Two years ago one of us was living in Spitalfields and yet this slideshow was the first we’ve seen of Alternative Fashion Week. Baffling.

But judging from the list of designers and their descriptions, we have been missing out bigtime. Over 70 of the world’s undiscovered will exhibit their creations this week on first-time models, all of whom have taken a special 6-week training course in preparation.

As Anabella at the Center for Sustainable Fashion blog explains:

This is fashion on the edge, risky, experimental, fashion for the future. It’s not about money or material success but inspiration and ideology, how to have designer fashion in the current financial climate, credit crunch couture, offering a world of real opportunities. Alternative Fashion Week provides that vital stepping stone between the graduate shows and the mainstream fashion industry.

We will be on the lookout for more photos. In the meantime, check out these at The Guardian.