Pastels and spring have a mundane, predictable relationship. In a similar vein to the floral prints for spring's sister non-surprise, designers are naturally drawn back to soft unicorn colours - those to brighten and lighten the April skies.

With Paris fashion week coming to an end today, it is only a short while until we begin hearing about the AW13 trends. Having worked at a trend forecasting company, I know the process of whittling down key styles, from whole looks to bag and heel sizes.

For many years, Korea has been developing its reputation as an exporter of high quality textiles and fabrics, but it appears that it is now on the cusp of evolving from being merely a fabric exporter to setting the direction of what the world's designers are sending down the runway.

Somerset House is quiet, tents around the city have come down and the editors, buyers and bloggers have decamped to Milan. After five fashion-packed days featuring collections from more than 120 designers, Fall/Winter in London looks set to be jewel-dark, with deep wine and sapphire tones, split sleeves, caped shoulders, gothic styling and animal print...

This week I've mostly been wearing a yellow Petit Bateau rain coat in the hope that the colour will inspire some sunny weather. Jelly shoes have been worn with my characteristically blind optimism - read denial- that it'll become beach weather instantly...

As someone who makes a living by travelling the world seeking out the latest trends and undiscovered designers, I believe that to find truly innovative fashion design, you need to visit growing cities that are eager to establish themselves on the fashion scene.

It's London Fashion Week - #LFW is trending on twitter, the BBC are pretending to have a clue what 'on the bias' means, everyone who's anyone is in the front row of something or other and I'm at home listening to Radio 4.

There are two ways to watch a fashion show at fashion week. Either seated or standing, usually if you have a personalised invitation or a coloured sticker on it; then you are seated, If not then you join the scrum that is the 'standing queue' which being only 5'4" fills me with dread.

A few years ago, we might have cited John Rocha and Matthew Williamson as the hottest tickets for London Fashion Week. The New Guard have trounced on that theory. They are more than just BFC sponsored talent, the lucky creatives that escaped the unemployment net. They are the rebirth of British fashion design. Yeah, I said it. An actual rebirth.

The thousands of Internet blog and style pages in question have welcomed a competitive, fresh approach to editorial: the countless street style images available online have provided a bottomless image bank to stylists, trend forecasters, editors and such like that want to draw on what is really happening, NOW.

Ethical fashion shouldn't be about denying yourself a few little luxuries, it should be about making better choices. Be aware of where your clothes come from and how they're made, put pressure on brands to do better, and buy what you will love for always, not just for today.

Usually this time of year I'm running around London Fashion Week rushing from show to show and no matter what shoes I wear I end up with my feet punishing me in some way. So this season I decided on something slightly different. I decided to stay at home and see what brands were doing to promote their new collections via the internet and digital media.

On Day 2 of London Fashion Wee a dream was realised for me that will resonate with many women, young and old alike. Two worlds not normally seen hand in hand collided in spectacular form to celebrate the style of a icon; none other than Minnie Mouse.

A few years ago Fashion Shows were strictly for the media elite only. Top editors sat front row with their notepad and pens and were privy to a preview the rest of us would have to wait months to see. Nowadays however things have changed...

September is my favourite month. Not because it's the end of summer and the nights are drawing in. Not because the kids go back to school but mainly due to it being Fashion Month. The big hefty 1kg+ fashion magazines land on my door step (too big to go through the letter box) and the press pass for New Zealand Fashion Week and London Fashion Week arrives.

For all that I analyse my own style, this year, there is a change a coming with a new mantra - "I will survive". So to put this into practice I have taken my learnings and documented what I can only describe as a guide for my fellow attendees...

Positive living - and shopping - has never been so easy, and a recent meeting with Dilys Williams from London College of Fashion proved that it's only set to get easier.