Catwalk

London

The vibe: eccentric, eclectic with a huge dose of Great British wit.

London is a hub of creative talent and many start out here before achieving global stardom in New York, Paris or Milan (think John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Luella Bartley - who's now back in London.)

Where to stay:

Claridges on Brook street is where Donatella Versace stays when she's in town, while The Dorchester just around the corner is Kate Moss' regular home from home. But for something less grand, but just as luxurious The Covent Garden Hotel is ELLE's pick. Plus, everyone from Hilary Swank to Amy Winehouse has stayed there - upping the celeb spotting potential considerably. Another great boutique hotel, near Piccadilly Circus, is The Haymarket, which boasts a spectacular 60ft indoor swimming pool.

Where to eat:

Head east towards Hackney for Bistrotheque's cool French simple cuisine, a hot spot with fashion's achingly hip East End fashion crowd, or enjoy a pint of Guinness with traditional English fish and chips at nearby Shoreditch House - the East London outpost of the famous members club Soho House.
Joel Robuchon's L'Atelier restaurant in Covent Garden fuses French and Spanish cuisine with a Japanese aesthetic - quite an achievement, while Scott's of Mayfair, with its futuristic oyster bar, is the place to be seen for lunch.

Where to go out:

If you want to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, head straight to Boujis, the legendary South Kensington hang out where Prince William and Kate Middleton are regularly spotted or Bungalow 8 (where London's it-designers Gareth Pugh and Christopher Kane threw their after show parties last year). Both are firm favorites during London Fashion week, as is Punk in Soho, decorated with oversized bespoke Mapplethorpe flower prints it's owned by Kate Moss' friend - who lent her the whole place for her now legendary 34th birthday party.

The Covent Garden Hotel

Elle's pick

Punk

Soho

Bistrotheque

Hackney

Drink:
Gin and Tonic - it's better here than anywhere else in the world, (try Hendricks gin or Tanqueray Ten) or anything on the top floor of Shoreditch House in east London, which boasts London's only outdoor swimming pool and panoramic views.

Kat Moss' Collection

Topshop

Dover Street Market

Future fashion stars

The look:

As eclectic, and edgy as it gets; think of Agyness Deyn's rock and roll wardrobe fused with Sienna Miller's boho vibe, Kate Moss's vintage/high street trend blend and Lily Allen's prom-punk styling.

Where to Shop:

Head to Oxford Circus for high-street finds from Topshop including Kate Moss' collection, Marks and Spencer for Britain's beloved basic lingerie, as well as higher end collections at Jaeger, Jane Shepherdson's recently relaunched Whistles, and Reiss. Both Portobello Road Market and Brick Lane are unmissable for vintage finds, while Browns and Dover Street Market are the boutiques for finding new designers and future fashion stars. Also worth visiting is The Shop at Bluebird on the King's Road, for Richard Nicoll's shirt dresses, Erdem's quirky prints and Repetto ballerinas, while Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill is home to Sienna and Savannah Miller's first ever Twenty8Twelve boutique.

Don't leave without:

A visit to Anya Hindmarch's Bond Street store for the fashion editor's handbags of choice; or a stop at no-one on Shoreditch high street for hip one-off finds. A trolly dash around Topshop's flagship store is a must for all visitors.