London Fashion Week Highlights

Joseph
I was pleasantly surprised by this Joseph show. Usually, creative director of the brand, Louise Trotter trends to go for very boring, simple, minimal pieces which have no real shape or functional wear-ability, as seen in previous seasons. But for spring/summer 2015, she brought the classic Joseph stripes back as well as the whole masculine/feminine dynamic that this French fashion house is so famous for. I loved the draping of the skirts around the waist and the use of soft pastel colours such as lemon and baby pink. The mens shirts and tailored trousers are sure to keep regular customers happy as well as the carefully constructed dresses paired with cool white trainers. The pieces at then end of the collection, with black samurai inspired belts flying off of them were different and exciting, as was the amazing cropped white jumpsuit. A very good effort.

Peter Pilotto
This design duo are so clever, so forward thinking and so consistent in their LFW collections that this show came as no surprise. For spring/summer 2016, Peter Pilotto were definitely feeling very feminine and girly, with pretty pastel colours, floral prints and light, white summer dresses, which came to just below the knee. The denim tunic top and trousers were among the best pieces for me, as were the lovely embroidered bomber jackets which had pretty frills around the hem. The overall silhouettes of many of the pieces highlighted the models' figures and showcased the mastery these designers have when constructing adorable womenswear pieces. A fantastic show.

Anya Hindmarch
Anya Hindmarch has to be one of the most fun, crazy and inspiring accessories designers out there. From pop art one season, to milk cartons the next and then bags bearing road traffic signs on them... there seems to be nothing this lady can't conjure up. The French supermarket Carrerfour was the main inspiration behind this geometric and slick collection, with the logo and red and white colouring of the logo emblazoned on rucksacks and handbags. Mothercare, Boots and John Lewis were other brand logos which featured in the collection, showing just how unexpected Anya is when it comes to designing bags. She certainly closed LFW with a bang!

London Fashion Week: Best in Show

Burberry
This show was something quite different from Burberry. Yes, there were a couple of their classic trench coats and few compy capes (a huge hit last season) but the prints were incredibly bright and fun. Every garment was adorned with 70's inspired boho patterns, in azul blue, dusty red and camel. There were plenty of tassels and pieces which will be copied everywhere next season such as the buttoned bomber jackets, and even a leopard print coat thrown in for good measure. As always, Burberry attracts a lot of international clients and a scurry of excitement from the fashion press. Yet for me, this show was not as good as previous seasons. 

Holly Fulton
London designer Holly Fulton seems to stay below the radar at fashion week yet she has been showing at LFW for a number of years now. I picked out her show as one of my highlights of  LFW simply because it was pretty and delicate, and I could see my self wearing these clothes! The colours were pastel and soft while the draping of the fabric was flattering and elegant, perfect for dressing up for evening. It reminded me of a very English tea party at The Dorchester, complete with ice pink cupcakes and sweet jam scones!

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi
Preen always experiment with colour; a lot of colour. For autumn/winter 2016 patchwork patterns and intricate swirling patterns were adorned on loose dressed and long sleeved crop tops. I loved the 70's feel (a big thing for next season apparently) and the understated cool the model's possessed. I also loved the hair and make up which was youthful and chic.

Christopher Kane
It was those unique printed dresses at the end of the show which did it for me. Sketched by Christopher Kane himself, dresses featured naked men and women entwined together in a Pop Arty display of affection. Yes, a little weird and controversial but that's what makes Kane stand out from the pack. The rest of the collection was good, with some very wearable black pieces. 

Joseph
Since making a triumphant comeback to the catwalk scene last year, Joseph certainly put on a great show at a Soho car park for their fall 2016 collection. Similar to what Celine did last season, knitted jumpers were over sized and baggy while silhouettes were minimal and simple. I loved the column dresses and wrap knits in beige, neutrals and khaki green. On top of that, the pretty summer dresses at the end of the show were lovely and perfect to wear in the autumnal months. Overall, a great collection with an understated Parisian elegance.

Roksanda Illinic

Fuzzy, colourful, fun and loud. Roksanda knows how to bring her designs to life. Everything had colour, whether that be eye popping yellow, bright blue or fuchsia pink - none of these clothes shied away from the camera. The use of fur was tasteful and blogger friendly while the bold pink lipstick really stood out with the clothes. Belts were chunky and tightly cinched in waists while patterns were kept simple yet a little psychedelic. It was a collection which put you in a good mood.

 

 Topshop Unique

With Sir Philip Green sitting proudly beside Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner and Kate Moss the Topshop Unique show as a fav of mine at LFW. Topshop are fantastic at styling out an outfit to perfection, pairing pieces together which are cool and fun. I loved the use of fuzzy fur on collars, cuffs and dresses as well as the simple tea dresses and cocktail designs. Very relaxed and chic.

 Tom Ford
Yes, even though Tom Ford showed his collection in Los Angeles and not London, I thought I would still feature it because frankly it was amazing. One thing that Ford does to perfection is sexy. This man knows how to make a woman look seriously good in what proved to be another fab collection. From the aviator looks and the leopard print coats to the black sheer dresses and chunky jewelery, these clothes really do scream jet set glamour. And with Joan Smalls, Gigi Hadid and Karmen Pedaru strutting their stuff down the runway, no doubt these clothes will fly out of the showroom and into wardrobes fast!