The last week has been an absolute riot! This is my 14th season at London Fashion Week and it’s safe to say that over the years, I’ve fallen in and out of love with attending. My very first season was at the Natural History Museum, back when bloggers rarely attending the shows. Since then, I’ve seen it move to Somerset House, Brewer Street carpark and now it’s new home at 180 Stand. Maybe it’s the new home, maybe it’s a distinct lack of bloggers and hangers on but I’ve definitely fallen back in love with attending LFW and I think that has been reflected on my Instagram, which is very heavily LFW-themed at the moment. Here’s a little sneak peak into my experience at London Fashion Week:
Victoria Grant’s LFW Party
Fashion Week kicked off in style at milliner extraordinaire Victoria Grant’s fabulous party at the Sanctum Soho. I marvelled over her delicious hats, including the new collection complete with LED lights! The perfect way to ease into this season’s festivities.
Mark Fast’s return to LFW
My highlight for Friday was Mark Fast’s triumphant return to London Fashion Week. His show was highly anticipated and certainly did not disappoint, with an ode to his signature cobweb knits as well as a new aesthetic – voluminous feathered pieces which swished down the runway. Congratulations on your fabulous return, Mark!
Milo Maria’s AW17 presentation
I have always been super passionate about supporting emerging designers as well as seeing what the established designers have in store for the next season. Emerging designers are what sets London apart from Paris, New York and Milan and it’s so exciting to discover someone with incredible talent at the start of their career. One of my favourite emerging designers is Milo Maria and I loved her office-inspired AW17 presentation.
Julien Macdonald’s sparkling AW17 collection
Julien Macdonald’s show is always one of my highlights, I just love his super sleek aesthetic of high octane glam and sparkles. This collection certainly didn’t disappoint and I loved seeing the likes of Leomie Anderson and Winnie Harlow walking the runway in Macdonald’s exquisite designs.
Globe-Trotter’s anniversary celebrations
Globe-Trotter held a lovely event to commemorate their 120th anniversary, at the site of their original factory in Clerkenwell. A little exhibition of cases past and present was a lovely touch, as well as having a sneak peek of the new collection, which includes purses and handbags as well as the luggages and trunks they are known for. Happy anniversary to my favourite luggage brand.
CIMONE’s super fun AW17 collection
Another one of my favourite emerging designers, CIMONE’s show saw creative director Carli Pearson return to form with her signature exaggerated proportions and bold statement pieces. Structured shapes and severe shoulders contrasted with a playfulness and sculpted contours.
Sabinna’s mixed reality event
Last season, I saw Microsoft Hololens’ debut at London Fashion Week, which was incredible. This season the brains behind that collaboration, Matthew Drinkwater of the Fashion Innovation Agency, took Hololens to the next level. He collaborated with emerging designer Sabinna to create an interactive shopping event after her show. Pieces from the collection were shot on a model and customers were able to see the pieces in 3D and interact with them, swiping through tops and bottoms interactively using Hololens. The quality and experience has come on leaps and bounds since September, the images were crisper and the whole experience was so much sleeker and seamless. This is such an exciting innovation and it’s great to see FIA pushing the boundaries of fashion and tech with emerging designers.
Aspinal’s hot ticket presentation
I went to the Aspinal of London press day in search of handbags and ended up bumping into David Gandy! It turns out half of London was at the presentation, including David, everyone eager to check out Aspinal’s beautiful new collection, which took inspiration from the golden age of theatre. Rich tones and sumptuous fabrics alongside exotic skins gave the collection a super luxe feel.
Isa Arfen’s presentation
My final day at London Fashion Week started in gritty East London to see Isa Arfen’s AW17 collection. Inspired by Inga Morath’s 50s and 60s portraits of Saul Steinburg’s surreal faces as well as Joan Riviere’s 1927 essay ‘Womenless as a Masquerade’, the collection explores feminine identity in it’s many guises. Harlequin prints added a playful edge.
Designer Showrooms
One of the best parts of being an accredited blogger at LFW is cruising through the Designer Showrooms to get a closer look at some of the designers who showed their collections or had presentations as well as discovering smaller designers. It’s always great for finding new, exciting accessories brands.
Burberry Maker’s House
Last season saw Burberry’s latest creation, Burberry Maker’s House, come into fruition during London Fashion Week. The British superbrand continued Maker’s House this season, allowing consumers to get up close and personal with the brand’s February 2017 collection. Each runway look was on display along with the inspiration, fabric swatches and sketches. The focus of this season’s collection were the 78 limited edition couture capes, which were also on display. It was incredible to see them in person and look at the incredible detailing that has gone into their creation. This is such a fantastic concept by Burberry and really bridges the gap between show and consumer.
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