London Fashion Week Round Up

I thought I'd do a little round up of trends from London Fashion Week ready for SS14.

The first day saw the likes of Fyodor Golan and J JS Lee showcase their new collections.  Both of which confirmed that pink is a trend to invest in this autumn, it is likely to hang around way into next year. Be it jellyfish pink or splashes of fuchsia against chiffon, this is a colour that we are going to see everywhere.

    

(Photos by Felix Menzel)                                                                               

Another noticeable trend that was all over the catwalks this season was the vast array of blues.  There will be simply no escaping it in stores next year.  Topshop lead the way featuring billowing Mediterranean blues on printed dresses and denim, whereas House of Holland featured denim trousers or dresses with appliquéd roses.  Holly Fulton was the master of this trend where water-colour blue was a key feature of the collection, be it as a whole denim look, or embroidered with pastel blue detailing.

 

(Photos by vogue.co.uk)

Fyodor Golan was one of the first shows to kick off London’s Fashion Week and we were transported into a pretty paradise of pastel splashed chiffon and flushed meadows.   Fitting in nicely with another large trend to be seen with next year, bold bright prints and patterns were everywhere.  Seen again on Eudon Choi and Lulu Liu, don’t shy away from daring prints next season!

 

   

(Photos by Vogue.co.uk)

Petal power! Yes not exactly ground breaking (we all remember that line from The Devil Wears Prada) but pretty florals and petals put a smile on everyone’s faces when those dark and gloomy winter months are finally over. Burberry was the master of this trend, featuring delicate flowers in their finest form, in soft past colours, etched with lace and falling delicately over the runway during the final walk. Who doesn’t love something that gentle and romantic?

The Sophia Webster presentation was a haven for wildlife; models lay on flowerbeds and the whole collection was inspired by butterflies, and we entered a world filled with bugs, insects and butterfly engineered heels. A very graphic and fun collection indeed, Webster is becoming increasingly known for her colourful and vibrant signature style.

Emma Hill’s final collection for Mulberry is also worth noting within the ‘petal power’ trend, the whole show was awash with fresh daisies, ivy and roses setting the English country garden scene, and Cara Delevingne emerged wearing a silver jacquard pea coat; a key piece for  next season.

(Photos by vogue.co.uk)

Moving away from the powdery feminine trends previously mentioned, we turned our attention to another trend rippling its way through fashion week.  This one has a much darker and moodier feel, almost like it should belong in an Autumn/Winter collection.  Kristian Aadnevik’s collection was awash with lizard skin detailing, leather panels and studded embellishment, giving all the pieces a grungy edge.   Tom Ford went in a similar direction with serious amounts of leather and show stopping dresses, with high necks and long sleeves finished off with furs, because Tom Ford knows that the women who wear his dresses want to remain in the limelight.

Giles also went down the moodier route, with bat designs taking over dress fronts or headwear, making for the ultimate Batwoman, and dresses were finished with cobweb like embellishment and feather additions, it appears that Halloween came early this year.

 

(Photos by Tim Robinson and vogue.co.uk)

Ashish was quite possibly the stand out show of the season.  The collection instantly put a smile on everyone’s face with the designers take on ‘corner shop chic’ with a splash of Arabian nights thrown in the mix.  The soundtrack got the audience immediately dancing in their seats and looking a little less serious.  The collection was fun, featured more sequins than you can imagine and toyed with the Coca Cola logo and supermarket carrier bag puns.