London Fashion Week: Trends And Talent To Explore
This year, London Fashion Week showcased an assortment of different styles, ranging from the delicate and romantic to the powerful and avant-garde.
Since its inception in the 80s, London Fashion Week has taken the place of the youngest, rebellious sibling of the “Big Four” Fashion Weeks. The biannual event serves as a platform for rising talent as well as established and celebrated brands, welcoming creative expression and innovation. The recent edition, which displayed collections for Spring/Summer 2024, was no exception. This article will explore the overarching themes found in garments of different designers.
Florals for spring may not be groundbreaking, but are certainly a staple of the season. Prints were seen in Richard Quinn’s gorgeously structured gowns and Ashish Gupta’s sparkly creations. Simone Rocha and Ukrainian brand Frolov incorporated 3D flowers, while David Koma showed a subtler approach, with bright neons and metallics on black garments.
Dreamy tulles and ruffles made an ethereal display on runways, from Susan Fang’s ruffly minidresses to Bora Aksu’s flowy gowns to Molly Goddard’s voluminous skirts, which were meshed with inspiration from 1950s undergarments.
Alluring mesh and sheer fabrics took centre stage at London Fashion Week. 16 Arlington, Ancuta Sarca and Holzweiler played with layering, Temple used mesh panelling and transparent garments were seen in Chet Lo and Edward Crutchley’s collections. These garments highlighted or obscured different parts of the figure in a strategic manner.
Sculptural elements turned clothing into pieces of wearable art, such as J.W. Anderson’s creative and kooky moulded clay sets. Harri focused on proportion, with strong shoulders and puffy skirts and trousers that moved down the catwalk in a mesmerising way. KWK took a futuristic approach with metallics, while Harris Reed showed classic and minimalist colours with interesting silhouettes.
Tailoring is a staple of London Fashion Week, and collections vary from subversive to classical approaches. Edward Crutchley, Labrum and Ahluwalia chose traditional silhouettes with funky prints and details. Tolu Coker showed longline blazers and beautiful pointed collars on shirts with puffy sleeves. Mark Fast and Luar combined formal wear with casual clothes such as shorts and frayed crop tops, while J-E-Cai used contrast stitching and draping on neutral colours.
An interesting aspect of this season’s designs was the inspiration drawn from different time periods, with brands updating vintage styles. Burberry included a trench coat with a drop-waist 1920s look, KNWLS showed corsets styled in a very contemporary way and Emilia Wickstead displayed 1930s stripes and shapes. Erdem Moralioglu’s collection was based on British “it-girl” Deborah Cavendish’s 1950s wardrobe. Finally, Matty Bovan’s funky and nostalgic had a distinctively 80s feel.
London Fashion Week proved, as always, to be an event to watch out for, where the creativity of designers runs free. This season celebrated diverse perspectives, from the sexy and leathery to the flirty and frilly, from wearable garments to art pieces. One thing is certain: the participants in London Fashion Week will continue to push the boundaries of fashion and style as we know it.
Cover image provided by Shuttershock
