London Fashion Week wrapped up with a bang, giving us bigger and bolder trends to get our teeth stuck into.
A move away from the bohemian suede and soft silhouettes from last spring/summer, this season honed in on vivid colours, sharp cuts and punk motifs.
Over five brisk days the schedule moved from cavernous show spaces in London’s banking district to candle-lit salons in Mayfair. Big names and independents used the catwalk to test ideas about Britishness, modern workwear and nostalgia.
Burberry re-examined its heritage codes with a punkish twist on tartan, Edeline Lee explored capacious and sculptural silhouettes and the usual leader of ‘quiet luxury’ Emilia Wickstead brought bold colour to the runway.
While many shows paraded pieces that felt purely made for the red carpet, certain ideas stood out not as things you could imagine living in.
So, here are the five of the most wearable trends from London Fashion Week to get ahead of the fashion curve.
1. Twisted tartan
While the rather pared-back form of tartan, black swatch, trended last season, this season it seems Nineties grunge is back, as punk plaid dominated the runways and the street style.
At Burberry, famous for its heritage tartan, creative director Daniel Lee leaned into it to the prim-come-punk aesthetic.
Swing coats, trench dresses and mini skirts appeared in acid-green and crimson tartans. It felt like a remix of countryside classics and festival-ready attire – all, of course, remaining unmistakably British.
Tartan and check is a surprisingly easy print to style. Impactful without being overwhelming, tartan can take centre stage as a statement piece or be styled in a playful clash of patterns
Sport it in a heavy wool skirt with a chunky knit and leather accents to stave off any preppy-ness, or in a shirt or jacket with wide-leg trousers, heeled boots and fine jewellery for a smarter look.
2. Suits with ties
Oversized tailoring has been a steady trend for the past few seasons, but this year designers pushed this masculine tailoring trend further, as ties were cropping up on and off the runway.
No longer a mere office accessory, ties appeared knotted loosely over shirts, tucked under waistcoats or hanging undone from blazers. The trend seems to be inspired by Eighties Wall Street.
It wasn’t just on the catwalks either. Spotted among street-style and front row, celebs from Emma Willis to Twiggy used ties to punctuate their tailored ensembles – turning boardroom conformity into insouciant cool.
To style the trend, start off with an oversized blazer and wide-leg, tailored trousers – the more relaxed the silhouette, the less you’ll actually look like you’re going to work.
Go for high-waited trousers cinched in with a belt to bring back a feminine frame and finish with a slimline shirt and tie.
3. Fringe
Noticeable last season, but affirmed this year, was fringe.
Usually associated with the Seventies or cowboy westerns, this year, the frenetic trim had a slightly more mature feel, appearing on everything from bags to scarves to sleeves and dresses.
Love Island host Maya Jama wore a fringed gown to Burberry, showing it’s long past its casual, bohemian associations.
On the runway, Edeline Lee experimented with fringe, forgoing the usual edged hem and opting for head-to-toe swathes of fringing that moved like liquid with every step.
If you’re not sold on a full-fringe look just yet, like all trends, it’s best to dip your toe in with some accents.
Sturdy leather fringe bags, or ones with lighter fabric tassels, allow you to test the Western saddleback energy, while a fringed hem of a jacket gives an edge to what could otherwise be a safe and demure look.
4. Sky blue
Perhaps next season’s butter yellow, sky blue was peppered throughout runways alongside pops of its bright cobalt counterpart.
From Bora Aksu’s frothy, doll-like dresses to Richard Quinn’s opera-worthy gowns, the shade turned up everywhere at London Fashion Week – a cool, almost nostalgic antidote to winter’s heavier tones.
Designers used sky blue to soften sharp silhouettes, to make lace, satin and tailoring feel lighter, and to nod to a very British spring sky.
On the catwalks it ranged from powdery pastels trimmed with white lace to grunge leather trench coats.
Sky blue works surprisingly well as a neutral and paired with last year’s colour of the season: burgundy – the two are a match made in heaven.
For a relaxed look, pair a sky blue knit with a brown suede jacket, ecru jeans and silver jewellery – the shade works well with both warm and cool neutrals.
For a dressier look, wear a baby blue dress with navy tailoring and pops of red through accessories or your make-up to elevate the subtle shade.
5. Voluminous hems
Bubble hems certainly had their moment this summer, but it seems the voluminous hem isn’t going anywhere, judging by the London Fashion Week runways.
Designers such as Edeline Lee and Patrick McDowell doubled down on drama with skirts that billowed like inverted tulips in layers of fabric that swelled and sway as the models walked.
On the catwalk, the look ranged from Richard Quinn’s full-skirted bridal look to Patrick McDowell’s hybrid trench-coat skirt with a Dior ‘New Look’ silhouette.
To style this powerful silhouette, the trick is to let it do the talking. Try an A-line midi or maxi skirt paired with a fitted knit to balance the volume.
If you want to indulge more in the trend, opt for a drop-waist bubble hem skirt with a fitted high-necked bodice and slim boots to draw the eye to the skirt, while keeping the rest of the silhouette plain and streamlined.
