London Fashion Week Video Roundup
February 2012′s London Fashion Week was one of the best yet. Quintessentially English looks dominated the catwalks, while military styles, bright prints, furs and embroidered creations also featured prominently. The catwalk collections presented by top British designers such as Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton and Burberry’s Christopher Bailey showcased London as a sleek and sophisticated luxury powerhouse. Here are some of the best shows of the week…
London Fashion Week 2012 Street Style
February 2012′s London Fashion Week was one of the best yet, with blistering collections from some of our favourite designers. But, gorgeous as those collections were, it was the everyday fashionistas hanging out around Somerset House who caught our eye. Bold prints and hair dyed with crazy colours were particularly popular and neon accessories and hats were also must-have for the LFW crowd.
London Fashion Week Exhibition 2012
On Monday, Style Compare’s Steph, Amy and Jo were invited to London Fashion Week’s prestigious Exhibition at Somerset House. The girls had a behind the scenes glimpse at some of the hottest styles, colours and trends for Autumn/Winter 2012. The Exhibition showcases over 200 designer collections, with emerging talent alongside established brands.
The Topshop sponsored NEWGEN exhibit, which includes collections by Holly Fulton, David Koma and Michael van der Ham, was truly amazing, and some of the best ethical fashion was on display too, in the Monsoon-sponsored Estethica gallery. With its dazzling selection of accessories and clothing we’ll all be wearing later in the year, the LFW Exhibition is a fashionista’s haven. And the Style Compare team took lots of snapshots to show you why…
London Fashion Week SS12 Catwalk Review
It was a funny old Fashion Week. While the trends were out on parade in the courtyard of Somerset House (where visitors, celebs and guests come out to play) the designers were all about doing their own thing.
Perhaps fast fashion is getting on their nerves, or maybe this generation of design talent is steadfast in ignoring the foibles of the trend-focused; establishing personal stories and individual styles instead. Whatever the case, the pleats and colour pop, sky high wedges and vintage tea dresses were firmly off the runway as each designer put their heart and soul into their SS12 collection. Read more & view our LFW inspired moodboards
Fashion Week Finale – Menswear Roundup
While the most popular womenswear shows at London Fashion Week were still championing polished dresses and heels (Erdem, Michael van der Ham, Christopher Kane), the latest crop of menswear is strictly casual, albeit with a twist. Although tailoring is represented by Savile Row’s finest – E.Tautz, Ozwald Boateng and Hardy Amies among them – it’s the young casualwear guns with the widest appeal. Today’s menswear designers agreed on contrast-coloured panelled shirts, printed backpacks, tailored trackpants and lots of jewellery and decoration.
LFW – Up Close and Personal
Re-seeing the catwalk collections in the tents is always a highlight of London Fashion Week. Topshop has made it even easier by putting all its New Generation sponsored designers in a swanky outdoor hut overlooking the river. Here, I got to see the likes of Holly Fulton, Mary Katrantzou and David Koma in detail. This new generation of designers consistently raises the bar in design and execution. They’re so slick and business-minded, it’s easy to forget they’re still relative newcomers. Holly Fulton in particular (below) has the most immaculately finished samples and considers the overall look of her collections. Clothing, accessories, jewellery, even her illustrations, all possess Fulton’s graphic handwriting.
LFW – All About Accessories
While fashion shows tend to focus on the clothes, the accessories are equally important and for next season they promise to be stronger than ever. The extreme shoe trend still has plenty of mileage. Models have been routinely tumbling off their platforms (yes, platforms are still hanging in there) as witnessed at Charles Anastase where waifs in Natacha Marro‘s neck-breakers toppled like skittles.
London Fashion Week’s Classicists
London Fashion Week has the best innovative new talent, no question. But alongside the Marios Schwabs and Meadham Kirchhoffs there are also a wealth of designers peddling classic, commercial collections for those whose wardrobe needs are More
LFW – Trend Watch
London Fashion Week is going full throttle and OMG, there are even a few trends emerging! Let’s have a mini recap…
The overriding trend threatening to dominate next season is the repackaging of the seventies. Oh boy, designers do love to reimagine a decade, don’t they? What started in New York with Rodarte, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford has well and truly crossed the pond. London’s interpretation includes psychedelic hippies with a disco twist at Topshop Unique (picture sheer crystal-sprinkled kaftans and cropped flares if you will), metallic hotpants and chainmail halter dresses at House of Holland (surely being modified for his Debenhams customer as we speak) and acres of fringing pretty much everywhere else. Even the hair has a wholesome seventies flavour with frizzy crimped clouds and bouncy waves making multiple appearances.
LFW – Orla Kiely’s Playful Pocket Dresses
I love a designer who has a strong identity and now that Luella has vacated her position, Orla Kiely has stepped up to the plate to provide for the same playful, nod-to-retro customer. Kiely’s signature style is graphic but feminine print in sometimes poppy, sometimes offbeat colour combinations. For next spring-summer she is championing the kind of boxy cardigans and pocket dresses the Mary Quant girl might wear if she was around today.
