London Fashion Week: 15 Talking Points
Five days, countless shows and London Fashion Week is done.
What have we learned from it? What were the key trends? Who was the biggest model and which decade will we all be channelling next season? What labels are set become household names?
See LFW's 15 biggest talking points here:
IndigitalTREND: Brights
Next summer will be colourful and bright even if the weather follows British tradition. Christopher Kane, despite having the worst of years (his mentor Louise Wilson died last year and then his mother passed away a few months ago), turned dark into light with a gloriously acid bright collection. Jonathan Saunders, who is known for his colourful work, stayed true to form with zingy oriental prints. House of Holland was also an array of colour, with plenty of turquoise, blue and pink on show, and Roksanda Ilincic delivered gowns in neon yellow.
InDigitalTHE SHOW: JW ANDERSON
Fashion’s current boy wonder, JW Anderson, served up so many ideas that we were left feeling utterly thrilled that London is still home to designers brave enough to make an uncompromising statement about the way we dress. It was about power women and sex with strong 80s influences – from the high puff shoulders and ruffles to the Keith Haring-inspired squiggly prints and metallic ankle boots.
IndigitalTHE DECADE: 80s
Say farewell to the 70s bohemia of the past few seasons, the 80s has officially arrived. We saw its influence filter through to a lesser degree with the AW 2015 shows, but it’ll be here in a big way come next summer. Think statement sleeves (which are everywhere), Debbie Harry-style tousled hair (Topshop and KTZ), leopard print (House of Holland, Versus and Topshop) and leathers in different shades (JW Anderson, Thomas Tait and Topshop).
PR/GettyTHE SET: Sophia Webster’s underwater laundromat
It was as bonkers as it sounds. Sophia Webster created a somewhat trippy underwater world where models dressed as mermaids sat on top of washing machines. In fact, one model was actually made to sit inside one said washing machine, which is surely LFW’s worst all-time gig. Others decadently lay in a giant clam shell, on top of blue cushioning, showing off their glittering platforms.
THE THING EVERYONE MOANED ABOUT: The new official LFW venue
The official London Fashion Week menu moved from the beautiful Somerset House to Brewer street carpark this season – also known from now on as Soho’s premium venue for anyone who wants to sweat off their body weight. The entrance was tiny, leading to scrum-like scenes before every show. It was not chic.
IndigitalTHE MODEL: Lineisy Montero
Familiarise yourself with Lineisy Montero’s face and name now, as she’s headed for big things. The model, who was scouted at an amusement park in her hometown of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, made her catwalk debut for Prada last season, and over the past week was enlisted by Burberry, Topshop, Giles, JW Anderson, Jonathan Saunders and Versus. Not a bad CV for a 19-year-old.
THE STYLING NOTE: Only two bags will do
So JW Anderson says why wear one bag if you can have two? An original, if slightly unnecessary, idea, but one that the FROW was talking about with enthusiasm nonetheless. Frankly, it’ll give us more cause to lose things with a double whammy of cross-body bags.
Getty ImagesTHE FROW STAR: Alexa Chung
Ok fine, hardly a surprise that Alexa Chung was everywhere over London Fashion Week, but in four days she’s wore eight different ensembles – each of them as equally chic as the rest, from her navy jumpsuit worn at the Topshop show to her off-the-shoulder LBD worn at House of Holland. This girl has superhuman style powers.
InDigitalTHE BEAUTY LOOK: Plaits
Rising design star and fashion favourite Simone Rocha sent her models out in plaits – which adorned both her clothes and her hair. It was romantic, delicate and so very pretty – a hairstyle we’ll definitely be imitating next summer.
IndigitalTREND: Statement sleeves
Forget the rest of your outfit; it’ll be your sleeves that steal all the attention next summer. We saw 80s puff shoulder sleeves (JW Anderson), the virago sleeve (as seen at Erdem, in which sleeveless of fabric bunch up above the elbow – Alexa Chung is already wearing them, obviously), asymmetric sleeves (Joseph, Erdem and Jonathan Saunders) and the bell sleeve (Roksanda Ilincic).
Net-A-PorterTHE FROW LOOK: Shirts worn back to front
We’re biased because GLAMOUR’s fashion director, Natalie Hartley, started this one off, but who knew shirts looked so good worn back to front? Buttons should be left undone to reveal a sexy bit of back. Otherwise, everyone was wearing prints this season. Normcore is officially dead, it’s time to put some effort in again sighs.
IndigitalTHE BAG: Burberry rucksack
Never did a rucksack provoke such irrational feelings of desire as it did at the Burberry show. It comes in nylon or leather and is personalised with your initials. Models wore theirs slung languidly over trench coats and grungy slip dresses.
IndigitalTREND: Anti-glamour
The prevailing look of LFW was one of relaxed cool. Fashion hates it when you try hard in any way (which is ridiculous considering how hard each of the designers work to create a plentiful collection every few months and how much extra time every one who works in fashion does), but next season will focus on a ragged, unsophisticated form of elegance. Think slip dresses, loose silhouettes, anoraks and dresses, floor-length dresses with flats, clashing mashed-up prints and chiffon skirts paired with leather jackets.
IndigitalTREND: Slits
Prepare to bare a little thigh next season, and my does it look sexy. Designers including Christopher Kane, Topshop, Barbara Casasola, Marques Almeida, Burberry and Mary Katrantzou all offered styles that featured a daring split. We’re on board with this one; alluring, but never too obvious.
PATHE LABEL: Hill & Friends
Former Mulberry creative director Emma Hill launched her debut solo label this season. An intimate group of editors were invited to see the collection over a breakfast that was all about being happy. Each of the bags come baring a smiley face motif, which work as a clasp. In fact, to open the bag you have to wink an eye. We predict Bayswater fandom.
