The First 2 Days of London Fashion Week

We are actively in the midst of London Fashion Week. All of the glamour and style of the city compressed into just 5 days. That, however, does not mean the days are not immensely packed. From exclusive dinners to jewelry pop-ups open to the public, the schedule is full of exciting ventures. What I find most interesting is the catwalks, where these UK-based brands can display their exciting new fall and winter collections to the public for the first time. Though these are closed events, pictures and videos spread across social media very quickly.

Photos: NowFashion

The first show to set off the weekend is on Thursday, the 19th, and is displayed by Paul Costelloe. His collection makes use of greys and brown, playing with plaid and taking an alternative look at the classic business wear.  Some of the items are more ready-to-wear, while others take the runway avant-garde approach. The day continues with runway shows from Argo Studio, Kseniaschnaider, Annie’s, Harris Reed, and Central Saint Martins MA Fashion. 

Photos: FashionNetwork

The next show on Thursday is by Agro Studio, which definitely takes more of a Haute Couture approach. The stylist plays with silhouettes and very dark colors, using coats and sweaters, catering more towards the winter end of the collection. 

Photos: NowFashion

The Kseniaschnaider show works mostly with denim, creating tops, dresses, pants, jackets, and skirts with a clever patchwork effect. They continue to pair it with casual clothing of these very regular cotton t-shirts, sweatshirts, and khaki items. 

Photos: NowFashion

Next is Annie’s, which takes an entirely different approach to the fall/winter collection. The items are very avant-garde and play with different historical silhouettes. It works with items in the regency, rococo, and renaissance eras, to name a few. The large shoulders and chest plates are paired with short skirts emulating the large hips in the Renaissance. All of these pieces include very intricate patterns and large florals, making the collection fit more into spring and summer.

Photos: Runway Magazine

Harris Reed’s collection is definitely the most popular of the shows done on Thursday and Friday. The images are shot separately from the runway show on more professional backgrounds to showcase the items. The items are technically ambitious and anythingbut ready to wear. The collection has a large array of different silhouettes and colors, but they somehow manage to work extremely well cohesively. Black is the most common color, with other bright shades bringing something interesting and exciting to the pieces. This is, of course, separate from the 4 items that may be described as “bridal”. 

Photo: Ouch Magazine

The Central Saint Martins MA Fashion Show was the last catwalk of the night. They focused mostly on ready-to-wear items and casual pieces. Many more unisex items are present, with masculine clothing at the forefront of the show. There is a large array of different designs that play with many different colors and designs. A few of the pieces take on the Haute Couture route by using different materials like metal. In all this show definitely demonstrates the largest array of different looks within the collection. 

Photos: Pause Mag

To set off Friday's fashion shows is Lueder. Lueder’s collection works a lot with reds and blacks. They work a lot more with streetwear, making the clothing oversized with soft lines. There’s more color blocking, only pattern present is camo in 2 looks.

Photos: WWD

Next is Patrick McDowell, another considerably popular designer. From my perspective, this collection reads as more “boring” than the other collections. The collection os very ready to wear and doesn’t align with the “couture” end of fashion week. The colors most present are white, black, and magenta. They use a series of florals and more classically “feminine” clothing. 

Photos: Now Fashion

Follows is Bora Aksu's ready-to-wear collection, though many of these items are more “avant-garde”.The pieces are mostly dresses, with some shirts paired with them, using mostly white and black with a little red for a pop of color. Lots of sheer materials are used, and the clothing is very light. Still, some jackets and warmer fabrics are used. 

Photos: WWD

Sinead Gorey’s collection wasn’t as cohesive as some of the others. The clothing pieces have a large range of items with mini skirts, tights, fur coats, graphic crop tops, dresses, leather pants, etc. There is a certain ornate detailing that is demonstrated throughout multiple of the pieces. 

Photos: WWD

The Joseph collection is the next catwalk on the schedule. The items are mostly grey, black, and white. Business wear is used as the most common theme of the outfits. The clothes are mostly very angular, with a few more flowy dresses and fur coats appearing. Multiple fabrics and materials are also used within the looks

Photos: London Fashion Week

Dreaming Eli uses mostly whites and beiges with a bit of reds and blacks. The items are all either tight-fitting or flowy, and the beginning of the looks are very soft, using a lot of lace. Then as we get towards the end of the collection, we see harsher with the darker colors being brought in and more purposeful distressing.

Photos: WWD

Fashion East is next up; their collection makes use of winter items. Fur has a place in many of the looks, pairing it with more “regular” clothing. A few of the items make use of more summer-like items, but the majority sit with winter. They use a lot of draping and subverting of expectations on what normal streetwear would look like.

Photos: Show Studio

Keburia’s collection uses some of the same ornate detailing present in Sinead Gorey’s collection. There is a series of jackets present in this collection, some paired with pants and skirts, while others use very short shorts to bring modernity to the looks. There is also fur and mostly blues, oranges, and greens present.

Photos: WWD

Mithridate is the next show presented; they use mostly plain colors in reds and blues. The items are very ready-to-wear and fall most in line with business casual or streetwear. A few patterns are used, but they are paired with more “plain” clothing items or accessories.

Photos: Show Studio

Natasha Zinko is the last show of the night, and they definitely end it with a bang. The photos are done in front of an ornate background instead of the catwalk itself. The clothing items are meant to look purposefully messy and unsorted. Many of the items are unsymmetrical and are paired with messy hair or unusual accessories. The most common clothing items are clack but there is also a large array of patterns and colors. 

XOXO, The Fashion Stock Market