, are playing safe. These are uncertain times in the industry.
"I am looking for clean lines," said one Dublin buyer. "I don't want a book of instructions to go with the clothes."
Nonetheless, the week got off to a cracking start with two very confident and vibrant shows from catwalk stalwarts, Ronit Zilka and John Rocha.
At Zilka's show models, with massive Afro wigs reminiscent of the rock musical Hair and knee-high socks, stumbled out in a blaze of colour and vintage brown and orange prints that recalled those of Foale & Tuffin in the 1970s.
Tweed coats with big buttons worn with long chiffon skirts had a touch of wearable eccentricity about them, and she made great play of bright red or blue fake fur gilets worn over kick-pleated tweed minis.
Capes and ponchos - recurring themes - came in glitter crochet or flattering black lace. Zilka's love of vintage and ability to mix tailoring seductively with feminine fabrics is her strength. In the middle of strawberry striped knits, cobwebby gold lace and floor hugging velvet opera coats, a lean grey pinstripe trouser suit seemed like a period piece.
John Rocha's show, held in Claridges, was a captivating mix of stateliness and sexiness, combining a certain Victorian formality with teasing boudoir touches. Making little concession to colour, it was mainly black with his characteristic emphasis on handwork and craft detail like crochet and embroidery, and what little colour there was came in delicate "forest" or the currently fashionable "nude" shades.
Short, full skirts flicked out over sexy, high black stockings that showed a bit of thigh, while longer skirts were topped with sheer, see-through hoodies.
Totally in command of the trench coat, he hung ropes of tiny crystals from epaulettes, tucked big bows at the neck, edged others with mink or ragged seams and gave full play to handsome black sparkle coats that made every woman in the audience sigh with desire.
Swing coats, jackets with caped sleeves, off-the-shoulder elegant dresses and big knitted coats with highwayman collars married innovation with sound commercial sense. This collection is a winner.