Storms might have been battering the city, but that didn’t stop London Fashion Week (LFW) from going ahead with full force.
A first glance at the schedule might have suggested we were in for a quiet season, as big names like Victoria Beckham and Burberry were missing, but those who did decide to put on a show more than made up for it.
Here are the top highlights from an eventful – and windy – LFW…
A big debut from Ahluwalia
There was much to love about the Ahluwalia presentation. It was designer Priya Ahluwalia’s first full runway show, and she certainly delivered. The show was called ‘From Bollywood To Nollywood’, and had a cast of entirely black and brown models. Ahluwalia wrote on Instagram: “For me, representation is vital for the self esteem of Black and Brown people and I aim to help progress this with all of the work I do, both on the runway and behind the scenes.”
The clothes themselves were a party – full of patterns, chic tailoring and going out tops – and we’d argue the models had the best nails of London Fashion Week. Manicurist Lauren Michelle Pires painted mega-long nails all colours of the rainbow, and studded them with what looks like the jewelled bindis you normally see on foreheads.
Bondage at Richard Quinn
Richard Quinn’s fashion is known for two things: florals and latex. He brought both in his latest collection, particularly with a guest appearance from Violet Chachki on the runway. Chachki – a drag queen who won the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race – wore an impossibly tight, black latex bodysuit, and ‘walked’ another model in a dog-style gimp outfit with a leash attached.
This wasn’t the only noteworthy thing about Quinn’s show: supermodel Irina Shayk made an appearance in swathes of fuchsia material covering everything but her face, and Kate Moss’s daughter Lila closed the show in a bridal-style outfit.
Supermodels galore
Richard Quinn wasn’t the only show Irina Shayk made an appearance at – she also stomped the runway for experimental designer Matty Bovan, wearing typically extravagant outfits.
Curvy supermodel Paloma Elsesser took London by storm, and walked in many of the major shows – from cult labels Nensi Dojaka and Connor Ives, to more established brands like Simone Rocha and 16Arlington.
Bold eyes at Simone Rocha
Simone Rocha’s clothes normally make a statement – her aesthetic is definitely on the ‘more is more’ side of things, with lots of ruffles, lace and pearls – and this season, she stripped back the fashion and put all the drama in the make-up look.
Rocha’s signature big silhouettes were there, but pared back – instead, statement crystals and pearls were studded around models’ eyes and even their bodies. Think of it as a darker, moodier take on the statement jewelled beauty looks popularised by TV show Euphoria.
Colour at Roksanda
Designer Roksanda Ilinčić took over the Tate Britain for her joyous show, with models wearing expansive dresses in geometric prints and all colours of the rainbow. There was a distinctly sporty feel to the collection – a new vibe for Roksanda – as it debuted the label’s collaboration with Fila, with covetable giant puffer coats.
Roksanda also sold the first NFT (non-fungible token) at LFW. The glamorous finale look is now available to buy as an NFT on roksanda.com, with three options ranging from £25 to £5,000, allowing you to get in on the growing trend for digital fashion.
Cats on the runway at Yuhan Wang
Curious about what the accessory of the season is? It could be a cat, if Yuhan Wang has anything to say about it. Wang’s pet Misty was carried by a model wearing a leopard print faux fur coat and matching bucket hat, making for the cutest catwalk of the season.
