London fashion week

It seems that just as London Fashion Week (above) approaches, it promptly struts past, awarding only the lucky few with more than a brief glimpse of the silks and satins of the designer world. If you can't bluff your way onto a show's guest-list this week, there is still hope. From Friday until next Sunday, the public can see 50-minute catwalk shows previewing some of the spring/summer 1999 collections of, among others, Amanda Wakeley, Ally Capellino, Ben de Lisi, Lainey Keogh, Michiko Koshino and Red or Dead. There will also be a chance to shop at what is hailed as "London's largest designer sale", with clothes and accessories at up to 70 per cent discount. Held in the grounds of the Natural History Museum, this is your chance to get a sneak preview of what's in store for next season.

Natural History Museum, London SW7. Tickets: 0171-413 1700. Catwalk and sale: pounds 17.50- pounds 25, shows every two hours, 6pm-8pm Fri; sale only pounds 5, open 5pm-10pm Fri

Beatrice Hodgkin