Showgoers, editors and models crossed the pond from New York to London this week, with Vogue World’s second star-studded event leading the charge. The who’s who of London’s fashion scene gathered in Big Ben for celebrity-packed performances to start London Fashion Week on a high note for the Spring Summer 2024 season.
While Britain's big names were out in force to open and close the week, the city continues to present itself as an incubator of emerging talent (we’re on the lookout for a McQueen successor aren’t we?). However, independent designers were feeling the weight of the economy - one of the new and exciting drawcards, Dilara Findikoglu, was forced to cancel her presentation just days before it was scheduled due to a lack of funds. Hyped labels Nensi Dojaka and S.S. Daley also opted out of showing this season. Still, there was an unfettered spirit to behold.
While NYFW verges on literal and utmost wearability, often with similar versions of the New York woman in mind - we leave it to London to operate from a cerebral, conceptual stance, leaving us with plenty to add to the dreamy, folkloric wardrobe of now. Fantasy, heritage, and historical figures infiltrated the themes of the London designer shows, opting for experimental style ideas and generally turning traditional concepts on their head with compelling use of unexpected fabrics.
JW Anderson thrilled showgoers with the use of plasticine (playdough?) for “wearable” hoodies and tailored shorts, Simon Rocha swapped hay for embedded roses in fluffy tulle, and Erdem spliced quilting and waxed canvas with a touch of Elvis glitz. Comfortable shoes rewarded eclectic dressing, where Rocha was the next to collaborate with Crocs, Anderson opted for kitten heel moccasins and woven sandals, Chopova Lowena styled looks with studded Ugg boots, and 16 Arlington and Erdem both offered ballet flats with floor-sweeping embellishments.
In contrast to these foot-friendly shoes was an abundance of over-the-knee boots to be worn with your low-rise denim, or ruched and gathered dresses with Y2K micro hems, as seen at KNWLS, David Koma and Mark Fast. London’s dirty glamorous grunge continued to dominate across a number of the more youthful brands like Chet Lo, Mowalola (where Kanye dropped by) and Masha Popova.
The fit-and-flare, full and flouncy silhouettes continued to dominate both the more ladylike and experimental proceedings, while white lace, ruffles and dress underpinnings were an abundant theme from Molly Goddard to Bora Asku and Yuhan Wang.
Soft ballet and baby pinks, jewel tones of purple, emerald green, ruby red and juicy orange made their way in showstopping sequins, fringing, satins and florals, especially at Daniel Lee’s second outing for Burberry. Floral embroidery and painterly prints were big at Roksanda, Erdem, and Feben, while bricolage and lashings of mixed media were a visual delight at Matty Bovan, Bora Aksu and Chopova Lowena.
Here are the trend highlights of the week.
Underneath It All
Regency meets cottage core got another look-in this season, with petticoats, micro ruffles, bows, and various slinky underthings of eras gone by on display across the more feminine collections. Molly Goddard’s frou-frou styling explored the inner workings of bustiers, bralettes and frills, and Choppova Lowena fused skater skirt silhouettes with lace trimmings and flounce. Yuhan Wang balanced strength and softness in lace and broderie anglaise, while Susan Fang transmuted emotion in transparent dresses and air-weave smocking.
Power Flowers
Not your average florals for spring… strong flower motifs, rosettes and busy embroidery heavily influenced a number of designers. David Koma’s collection hinged on rose insignia fit for the late Queen, in enlarged roses and daisy designs with crystal embellishments in black and pink, Richard Quinn adorned grows in maximalist florals as well as sparkling embroidery, made from microscopic flowers. Simone Rocha continued this rose theme in fabric rosettes, real, long-stemmed pale pink roses inside sheer garments and dresses to resemble rose buds.
Dirty Denim
KNWLS has been the poster brand for British ‘it’ girls for a number of seasons now, thanks to its penchant for midriffs, clingy mesh, and low-rise waistlines, so as the brand took to its gravel runway it felt fitting that devil-may-care denim was over-dyed, acid-washed and fit for scenes at Burning Man. Elsewhere, the much-hyped Mowalola show had danger-inclined denim outfitting in floor-grazing skirts, biker jackets, and micro everything, while Masha Popova took inspiration from monster trucks, imbuing her powerful denim signatures with tire treads, slashes, and skin.
The Classic Trench
No one does a trench like the wet-weather-prone British, so it's no surprise the silhouette cropped up everywhere from the experimental to the classicists. As Daniel Lee told WWD, “classicism has to be the foundation”, hence grounding the collection in wearable, daily pieces including the brand’s signature trench, ramping up its luxury stance with silk and special yarns to the traditional gabardine. A series of trenches came high cut at Mowalola, spliced with painterly florals at Erdem, with bows and ruffles at Simone Rocha and delightfully exaggerated at JW Anderson.
