Fit to dress a goddess

Thank goodness for Sofia Kokosalaki. The Greek-born, London-based designer with a tricky-to-get-your-tongue-around name is one of the few stars at London Fashion Week who have the pulling power to bring in those all-important overseas buyers. And last night she more than justified the price of the return airfare for her pack of international admirers.

Showing in the huge factory space in Old Street, with a stark, varnished-concrete catwalk blanked by industrial chrome lights and backed by a huge mirror, this year's winner of the New Generation Designer Award at the British Style Awards sent out a collection that was modern, wearable and surprisingly sexy.

The 30-year-old designer has perfected her signature draped and artfully-pleated silk jersey dresses for her 11th collection, which looks fit for a Grecian goddess. Kokosalaki really does have her sights set on Mount Olympus - she has been commissioned to design outfits for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Athens this summer.

As well as her beautifully crafted slinky dresses, Central St Martin's graduate Kokosalaki also showed that she has great tailoring skills; sculpting supple leather into sharply-tailored jackets with intricate lacing details, and slicing strong shoulder jackets and tasselled shoulder capes out of fine wool.

Not one for using a riot of colour, she stuck to an uncompromisingly dark palette, lightened with touches of antique bronze and blush pink - sending many of her key looks out in head-to-toe black.

Though a Kokosalaki original will set you back hundreds of pounds, you can pick up a piece of her style for a fraction of the price at high street chain Top Shop, which helped sponsor last night's catwalk outing.