Fashion
Top 5 LFW Collections
London Fashion Week is a funny one for me. It’s home, I know and respect lots of the brands, there are always lots of familiar faces buzzing around the shows and it’s without doubt the most exciting, innovative and youthful fashion week of the lot. I love seeing the amazing creations from the likes of J.W.Anderson, Christopher Kane, Marques’ Almeida and Jonathan Saunders and the city becomes a street style photographer’s dream, with no end of colourful faux furs, vintage streetwear and fluffy jumpers on display. But for someone who only really wears colour with a tan (and even then it’s basically limited to red, blue and green) and prefers the little details to the massive statements, it can sometimes prove difficult to find the wearability amidst the creativity.
I always try and pick these top shows in reference to what I would actually wear, especially as they’d be an investment price-wise too so it’s important to me that they feel to some degree timeless and eternally covetable. So while these might not be the shows that immediately spring to mind when you think London, these are the shows that had me making a mental shopping list as they took to the catwalk. Without further ado, here are my favourites from my hometown’s crop of talent….
Joseph
As soon as the first look came out, I knew this collection was going to be on here. I loved all the effortless silhouettes that felt strong and warrior-like despite being soft, wafty and sheer. And there was an almost Asian-inspired edge to the kimono-like waistbands and origami folds. The palette was undoubtedly me too and felt as much warm and homespun, as it did serene and lofty. There was something almost other-worldly about it too, the sort of things you could imagine tribal leaders wearing in a post-apocalyptic future. Or maybe that’s just me…
Belstaff
Having found the leather jacket of dreams thanks to Belstaff last year, I think I’ll eternally and loyally love this brand. And this season they surpassed themselves when it came to outerwear with chunky, hunchy coats proving something of a speciality. Layered leather and an abundance of biker detailing cemented this presentation as one of my favourites.
Pringle of Scotland
This year marks Pringle of Scotland’s 200th anniversary; a pretty momentous occasion for any brand, but Pringle proved they are anything but ageing. The brand might have its roots in golfing jumpers, but for AW 15 it presented a modern take on knitwear that summed up how girls today want to wear woolies. Cable knit skirt and sweater duos, crocheted sequinned dresses, mottled longline cardigans and scarves threaded through with metallic accents, I was nodding along to every look that stepped down the runway.
Thomas Tait
Seventies rodeo girls by way of Vegas goes some way in verbally describing the awesomeness of Thomas Tait A/W 2015. I loved the 70s textures and details combined with Dallas-esque silhouettes (think wide shoulders and oversized belts), with the mustard top-to-toe look and monochrome silk shawl-top reminding me of what I imagined the characters of a Jilly Cooper novel wearing for a night of martinis and bed-hopping. Of course all of these retro accents were toned down with London’s very own breed of grungy cool, with 90s brown eyes, loose, clean hair and slouchy, oversized fits making for a thoroughly modern 70s redux.
Whistles
I think Whistles is one of London’s best mid-range brands; the kind of brand I would seek out if I was a tourist and would recommend to visitors as one of Britain’s best. This season, Whistles really focused on warmth and contemporary cosiness, piling on tactile shearlings, woolen scarves and natural-coloured faux furs for a look that sat half way between log cabin and Soho apartment. I mentioned previously my inaptitude with brights but I do kind of love the orange-red pops in this collection as it works to balance out all those earthy fabrications and rugged outerwear.
