Kristen McMenamy after the show

It was back in November that we heard Alexander McQueen's diffusion line, McQ, would be showing its new collection during London Fashion Week for the very first time. As if that wasn't exciting enough, today McQ revealed it would be live streaming the show on McQueen's Facebook page so you can see the action live as it unfolds.

McQ's design team has recently been brought in house with the brilliant Sarah Burton at the helm as Creative Director. So not only the collection, but also the show is under the direction of the same team who produce the Alexander McQueen show. This can only mean good things. After a long day at London Fashion Week - a non-stop dash from Peter Pilotto to Erdem to Burberry - us fashion folk arrived at the Sorting Office on New Oxford Street somewhat worse for wear, but were impressed to find a catwalk covered in autumnal leaves and bark chip (not bran flakes, as our Fashion Editor at Large suggested). Is this a hint of the collection to come, we wondered?

As well as the fashion world heavyweights, we spotted Anna Wintour on the front row sitting alongside Salma Hayek. We can't help wondering what they could possibly be talking about. 'Puss in Boots' perhaps? (Apologies for the blurry picture, but would you LOOK at La Wintour's sinister glare?! *scurries back to seat*)

And so the show begins! Set to pounding, slightly scary, music, the model army strides across the blanket of leaves wearing khaki pieces with a military feel. There are huge coats with deep V-neck collars, coming in greens and blue tartan, clinched in by wide buckled belts. The frocks are a mixture of textures - velvet and brocade - and worn with black lace-up boots.

Then there's a stint of floral confections on full-skirted black frocks, some worn under tailored jackets. These are now top of our wishlist.

And the puffball skirt remains a firm favourite too, covered in brocade and coming in a suitably autumnal blood red. The hair was incredible, like glossy doughnuts or military hats a-top the models' heads.

It was the finale that was most spectacular. A white-haired Kristen McMenamy emerged wearing an ivory gown, reminiscent of a certain wedding dress worn by a certain Kate Middleton... All goes dark except for a spotlight above her head so she's lit like an eerie angel. A shower of gold flecks falls from above and she finds a rope from underneath the leaves that leads her to a dark forest at the end of the catwalk. We kid you not.

But you must watch it for yourselves. Click play on the video below and prepare to be amazed...

by Jessica Vince & Jo Oliver