The Top 5 Trends We Spotted at London Fashion Week
Overall, the message from the London runways was clear: Go big or go home.
We may only be halfway through fashion month—with New York and London down, and Milan and Paris to go—but next season’s biggest trends are already taking shape. We’ve rounded up the biggest trends from the NYFW runways, and here’s our takeaway from the London shows.
Britannia With Brexit looming and conversations about the UK’s fate becoming increasingly fraught, designers seemed to have British heritage on their minds. Honouring their country’s rich sartorial traditions, they delivered plenty of tweed (Burberry, JW Anderson, Roland Mouret), plaid (A.W.A.K.E, House of Holland, Vivienne Westwood) and argyle (Preen, Victoria Beckham, Molly Goddard).
Photography via imaxtree
Britannia
A.W.A.K.E
Exaggerated sleeves Bigger is better, announced London, via voluminous sleeves of multiple varieties: billowy at Roksanda; leg-of-mutton at Shrimps; pouffy at Preen; big and ruched at Simone Rocha; and feathered at Peter Pilotto. Next season, it seems, is going to be all about being seen.
Photography via Imaxtree
Exaggerated Sleeves
Christopher Kane
Red Orange dominated the New York runways and we saw it here too—at Shrimps, Richard Quinn, Roksanda and House of Holland—but eventually it was red that emerged as London’s ruling hue. There was ‘lipstick red’ at Victoria Beckham, crimson at Richard Malone, vermillion at Emilia Wickstead, and fire engine red at Ports 1961.
Photography via Imaxtree
Red
Erdem
Oversized bags We’re not predicting that small, structured handbags are going anywhere, but they’re going to have to share room with their oversized brethren next season if the boxy purses, feathered totes and carry-alls we saw on the runway are any indication.
Photography via Imaxtree
Oversized Bags
Rejina Pyo
Metallics Silver and gold appeared in various guises on the London runways: sequins at Ashish (of course) and Simone Rocha, iridescence at Halpern and Christopher Kane, and plissé metallics at Peter Pilotto. Overall, the message from London was to go big or go home, whether through traffic-stopping hues, exaggerated silhouettes or shiny, magpie-worthy metallics.
Photography via Imaxtree
Metallics
Ashish