The best of LFW

Lauren Garvey tells us the trends and trend-setters that are set to stay…

We’ve only just sprung into spring, but after five highly anticipated days of fifty-eight shows, London Fashion Week has given us a glimpse into what we can expect to see this year. Here are some of the highlights and upcoming trends you need to know about!

Photo: Flickr / Saga Sigurdardottir

London Fashion Week is famous for its creativity, and this February proved no exception. One of the most memorable shows was that of designer Mary Katrantzou whose designs were artistic masterpieces, characterised by their intricate and evocative embroidery. Awarded this year’s BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, an exciting future is in store for this designer. Likewise, Marchesa captivated the audience with gorgeous dresses that epitomised the romantic and floral beauty of spring. However, this imagination throughout the week was shown not only in the clothes, but the performance of the shows themselves. Accessory designer Anya Hindmarch put on an unforgettable show as she transformed the room into a carnival – complete with spinning, glow-in-the-dark teacups and rotating floors, whilst Jasper Conran really set the stage for autumn with a whole runway covered in leaves.

Flares, fringing, floaty dresses and folksy patterns… Without a doubt, the 70s was definitely the most prominent influence throughout the week. In particular, the Jonathan Saunders collection hit the catwalk with knee-high boots and polo-necks galore, for a layering effect under pinafores and tunics.

extravagant, yeti-like fur coats with silk, feminine dresses…

The show, which focused on ‘joy and optimism’, showed exactly that, with the clashing of bold and bright colours which gave the decade a modern twist. By the looks of Saunders and other designers such as Felder Felder, it may be time to bid farewell to skinny jeans; flared trousers that ABBA would be proud of are definitely making a comeback.

Photo: Flickr / Farrukh

It looks like it’s going to be a glamorous winter this year with one trend that was spotted across many different designers – the faux fur coat. A particular ambassador of this piece was Matthew Williamson, who matched extravagant, yeti-like fur coats with silk, feminine dresses for ultimate elegance. Likewise, Jean-Pierre Braganza appealed to the luxury market with subtle embellishments of crystal, which added a touch of sparkle to his collection. Having said that, when it comes to beauty trends, it’s good news for students as fuss-free, relaxed hair is in. That means your effortlessly disheveled hair from when you rolled out of bed straight into your lecture is actually quite chic… and similarly, make-up was often kept minimal with pretty pastels for a delicate and youthful look.

As the only high street brand on display throughout the week, Topshop Unique’s show was based on the figure of the modern day party girl. This was reflected by the star-studded Front Row including Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner and Alexa Chung. The collection showed the transformation from day to night, from the tweed and floral designs which typified quintessential English countryside, to a more retro evening look.

All in all, it’s clear that this year is an exciting one for fashion. With the mixing and clashing of prints, patterns and colours, it’s seems that creatively, anything goes.