Oh, what a (Welsh) night

She may already have acquired an older boyfriend and a cigarette habit, but last night Charlotte Church proved beyond doubt that she has passed into womanhood - by attending her first fashion show. And what better presentation for a rebellious young lady than Julien Macdonald's?

The flamboyant Welshman, best known for dressing celebrities in barely-there evening dresses, is just the designer to lend Ms Church that rock-chick air she so hankers after - even if his look may be a little too louche for Charlotte's mother.

Macdonald's really was the show that had everything. Which is just as well, as it started nearly two hours late. The guest list even rivalled his idol Donatella Versace's, with Shirley Bassey, Christina Aguilera, Joaquín Cortés, Martine McCutcheon, Patsy Palmer, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Jamie and Jools Oliver, violinist Vanessa-Mae and American singer Pink all in the front row. After much balancing on friends' knees, Atomic Kitten and Cat Deeley had to defect to the second row before the show could begin.

For those bored by celebrities drinking champagne, there was always the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals) protest to liven things up. Despite a ludicrous number of security guards manning the entrance to the venue, Camden's Roundhouse, four protesters managed to invade the catwalk brandishing anti-fur banners. This is the first show PETA has disrupted in London Fashion Week. Unlike the Americans and Italians, British designers rarely use fur in their collections but Macdonald has long worked with fox and rabbit and is unashamedly pro-fur. Last night's show was partly sponsored by Saga, one of the biggest fur manufacturers in the world.

Elizabeth Jagger was the model unlucky enough to be caught in the demo. In a cropped black fur jacket, she barely looked fazed and merely stood still until security had cleared the catwalk. Her composure drew cheers.

Apart from a raft of fox-fur jackets and coats embellished with gold zippers, Macdonald sent out his usual mix of His Eighties fixation continued with backless black dresses inset with lace panels, black lace leggings and quilted bomber jackets. Macdonald's clothing is not so much for ladies who lunch as ladies of the night.

Yet he is perfectly capable of restraint when he chooses. His last collection for Givenchy, a label with an aesthetic which is the antithesis of his own, was demure and dignified. But in London it is the cobwebknit dresses and crystal-studded minis which grab the headlines, so he keeps churning them out. And as for celebrity customers - Kylie had better watch her back. It looks like the princess of pop will soon have competition from the voice of an angel.