London Fashion Week is always one of my favourite times of year. The chance to see so much fresh, exciting design talent crammed into five fashion-packed days is one not to be missed, and this season I was able to stream so many of the shows live it almost felt as though I were there. And what a week it was: full to the brim of lustworthy clothes, fresh design ideas and thrilling new trends. So now that the fashion folk have all moved onto Milan (click here for all you need to know about MFW), it's time to take a look back at the very best of LFW's shows.
Although it was certainly a week that celebrated the very best of British design talent, I'm going to start off by lauding a Swedish designer. Regular readers will know just how obsessed I am with Acne (below, two left-hand pictures), the cult Swedish brand that started life as a small denim line and evolved into one of the most cutting-edge and lusted-after labels around. For A/W'11, creative director Jonny Johansson did not stray from the signature cool-girl aesthetic that has made his label a household name. Rather he showed us exactly why its reputation is so deserved. Patchwork leather, slouchy denim boiler suits, loose-slung blazers and biker jackets, all delivered in an achingly cool colour palette of black, sky blue, dusty rose and yellow/green, with flashes of silver. It was exceptionally well tailored, exceptionally well put together, and little details like hits of metallics, leather panels and chiffon overlays elevated it from basics to brilliance.
Although it was certainly a week that celebrated the very best of British design talent, I'm going to start off by lauding a Swedish designer. Regular readers will know just how obsessed I am with Acne (below, two left-hand pictures), the cult Swedish brand that started life as a small denim line and evolved into one of the most cutting-edge and lusted-after labels around. For A/W'11, creative director Jonny Johansson did not stray from the signature cool-girl aesthetic that has made his label a household name. Rather he showed us exactly why its reputation is so deserved. Patchwork leather, slouchy denim boiler suits, loose-slung blazers and biker jackets, all delivered in an achingly cool colour palette of black, sky blue, dusty rose and yellow/green, with flashes of silver. It was exceptionally well tailored, exceptionally well put together, and little details like hits of metallics, leather panels and chiffon overlays elevated it from basics to brilliance.
So, from a non-British label to perhaps the most British label of all, next we come to Mulberry (above, two right-hand pictures). It really was a quintessentially, unashamedly British collection. There were duffle coats, pleated skirts, florals, knee-socks, knits and of course brilliant bags: everything you'd need for a lovely trip to the country. I especially loved the metallic pleated skirts, and the palette of khaki, lavender, dove grey and black, with pops of vibrant turquoise. A quilted leather jacket shown with matching skirt was the perfect way to prove that Mulberry can do edgy, too, while ensuring never to sacrifice its main appeal: beautiful, wearable clothes.
Next in my list of favourites are two of London's most hotly-tipped young designers. The first is Jonathan Saunders (below, two left-hand pictures). I was very impressed by this accomplished, confident and beautiful collection. In a show that was perhaps more summery than some winter collections, Saunders celebrated print and colour, with a focus on beautiful dresses. His talent was clear to see in the way he made a whole range of bright colours and a mix of tropical and baroque prints seem to combine totally effortlessly with one another. Details like soft sequinned panels and supremely sophisticated colour combinations made this a highly desirable and wearable collection.
Next in my list of favourites are two of London's most hotly-tipped young designers. The first is Jonathan Saunders (below, two left-hand pictures). I was very impressed by this accomplished, confident and beautiful collection. In a show that was perhaps more summery than some winter collections, Saunders celebrated print and colour, with a focus on beautiful dresses. His talent was clear to see in the way he made a whole range of bright colours and a mix of tropical and baroque prints seem to combine totally effortlessly with one another. Details like soft sequinned panels and supremely sophisticated colour combinations made this a highly desirable and wearable collection.
Richard Nicoll (above, two right-hand pictures) is another young British designer who, like Saunders, has had the Topshop seal of approval by designing several capsule collections for the high street mecca. To me that can't be a bad sign, and for A/W'11 Nicoll proved exactly why he appeals to Topshop's young, fashion-forward customer base. The slightly sporty feel to this show really appealed to me, as did the beautiful colour palette of nude, apricot, mustard, white and iridescent blue. It was all very casual and wearable without sacrificing that all-important edge. The liquid-look metallics were a particular highlight, as was the amazing colour block dress shown above. I would certainly make room for these clothes in my wardrobe.
Christopher Kane (below, two left-hand pictures) has perhaps become the hottest ticket of LFW (and is another graduate of the Topshop school of amazing high street collaborations). Until now I must admit I was always rather ambivalent about Kane's shows, somehow suspicious that they tended to favour style over substance. From his first shock-factor neon show, it seemed he had fallen into the young designer trap of thinking that the more outrageous his designs were, the better they would be. Not so anymore. He's definitely toned down his more outrageous tendencies as he has become more and more established, and this season focussed on adding a subtle Kane edge to simple but brilliant basics. And it was to great effect: this was by far my favourite Kane show to date. This collection had the theme of 'liquid', which was mainly shown in his ingenius idea of introducing plastic pockets filled with coloured liquid to his clothes. Why no one has ever thought of this before is a mystery to me, because it seemed a brilliantly creative but not overly ridiculous way to add some fun to basic pieces (in this case mainly beautifully cut, slit-skirted black dresses). The liquid-filled plastic clutches were also incredible, and at the beginning of the show crochet-cut leather proved to be another great way of adding a seriously sexy Kane touch to classic clothes. I was really very impressed by it all.
Christopher Kane (below, two left-hand pictures) has perhaps become the hottest ticket of LFW (and is another graduate of the Topshop school of amazing high street collaborations). Until now I must admit I was always rather ambivalent about Kane's shows, somehow suspicious that they tended to favour style over substance. From his first shock-factor neon show, it seemed he had fallen into the young designer trap of thinking that the more outrageous his designs were, the better they would be. Not so anymore. He's definitely toned down his more outrageous tendencies as he has become more and more established, and this season focussed on adding a subtle Kane edge to simple but brilliant basics. And it was to great effect: this was by far my favourite Kane show to date. This collection had the theme of 'liquid', which was mainly shown in his ingenius idea of introducing plastic pockets filled with coloured liquid to his clothes. Why no one has ever thought of this before is a mystery to me, because it seemed a brilliantly creative but not overly ridiculous way to add some fun to basic pieces (in this case mainly beautifully cut, slit-skirted black dresses). The liquid-filled plastic clutches were also incredible, and at the beginning of the show crochet-cut leather proved to be another great way of adding a seriously sexy Kane touch to classic clothes. I was really very impressed by it all.
Next we have Erdem (above, two right-hand pictures), another of the most anticipated shows of the week, and a designer who this season wisely stuck to what he does best: beautiful prints. It may not have been anything particularly new, but never was the motto 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' truer. This season it was Monet-esque painterly prints, spattered over a range of perfectly-cut dresses in a variety of lengths and styles (and some trench coats and trousers). A range of fabrics, including velvet and lace, added interest, while the colour scheme was gorgeously wintry: black, deep red, forest green, vivid blue and rich purple. Very beautiful, very feminine and very wearable. No wonder Prime Minister's wife Samantha Cameron was so impressed.
And finally, two slightly more under-the-radar designers. First up we have Emilio de la Morena (below, two left-hand pictures), whose incredible S/S'11 collection was one of my absolute favourites of the season (read all about it here). Admittedly I didn't love the A/W'11 collection quite as much as the previous one, but it was nonetheless a supremely chic, wearable and confident show. This is party dressing for the classy but oh-so-cool girl, epitomised by front row stalwart Julia Restoin-Roitfeld. The dresses, in a calm but well thought-out colour palette of cream, red, purple and orange, managed to be incredibly sexy despite their below-the-knee skirts and high necks. Peekaboo sheer panels, hints of chiffon and structured piping were all intelligent design details that served to prove de la Morena really knows what he's doing.
And finally, two slightly more under-the-radar designers. First up we have Emilio de la Morena (below, two left-hand pictures), whose incredible S/S'11 collection was one of my absolute favourites of the season (read all about it here). Admittedly I didn't love the A/W'11 collection quite as much as the previous one, but it was nonetheless a supremely chic, wearable and confident show. This is party dressing for the classy but oh-so-cool girl, epitomised by front row stalwart Julia Restoin-Roitfeld. The dresses, in a calm but well thought-out colour palette of cream, red, purple and orange, managed to be incredibly sexy despite their below-the-knee skirts and high necks. Peekaboo sheer panels, hints of chiffon and structured piping were all intelligent design details that served to prove de la Morena really knows what he's doing.
My final favourite of LFW was Simone Rocha (above, two right-hand pictures). Her debut collection for S/S'11 was an accomplished vision in white and I was excited to see what she would offer this time around (read about her previous collection here). She presented a beautiful selection of looks, keeping her signature chiffon overlays and shirt detailing, but moving to a slightly moodier palette of black, coral, lilac, nude and baby pink. It was quite simply very chic, with little hits of fur and pops of gingham adding interest to the simple but beautifully cut clothes. I really love the way she layers her looks, with heavier fabrics softened by silks and chiffon, and strong architectural shapes put together with immaculate precision.
You may well have noticed some rather glaring absences from my favourite shows, most notably Burberry Prorsum and Topshop Unique. It pains me to say it, but I was somewhat disappointed by Burberry this season. Blasphemy, I know, given how much I adore Christopher Bailey's work, but I can't lie: this season it just wasn't for me. The strong sixties influence, with bright paintbox colours and monochrome patterns, just didn't speak to me, and I longed for the rock chick aesthetic of last season's biker leather and animal-printed chiffon. I suppose it was inevitable that after three absolutely perfect seasons, one would come along that I didn't like, but it was still upsetting. At least the stellar front row (Alexa Chung, Kate Bosworth and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld all looked sensational) cheered me up. The same goes for Topshop Unique, which just all felt a bit too prim and office-y for my liking. I didn't get the Dalmatian-inspired looks, and the pussy-bow blouses, buttoned pencil skirts and lace tights looked fussy and dated to me.
Conversely, however, there were other shows (like Christopher Kane) which I was pleasantly surprised by. A special mention in this category goes to Matthew Williamson. I've never been a fan of his hippy/Ibiza chick aesthetic in the past, but this season I had to eat my words. The colours were really very good: orange and nude; red, pink and black; coral with tangerine; grey, sky blue and nude; cobalt, purple and black. There were lovely little feather and sequin dresses, and a very accomplished use of fur as an accent, which managed not to look out of place in the largely summery collection. My favourite look was a brilliant combination of silky coral trousers, nude blouse, taupe leather jacket and metallic blue shoes: perfect. Michael van der Ham is another designer I haven't paid much attention to in the past, but this season he softened his signature mash-it-all-up dynamic into asymmetric squares of same-colour fabric or cleverly draped cuts, to great effect. He even managed to make velvet look very chic, which is just as well because if the shows so far are anything to go by, we’re going to have to get used to it.
Other collections I was a fan of included Charles Anastase, which was pretty much Alexa Chung's wardrobe put on a catwalk - peter-pan collared dresses, pale pink slips and appliqéd velvet - and Temperley London, which was refreshingly elegant and indulgently beautiful (and the shoes were just amazing). I also really rather liked Ann-Sofie Back, another Swedish designer (and Topshop collaborator) who is known for her slightly out-there inspirations. This collection was pure accomplished tailoring at its finest: sculptural, strong and simple. Hard edges lent a point of difference to otherwise soft, floaty dresses, while sharp gold corners punctuated simple white shirts and black trousers. I loved the use of metallics, too: a silver trouser suit was especially beautiful. Aquascutum deserves a mention, too; new designer Joanna Sykes is known for her wearable clothes and this was a cool, casual urban collection, with flashes of colour keeping things fresh. The clothes were mainly camel, white and black, with hits of bright tangerine and (surprise) cobalt blue. Particularly impressive was the outerwear, a great mix of smart/casual, with tweed jackets pepped up with puffa-style collars, and leather panels adding interest to sleek white coats.
So that's my pick of the best shows that London Fashion Week had to offer. It was definitely a great week for British fashion, and I for one can't wait until these trends start to trickle down into the high street stores come autumn.
Pictures: Elleuk.com
You may well have noticed some rather glaring absences from my favourite shows, most notably Burberry Prorsum and Topshop Unique. It pains me to say it, but I was somewhat disappointed by Burberry this season. Blasphemy, I know, given how much I adore Christopher Bailey's work, but I can't lie: this season it just wasn't for me. The strong sixties influence, with bright paintbox colours and monochrome patterns, just didn't speak to me, and I longed for the rock chick aesthetic of last season's biker leather and animal-printed chiffon. I suppose it was inevitable that after three absolutely perfect seasons, one would come along that I didn't like, but it was still upsetting. At least the stellar front row (Alexa Chung, Kate Bosworth and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld all looked sensational) cheered me up. The same goes for Topshop Unique, which just all felt a bit too prim and office-y for my liking. I didn't get the Dalmatian-inspired looks, and the pussy-bow blouses, buttoned pencil skirts and lace tights looked fussy and dated to me.
Conversely, however, there were other shows (like Christopher Kane) which I was pleasantly surprised by. A special mention in this category goes to Matthew Williamson. I've never been a fan of his hippy/Ibiza chick aesthetic in the past, but this season I had to eat my words. The colours were really very good: orange and nude; red, pink and black; coral with tangerine; grey, sky blue and nude; cobalt, purple and black. There were lovely little feather and sequin dresses, and a very accomplished use of fur as an accent, which managed not to look out of place in the largely summery collection. My favourite look was a brilliant combination of silky coral trousers, nude blouse, taupe leather jacket and metallic blue shoes: perfect. Michael van der Ham is another designer I haven't paid much attention to in the past, but this season he softened his signature mash-it-all-up dynamic into asymmetric squares of same-colour fabric or cleverly draped cuts, to great effect. He even managed to make velvet look very chic, which is just as well because if the shows so far are anything to go by, we’re going to have to get used to it.
Other collections I was a fan of included Charles Anastase, which was pretty much Alexa Chung's wardrobe put on a catwalk - peter-pan collared dresses, pale pink slips and appliqéd velvet - and Temperley London, which was refreshingly elegant and indulgently beautiful (and the shoes were just amazing). I also really rather liked Ann-Sofie Back, another Swedish designer (and Topshop collaborator) who is known for her slightly out-there inspirations. This collection was pure accomplished tailoring at its finest: sculptural, strong and simple. Hard edges lent a point of difference to otherwise soft, floaty dresses, while sharp gold corners punctuated simple white shirts and black trousers. I loved the use of metallics, too: a silver trouser suit was especially beautiful. Aquascutum deserves a mention, too; new designer Joanna Sykes is known for her wearable clothes and this was a cool, casual urban collection, with flashes of colour keeping things fresh. The clothes were mainly camel, white and black, with hits of bright tangerine and (surprise) cobalt blue. Particularly impressive was the outerwear, a great mix of smart/casual, with tweed jackets pepped up with puffa-style collars, and leather panels adding interest to sleek white coats.
So that's my pick of the best shows that London Fashion Week had to offer. It was definitely a great week for British fashion, and I for one can't wait until these trends start to trickle down into the high street stores come autumn.
Pictures: Elleuk.com
No comments
Post a Comment