With the end of the fashion week season, there is a tired but curious energy in the air, as well as a different kind of hurry to analyze beautiful runways, timeless silhouettes, and innovative ideas. As one put it, "London is synonymous with being fearless." London Fashion Week has once again brought together some of the most creative and progressive minds in fashion, culture, and technology. From iconic fashion labels like Burberry, Richard Quinn, and JW Anderson to up-and-coming designers. Also, Vogue World paved the way for an unforgettable last day. London Fashion Week is the right blend of classicism and contemporary artistry. It's an elegant gathering attended by the world's crème de la crème, featuring any celebrity one can think of. Here are some of our favorite moments from London Fashion Week.
Vogue World
Vogue World, a one-night-only entertainment, amazingly packed with personalities from fashion and the arts both onstage and off, took place on the final day of London Fashion Week. After being photographed, A-listers and ticket holders walked a rose-lined red carpet, supported by live orchestra music and up the theater steps, where they were greeted by a receiving line that included the evening's architect, Anna Wintour.
Annie Lennox, wearing a large hat and supported by the London Community Gospel Choir, appeared near the end of the show, belting out her 1980s song "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" as models like Emily Ratajkowski and Ashley Graham walked in styles from the latest fashion collections. As almost all of the performers took the stage for the finale, four of the original supermodels — Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Christy Turlington – ended the event.
Image Source: New York Times
Burberry
Burberry was the hottest ticket of the season and was Daniel Lee’s second show at London Fashion Week as Chief Creative Officer of the brand, having taken over from Riccardo Tisci in September 2022. The outfits on the runway were a much more classic take on the Burberry aesthetic. For this show, he put the focus on Burberry’s signature product, the trench coat. Alongside more traditional cuts, he reimagined the style in multiple ways – with sleeveless versions, cropped styles and a bomber-trench hybrid. Lee is making bright blue Burberry’s color under his presence, presenting it as 'Knight Blue' in a reference to the Equestrian Knight on the brand’s logo. There were flashes of blue throughout the collection, from collars to check patterns.
For the spirit of London Fashion Week, Lee has been teasing the show with various surprises, including renaming Bond Street tube station Burberry Street and changing Norman's Cafe in Archway into a Burberry-style themed diner with plates covered in blue check. Both of these makeovers were immensely going viral on social media, which led people to be more excited than ever for the Burberry show.
Image Source: Madmoizelle
Image Source: Burberry and Norman's Cafe
JW Anderson
Anderson took plasticine, a soft and pliable children's clay, and molded and hardened it into wearable hoodies and shorts. This, combined with the vivid colors the clothes had been dyed, gave the models the look of characters in a Roblox or Minecraft-type game or a stop-motion animation. The collection was meant to be playful, and like the material that the clothes were made from, plasticine, the person wearing them gives them their shape and meaning. Of course, other, more practical offerings were presented, such as trench coats, bomber jackets, evening dresses, and crocheted dresses with a 60s flavor.
Image Source: i-d magazine
Ray Chu
Ray Chu’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in the use of eco-friendly materials. Suits are the brand’s signature, with great workmanship and precise tailoring that captures the gender-neutral silhouette. One can say that sustainability and vegan fashion was an important topic this year, considering several protests on runways.
Image Source: VRAI Magazine
Karina Bond
Karina Bond's signature pieces are sculptural and glowing futuristic dresses. Tim Burton's surreal film Edward Scissorhands inspired her new collection. Each of the 24 looks, created in a fun color palette of deep purple, coral, and golden yellow, represents a fantastical creature such as Edward. In a stunning runway performance at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, opera performers brought the looks to life.
Image Source: Eclipse Magazine
Susan Fang
The collection is soft and delicate, with see-through lace dresses, and computer-generated designs blended with hand-drawn flowers. Susan Fang discusses how she used new technologies in an interview.
“It’s pretty mind-blowing how clothes, with all their shapes, sizes, textures and colors, can transmit vibes and energy. This got us thinking about AI, which is interesting because it can stir up both fear and admiration, almost like a new-age belief system. We wanted to dig into this connection between energy and technology and give AI a touch of soul, kind of like our fascination with flying kites, a timeless dream for humanity. So, in our creative process, we decided to use Midjourney and get a bit experimental this season. We took drawings from my mom and boyfriend’s childhood drawings and ran them through the software. Then, we mixed them with our traditional hand-painted designs to see if we could still capture that human emotion.”
Richard Quinn
Richard Quinn, known for his bold prints and theatrical designs, came up to the audience with a collection that celebrated self-expression and individuality. Dedicating the show to his late father, he found beauty in grief and the expression of it through his creation was inspiring. A performance by five ballet dancers that opened the show was aimed as a celebration of “a wonderful father, grandfather, brother and husband”.
Image Source: Vogue Runway
Simone Rocha
Simone Rocha's Fall/Winter 2023 collection paid homage to the English National Ballet with a darkly romantic dollhouse setting and melancholy music. The floral patterns were affectionate, with delicate pink sets with twisted roses, as well as transparent pieces with real flowers. Through dramatic aspects, the collection created a message of profound love and liberation. The show was completed by Rocha's signature pearled suits and lace-trimmed motorcycle jackets. The star of the show was the debut of the first collaboration with Crocs on the Runway. Simone Rocha x Crocs is just like what we could have imagined! Sporty and stylish silhouettes with big shimmering rhinestones and pearls.
Image Source: SNKRDUNK Magazine
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