Jasper Conran, Paul Smith charm London shows

By Sarah Marsh

LONDON (Reuters) - British designer Jasper Conran sent models sashaying down the catwalk on Monday in sculpted dresses and bright emerald, clementine and carnation tights.

Cashmere and silk frocks with framed necklines, defined waists and rounded hips were the focus of Conran's womenswear show on the second day of London Fashion Week.

Accessories were kept to a minimum, with short leather gloves and flat ballerinas.

"There has been a lot of embroideries and florals and I wanted to do something much more three dimensional, about silhouette, shape and form," Conran told reporters after the show at the Royal Academy of Arts.

The designer is one of Britain's most commercially successful and also designs clothes and homeware for British department store group Debenhams.

"Cut and shape and tailoring that's what I do, what I love, and essentially this collection is the sum total of what I'm about," he said.

Another doyen of the London fashion scene, Paul Smith, showed his latest collection later at Claridge's hotel. Smith, famous for his very British suits and stripy shirts, has stores in over 35 countries worldwide.

The palette progressed from sober black to a mix of black and beige, climaxing with vivid orange and green. Bright tights also featured at Smith's ever popular show, although this time they were painted in brushstrokes of contrasting colors.