Runway Report: London Fashion Week
Our favourite looks from the Autumn/Winter 18 collections in London
Drawing a comparison to the luxuriously wearable New York collections, everything at London Fashion Week seems just that much more eccentric, more left-of-field, and more conceptual, perhaps. From tinsel-adorned outfits at Ashish, oversized drawstrings and wetsuits at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, to Gareth Pugh's almost comically wide shoulders, and Molly Goddard's idiosyncratic layers of tulle.
In London this year, designers seem to have a lot to say, and they're not leaving room for ambiguity. "DON'T KNOW DON'T CARE" yells Ashley Williams, "GROUNDBREAKING" shouts House of Holland, and, perhaps more positively, "TRUTH + BEAUTY" and "POWER WOMAN" cheers Marques' Almeida. The last phrase may be the most apt for our current climate, and for that of women (and men) in the fashion industry and worldwide, fighting against harassment and for equality.
Although they didn't go as far as emblazoning it on their clothing, for many of the designers it's clear the woman they're dressing knows her worth, and what she wants. As with collections from Alexander Wang and Victoria Beckham in New York, in London this manifested itself as several different interpretations of the power suit; Rejina Pyo's oversized white suit with its exaggerated lapels, Gareth Pugh's head-to-toe leopard print, House of Holland's pinstriped two-piece belted with abseiling cord, and Roksanda's sunny yellow and pale blue sets, worn with luxurious silks.
Feathers and fluff have also been featuring prominently, with Ashley Williams, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Christopher Kane and Erdem all injecting some feathery texture into their collections.
Silk has also appeared repeatedly in both New York and London's collections, with designers like Peter Pilotto and Roksanda creating languid silken two-pieces and dresses.
So what does it all mean? This season's woman is complex, she's hard to pin down, but two things we know for sure: She's taking back what's hers, and she knows how to have fun.