In the corridors of Somerset House, fashion editors tap notes into their iPhones, buyers stroke fabric, and designers sneak glances at rival collections. This isn’t an event for the faint hearted: designers sit by their rails for five days, hoping their statement pieces will get them noticed.

Around the catwalk tent, a man in a leopard print abaya strikes a pose next to a woman wearing an Everton shirt and flip-flops hoping to get papped by fashion magazines.

“It’s just really nice to chat to other designers and admit that it’s a pretty hard time to be in fashion,” says Phiney Pettman, founder of fashion label Phiney Pet. “Also, we get great access to the press and to buyers.”

Most of the designers acknowledge how supportive the British Fashion Council is when it comes to promoting and accommodating small businesses. The top floor of Somerset House is almost completely dedicated to emerging designers – one small business had only been up and running for three weeks.

It’s less about selling here; that’s what Paris is for. For London, the aim is to get noticed, meet the press, network, and enjoy the vibe.

Dioralop

Dioralop’s strong shapes and textures are inspired by architectural designs, and “any aspect of the subculture” – it’s the “punk subculture, that 1960s style that really inspires us”, says Maja Merlic, who founded the label with Andreja Bistricic.

The Croatian pair met at Central St Martins in 2009 and this is their first time showing at London Fashion Week.

Phiney Pet

It’s Phiney Pettman’s first time exhibiting at London Fashion Week. She found the application through the British Fashion Council easy, but has worked hard to get where she is. “I sought a lot of advice when I was starting out, research is really important,” she says

She was also lucky enough to get advice from Susannah Lau, the fashion blogger who founded Style Bubble: “She advised me to be selective about what I did.” Pettman hopes her first fashion week pays off: “Of course, I haven’t seen the aftermath of the week yet, but I’m hoping to see a spike in interest.”

Rein

Co-founders of Rein, Rebecca Morter and Gemma Vanson, quit their day jobs three weeks ago and have worked days, evenings, and weekends to prepare for London Fashion Week. “We haven’t thought about the next stage really,” says Morter. Their pieces are striking and inspired by tattoos. “I think we’re entering a strong feminist period, where women want to wear statement pieces.”

Rein’s pieces feature cutaway sections and see-through panels in forest greens and blacks. “We both worked in the industry before we quit our jobs, but we wanted to make our own designs,” says Morter. The pair met at the London College of Fashion in 2013: “Our graduate collection got lots of press,” she says.

Morter adds that there’s a lot of competition in the fashion world: “We want to make sure we sell all the clothes, so we’ve made wearable pieces. We have to think about how we’re can support the brand, and how we’re going to get the sales.”

Sophie by Sophie

“Sophie by Sophie is huge in Scandinavia. We’ve come to London Fashion Week to get a British agent,” says Fia Haak, the international PR and marketing manager. “The atmosphere is just great though. We’re in the Scandi area: we’ve got the hardwood tables and people head over to this room for drinks when the day’s over.” The vibe is certainly more laid back here than in other rooms. The designs are more minimalist.

Sophie Gyllenhammar is the designer, and she has been inspired by the Wizard of Oz for this collection. The jewellery – necklaces and rings – has been inspired by the tin man, the lion, and even the design of the wizard’s castle.

Liisa Riski

Reindeers feature a lot in Riski’s work. The Finnish-born designer was inspired by a school trip to Lapland, and by nature and Finnish fauna, for the collection she’s currently showing at London Fashion Week. She explains the kooky reindeer designs: “There’s always a humorous element to my work.”

This is Riski’s second fashion week: “It’s really nice to exhibit here. The British Fashion Council is very supportive for small businesses. You have to be a fashion business running for less than three years to exhibit in this area, but the council are really committed to promoting new businesses.” Riski has lived in the UK for 10 years but did her fashion MA in Helsinki: “I wanted to design and make a fashion label I could stand behind 100%.”

She thinks the fashion scene is quite tough at the moment thanks to the recession, especially in Finland: “Buyers are being sensible so independent designers are not getting as much interest as we should be.”

Les 100 Ciels

It’s the small business’s second time at Somerset House showing at London Fashion Week. Les 100 Ciels makes timeless classics from cashmere and press spokeswoman Katie Shaw says: “Our designs are ageless: the pieces can be worn by anybody – they’re basics with a fashionable edge. They’re very soft and very classically designed. They’re certainly easy to wear.”

Her advice for small businesses hoping to break into the world of fashion is: “Get yourself on social media, on Instagram, on Twitter to communicate your business.”

Steven Tai

Steven Tai is a “Vancouver based bookworm” who graduated from Central St Martin’s with a BA in fashion design.

His works are made for the “intellectual woman”, and he uses different textures to create wearable pieces. Tai has recently joined the Centre for Fashion Enterprise pioneer programme.

Lizzie McQuade

“I make a range of hats, from strong designs for special occasions, but also those like headbands which can be worn on a daily basis,” says Lizzie McQuade, who has been working on creative projects for the last three years. “I studied for a fashion degree in Edinburgh. I worked in the industry and then realised ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’, and started my own business.”

She advises other small businesses to do a lot of market research before they start out: “Put the legwork in: take a look at other brands that are similar and find out where they are now.”

McQuade works instinctively; she just makes hats then thinks about how to describe them afterwards. “I like it when private clients try on my hats, because you get feedback directly from them, which is so useful.”