London Fashion Week stops to honour 'genius' Lagerfeld

London Fashion Week mourned Karl Lagerfeld on Tuesday, with designers paying tribute to the "irreplaceable" German icon who helped define the industry.

"It's such a loss. I know he wasn't that young, but I didn't expect it," said fashion student Edson Toniato, dressed in a black suit and burgundy turtleneck.

The news hit around midday, throwing 180 Strand, Fashion Week's central London nerve centre, into a sombre mood.

"We literally just found out on our way here, so it was quite a shock," said fellow student Niamh Kerins, wearing a leopard coat.

"I've not really had the time to process it properly," she added, as buyers, photographers and models shuttled from show to show around her. Singer "Girly" said she was struggling to digest the news of the 85-year-old's death.

Lagerfeld's unchanging look, with his ever-present sunglasses and white mane, made people think "he just wasn't human, you thought he was ageless," she added.

"The very idea that he's mortal is shocking. Really ...