In a month where fashion designers descended on Brighton for the fifth annual fashion week, reporter Flora Thompson looks back at style shows through the ages captured by The Argus.

LOOKING back in The Argus archive, it is clear to see the newspaper has covered a whole host of fashionable events over the years – from the suave and sophisticated to the quirky and cheeky.

Brighton has always had a strong relationship with style – and is famous for taking a stand on quirky and unique designs.

The Fashion School, based in the city, is known for its work, and tourists pile into the area from miles around to take a peek at the range of distinctive and one-of-a-kind clothes and accessories available in shops in the warren of shopping streets, The Lanes.

One picture snapped by an Argus photographer shows a department store catwalk in 1959, with the fashions in the audience just as notable as those on stage.

Glamour abounds in a scene captured in the same year where an assistant touches up a model’s hair before she strides out for the evening.

Another demonstrates fashion student Joan Newman, in typical sixties knee-length socks and a zip-up leather dress in 1968 which may remind some of garments hanging on clothing racks in stores just a couple of years ago.

Photographer Simon Dack captured an elegant ball gown fashion show – where models glided up the catwalk wearing masks adding an air of mystery to their dresses in 1982.

Another rather revealing display of the 1980s showed women in stockings, pants, shirts and bowler hats as they pranced in front of the audience.

A more conservative exhibition in September 2009 shows models strutting out at the Unique Brighton Fashion Show in East Street.

This year models and fashion designers maintained their composure – and ensured the show carried on – despite torrential rain which caused the ceiling of one of Brighton Fashion Week’s venues to fall in.

As guests arrived at the Old Ship Hotel on the seafront for one of the catwalk shows, water gushed into the building and seeped into a VIP reception area.

Buckets and tissue were discreetly placed to lap up the extra liquid, and the participants refused to let it ruin their style.

It was also the first year sustainable fashion was placed at the forefront of themes for the event, when a debate on the ethics of the industry was held.

Panellists including Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas took part in the discussion at the Sallis Benney Theatre at the University of Brighton.

Shoppers also had the chance to buy one-of-a-kind pieces directly from designers for the first time at a free fashion market at the Open Market on London Road.

Georgia Dorey showed her collection Shirakaba No Ki during the Zeitgeist catwalk and her final design was a dress made from semi-circle cuts of fabric.

She said: “My collection was inspired by Japanese silver birch trees and the idea of layers; I don’t have a seamstress so I do it all myself.”

Creative director Alex Thirlwell, 27, said: “I am always inspired with how free and comfortable Brighton is. It’s conducive to experimentation, it’s open and free. You’re allowed to make mistakes.”

Organisers are already planning for next year’s extravaganza as the city’s tradition with fashion continues.