london calling.(fashion design)(Column)

Byline: Anna Wintour

This issue celebrates the unique spirit of contemporary British fashion-and on May 1, so does the Costume Institute with its show "AngloMania." Getting into the spirit of things, in February I spent five exhilarating days in London for British Fashion Week. Here is my diary.

Tuesday_14th Escape New York's heaviest-ever snowstorm and drop in on Luciano in Mayfair, where I'm cohosting a Vogue party with Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue, on Friday. The restaurant seems to have only just survived Sienna Miller's Casanova party, which may be auspicious for the Met Ball, of which Miller is a chairperson. Then it's straight off to Camden Town to watch a brilliantly kooky ukulele orchestra do its version of Isaac Hayes's theme from Shaft. Hamish Bowles thinks these strummers would be perfect for the Met. As usual, he's outlandishly right.

Wednesday_15th Go to shows. Paul Smith:

lots of polka dots, which is good, because Vogue has just shot Keira Knightley in dots for our May issue. Aquascutum: Love the update of the classic coat. At Preen, I run into Philip Green, London's answer to Donald Trump, who there and then buys a table at the Met in support of British fashion. At Gareth Pugh, I see Mugler, Montana, and McQueen in the designs. It's fun and eccentric and wonderfully English, as is Janet Street-Porter, who sits next to me and tells about her forthcoming memoir of London in the sixties and seventies. Once, she was spat at for wearing denim dungarees at a Balenciaga couture show. I am most sympathetic.

Thursday_16th Chat about Chatsworth with Duke of Devonshire, honorary chairperson of the Met Ball. Slightly amazed to learn that only 5 percent of visitors to Chatsworth, the most stunning house, are American. Confab about fabulous

color prints (more dots!) with Giles Deacon, yet another young London talent, then make a quick visit to S. J. Phillips and fall in love with a vintage Cartier pendant of a sapphire seahorse set in an aquamarine stone. At Jasper Conran's show (suits, tweeds), see Mary Quant front row. Lunch with Phoebe Philo is fun. Discuss her next move. Tell her we need her back, pronto. Tea with Alexander McQueen, who's thinking of showing his McQ line in London. Great news.