Mixing a soundtrack of Oasis, Blur and a symphony of bagpipes – it was clear there was a real clash of references at Moschino this season. There were micro tartan kilts, double-breasted riding jackets and fringe-heavy suede coats, all given Moschino attitude with the inclusion of oversized gold earrings and gold studded embellishments.

The mini and at times, box-like silhouettes echoed the luxury teenage power dressing of the 90s. Shut up! We're, like, so talking the wardrobe of (now classic) movie 'Clueless'. Whilst this season's colour palette developed with each look, moving from pop reds, to forest greens into a monochromatic ending of black on white.

However, Clueless in the dictionary sense of the word, this was not, with a very considered take on the extra details; the bow ties, the pussy bows and embroidered gold Moschino crests. The fringed leather pouches slung round the waist and the tartan trimmed hats told the story of an Italian Highland fling.

Most models are at the disposal of a designer's vision, but there are a select few practically incapable of succumbing to it. And it's exactly what gets them booked. Judging by Chloe Nrgaard's performance this season – she walked forRodarte, Roksanda Ilincic,Moschino Cheap and Chic, PPQ, andAshley Williams at Fashion East –it won't be long before she's a mainstay in that cult clique. Actually, if Tumblr reblogs are anything to go by, she's the one leading it right now.

Watch thepsychedelic-haired newcomer voice her love of faries, mermaids, unicorns and grandma shopping in this latest Closet Case instalment.Catch Chloe in aModel Behaviour film, andfollow her with our#dazedmodelarmyproject, too.

Strength versus fragility; these are the elemental themes of 830 Sign’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Art Director Mariavittoria Soldi contrasts her inspirations for this season's range: the fortitude and endurance of architecture by Bauhaus is united with elegant yet powerful performances that date as far back as the 19th century, from women such as Mary Wigman, Pina Bausch and Martha Graham. The range is designed for the today’s hybrid woman who is one of many things: powerful, creative, assertive and elegant.

The shape and purity of the garments become puppets to the body; they travel according to its movements, and subsequently act as a second skin. The body and 830 Sign's clothing are portrayed as one, ‘two separate souls that exist within one body’. Ultimately, the aim is to have a range that will provide as much longevity as the body does, both in terms of quality and style.

“Is this a fashion show or a funeral?” someone whispered into my ear on the first day of shows. But surprisingly, by the last day of LC:M a new kind of darkness emerged on the runway when designers sent out their own unusual breed of monsters and vampires. Of course there was a twist -Katie Eary's vampires weren’t concealed in black but rather covered in fuchsia flower prints, whilst Shaun Samson's monsters looked as though they had been taken from an American ice hockey team.

“Horror is something I am constantly obsessed with,” screamed Katie Eary backstage as her fang-wearing models walked past her. “I started by looking at eighteenth century paintings of banquets,” she continued. “I was looking at the food actually and then I thought what if there were bodies amongst it – this idea of eighteenth century gore.” This season, her prints did have an almost gore-like quality to them, particularly in the way her images were layered over each other. Flowers and lobsters were digitally manipulated in deep pinks, blacks and blues – translating the painterly quality of the eighteenth century images she referenced. Models appeared wearing gold chocker neck pieces and pointy fangs, allowing Eary to craft her own hybrid of streetwear vampire.

Christopher Kane also paid homage to the icons of horror in his menswear presentation. Dracula and Frankenstein both appeared on printed t-shirts and on velvet slippers, whilst his moody colour palette of midnight blues, blacks and deep purples were an nod to the darkness genre itself. Kane's use of fur took reference from werewolves and appeared on shirt collars and evening jackets.

For Shaun Samson, fur was also used as a reference to monsters in his streetwear-heavy collection. Models entered the runway wearing shabby fur earmuffs and ice hockey jumpers - Samson calling them his own “ice monsters.” Backstage, he claimed another important reference this season was camping - “For some reason, I always think that when you go camping you feel like you're in your pyjamas. There are monsters out in the woods and the only way you can protect yourself from the monsters is to say a prayer to God.”

Although Matthew Miller didn't claim that vampires or monsters were on his mind when designing his autumn / winter 13' collection, there was certainly a moody element this season. On the runway, his models appeared in uniform. Each with two of their fingers painted red, something Miller claimed was “a reference to anarchism,” but could have been taken from a modern horror film. The slogan 'Born to Fail' was printed in red on his garments, his “response to being fucked over by Generation X.”

In the past, Shaun Samson has explored ideas of teenage angst, masochism and loitering on the streets – even branding his models by shaving 'SAMSON' on the back of their heads. However, this season things felt very different. He even toyed with me after his last show, saying this season the Shaun Samson man might grow up. And maybe he did - just a little bit.

Samson's use of fabrics felt more refined than ever. He re-introduced his needle-punch felting technique, something that leaves no seams on the garments and defined his graduate collection from Central St. Martins. This season he used it to blend angora wool with jersey, creating a seamless transition between two tones of red, as featured on trousers and jumpers. Intricate and chunky cable knits also ran through the collection alongside leather striped detailing. Even his box-like silhouettes of past seasons were given new triangular shapes - Samson reaffirming his desire to create street boys who look luxury.

Backstage, Samson cited “monsters, ice hockey, camping and prayers” as references. Revealing themselves in his use of shabby fur details, pyjamas and large blankets that were worn over the models shoulders. Eager to find out more, we asked him to talk us through his thoughts behind the collection...

“There were so many different references. I started by looking at camping. For some reason, I always think that when you go camping you feel like your in your pyjamas. There are monsters out in the woods and the only way you can protect yourself from the monsters is to say a prayer to god. The serenity prayer [which was printed on garments – ed] was a fun little prayer because it is the same prayer that you say in A.A. meetings. I wasn’t sure if people got that. I swear I have never been to an A.A. meeting but I have seen that blanket so many times.

I have experimented with shape before in the past. This season I wanted to make it more relatable to people. I think the ice hockey jersey shape is something that people will recognise and hopefully see themselves in automatically. Rather than people thinking that I am experimenting with the things I have worked with in the past. Even more of the easier pieces like the angora jumpers that felted into a sweatshirt – where I am mixing street culture with luxury knits, I am dressing it down on street cast boys. I think there are enough designers out there who are designing for the mature man. I feel like with me I want to have the mature boy. I think there is a lot of youth that we are trying to chase – is that sad?“

Katie Eary created a new breed of vampire on yesterday's runway. Models emerged with fangs, slicked back hair and wearing bold prints - all to a heavy soundtrack of A$AP ROCKY. Yet this season Eary looked to the past to create her contemporary vision of undead beauty. “I started by looking at eighteenth century paintings of banquets,” she explains; a reference that manifested itself in her use of hypnotic pink floral prints and blue lobster designs, which were taken from the compositions and rich colours of these paintings. These bold tones stood in contrast with her more muted garments. Particularly a series of inky blue and midnight black tailored jackets – something that could have been taken from a contemporary Dracula film. With horror in mind, we caught up with Eary backstage to talk slasher movies and how the collection came about:

“Horror is something I am constantly obsessed with. I love the 90s Scream movies. We all had sleepovers and watched Scream movies and loved it. I started by looking at eighteenth century paintings of banquets. I was looking at the food actually and then I thought what if there were bodies amongst it – this idea of eighteenth century gore. The prints came about as they were always covered in flowers and with lobsters – because that was the food of the rich. In terms of tailoring, I wanted to show that I can do it. I gave it my own twist. London can be quite slack and everyone gets on their high horse and thinks they are a tailor. Actually it is really not that difficult.”

New year, new clothes. The AW13 collections are earlier than ever this season, as the second London Collections: Men kicks off today ahead of Pitti, Milan and Paris, following the success of the capital's AW12 standalone schedule. As designers put the finishing touches to their collections; carry out castings, fittings and hair tests, we go on a series of studio visits to get a feel of what to expect. Our final behind-the-scenes peek is Richard Nicoll, who makes immaculately balancedclassicist designs from his work-space on east London's Kingsland Road.

Dazed Digital: What was the biggest challenge in putting the collection together?
Richard Nicoll:Christmas.

DD: Favourite advice you've had from someone?
Richard Nicoll:
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

DD: Any tips for staying calm during fashion week?

Richard Nicoll:Xanax.

DD: ...Or staying awake when there's so much work to do?

Richard Nicoll:Strong Coffee.

DD: What were the first pieces in the collection you designed?

Richard Nicoll:The parkas and the leather pieces.

DD: What are you most proud of?
Richard Nicoll:I'm really proud of the collection as a whole and proud of my team for making it happen.


DD: What other shows are you looking forward to seeing?
Richard Nicoll:
I'm actually looking forward to seeing it all.

DD: Who embodies the spirit of your collection?

Richard Nicoll:David Byrne.


DD: Sum up AW13 in three words…

Richard Nicoll:No-Wave, Industrial and Classical.

DD: What difference does fashion make?
Richard Nicoll:It makes none in the grand scheme of things but being able to dream is important.