Baftas: red carpet glamour

Next autumn's trends were being shown on a catwalk round the corner, but for the stars walking the carpet before the Baftas ceremony last night, timeless glamour was the order of the day.

The young stars of the Twilight franchise plumped both for short and risqué numbers, with Kristin Stewart wearing a strapless Chanel dress dripping with white beads, sequins and paillettes.

Her co-star Anna Kendrick, up for best supporting actress for her role in Up In The Air, wore a bright yellow tiered Pucci number as she braved the cold. Robert Pattinson arrived late and jogged up the carpet in a Gucci tuxedo, a far cry from his beanie hats and battered jeans.

It was an especially fashion-conscious ceremony, with designer Tom Ford in attendance in his new role as director. He managed to dress himself in his own label, and stars Colin Firth and Nicholas Hoult also wore his designs.

Many stars opted for nude silk and satin styles, as well as oyster and creams. There seems to be a carpet consensus to avoid any overt or saccharine colours, and most gowns had a pared down feel to them. Bonnie Wright, of Harry Potter fame, wore a sleek oyster silk Prada gown.

There were homages too to the late designer Alexander McQueen, with artist – and close friend of his – Sam Taylor Wood wearing an elaborately beaded number. "I would have worn McQueen anyway," she told the gathered media, "but I'm wearing it in memory now too. I'm doubly in McQueen."

Jonathan Ross's wife Jane Goldman carried a signature skull clutch bag by McQueen, and Jaime Winstone also wore a vintage gown by the designer.

British designers were well represented on the walk of fame, with Claire Danes and Saoirse Ronan from The Lovely Bones both wearing Burberry. British actress Romola Garai also wore homegrown talent, appearing in a digitally printed dress by Erdem. "I think it's important to wear British designers," she said."

The hip British look was countered by a strong showing from the most prestigious French houses: Audrey Tautou wore rose-pink watered silk by Lanvin, while Kristin Scott Thomas appeared in black bodiced Louis Vuitton. Model Erin O'Connor was also in Vuitton, livened up with a Topshop ring.

Most stars looked so effortlessly elegant onlookers wouldn't know how long a process it had been.