Last Friday, London fashion week kicked off with their first in person shows in a year. This year features a surge in physical shows compared to the handful of brands who decided to do it last year and I think it’s safe to say it’s gone tremendously well; partnered with the online streams, presentations and online productions, it has been a successful week. The highlights of the days were hard to pick, as it is no doubt the shows all were in the same, rocky, coronavirus boat. But below are just some of the weeks most memorable shows.
Bora Aksu showed off florals and ruffles in their show on the 17th September. This was a breath of fresh air when being surrounded with modern styles every day; it’s nice to see a designer going the other way and breaking the boundaries for what can be worn now. Their knitwear, bright colours and flared pants was the high light of the day, showing that we can be chic and fun.
The KNWLS show on the 18th kicked off with a horror-esque soundtrack and a dimly lit room. It soon turned into an inspiring collection though. Featuring many looks, it gave a twist on the trends of today. Think Mad Max meets The Bad Batch if it were cinematic experience, and it was very close to that. The neutral tones were on trend, with the partnership of hints of colour, their new collection is not to be missed, I am predicting it will be a hit and set the new season’s expectations of wearable but eye-catching fashion.
On the 19th, the highlight was definitely the smart casual outfits of EFTYCHIA, a brand only existing since 2018, they focused on minimal European styles which were well tailored and wearable. Browns with hints of blues, greys and purple were launched on the runway, expressing the feeling of a series of 1970s office-like attire mixed with 90s tailoring. The way in which the items meet the colours, fitting the models in different ways, whether it be a boy-ish loose fit or figure hugging – the colours bring us back to a more simple time, rendering the items to be comfortable yet eye catching. They’re easily worn and yet extremely impressive.
Modern gothic meets Lolita? Now that’s when Simone Rocha arrived to present an amazing collection on the 20th. This was personally my all time favourite this fashion week. Bringing niche styles into the public limelight, presenting them to us all in such a manner that brings a certain energy which was an integral part of last week. Who says we need bright colours and ‘TikTok’ styles to be modern? Simone Rocha perfected the colour black, giving us items which will be a staple in our wardrobes this season.
PRONOUNCE, a brand by Yushan Li and Jun Zhou, was the highlight of the day on the 21st. Using geometric prints, circle cut outs, and a mixture of bright and muted tones, it was a prime example of young fashion being recognised and admired. The feeling of the future, style meets comfort, items for all genders. The circles representing an inner meaning of eternal but also nothing at all. These garments were made to be worn by the future of today.
