5 Things We Loved About London Fashion Week SS23
As the city of London collectively mourned the Queen, this was a fashion week like no other. Designers on the LFW schedule were quick to adapt, with some postponing or withdrawing their collections altogether. But for those that continued, the support between established and young designers grew ever stronger and the fashion industry came out more unified than ever.
Here are 5 things we loved about London Fashion Week SS23
Realism over futurism dominated the season
Christopher Kane SS23 - Photo by Jason Lloyd-Evans
Whilst fashion can play a powerful role in creating an escape during times of upheaval and disorder, repeatedly, the industry proves just how essential design can be in holding a mirror up to society. For Christopher Kane, who returns to the fashion week schedule after a two-and-a-half year hiatus, this was a chance to communicate his ever growing interest in biological anatomy through his prints and sliced silhouettes. Petal prints, no stranger to Kane, gave a nod to the city's parks - laced in flowers sending condolences to the Queen. With consideration to the anti-abortion movement in America, one particular look, a gold silk dress featured two printed hands both crossed and covering the pelvis.
JW Anderson too, who showed his collection on a buzzing Saturday night inside an arcade in Soho, was also one to draw on the realities of today. Stand out looks included a metallic bubble dress that reflected the onlooking guests against its silver surface. Another look featured a print of a goldfish in a plastic bag - said to be one of multiple prints across the collection lifted from existing stock images found online.
High-rise thongs and low-rise trousers
Knwls SS23 - Photo by Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
Tik Tok may have been a driving force in reigniting the Y2K trends for Gen-Z, but the South London design duo Charlotte Knowles and Alexander Arsenault behind KNWLS have just cemented the era’s staples with their own signature. Against a concrete backdrop and heavy techno beat, models donned sheer body suits and reworked suede corsetry. Earthy tones and acid washed denim were a constant throughout the collection as well as exposed waists skimmed only by the strap of a high-rise thong. The front row which included the Drag Race UK favourite, Bimini Bon Boulash and Vogue’s Julia Hobbs was reflective of the collection’s energy: bold and daring.
Britishness was celebrated in all its glory
Understandably, the theme of love and loss has been an important consideration for designers this season. For S.S Daley’s latest collection ‘Vita’, it was about paying homage to the queer women living in the patriarchal era. In Daley’s third show on the fashion week schedule he told the story of the relationship between 19th-century author, Vita Sackville-West and socialite Violet Trefusis by drawing on elements from their love letters to one another. From animal ears and whiskers peppered throughout the collection to flowers reflecting Vita’s gardening hobby - the romance caged by its borders felt truly poignant.
Burberry SS23 show - Photo by Sonny Vandevelde
In the same vein at Burberry, Riccardo Tisci looked back at his own relationship with England and chose to explore the typical comings and goings of the British seaside. From dressing up to preparing to dip in the sea, the collection featured a hybrid of swim and streetwear looks. As some of London’s most famous models including Naomi Campbell and Erin O’Connor made their way down the catwalk, one feeling reigned true - the spirit of Britishness.
Karoline Vitto’s debut at Fashion East
In Karoline Vitto’s first collection for Fashion East under the watchful eye of Lulu Kennedy and Raphaelle Moore, its impact not just during but after the show was long-lasting. For the Brazilian-born designer and graduate of Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, it was about truly capturing what ‘beauty standards’ mean to her. Conflicted by the UK’s perception of what a Brazilian body shape looks like against her own understanding of how this is represented, sits the context behind her collection. Graceful dresses with careful draping see the interjection of metal bars that accentuate the parts of the body typically covered up. Models on the catwalk all varied in size from a UK 10-22, proving that even as a young designer there is no excuse for the industry to fall short on diversity of size. Vitto has arrived with a collection both authentic and beautiful.
Touching tributes to the Queen
Photo by Jason Lloyd-Evans
In the perfect end to a London Fashion Week like no other, Richard Quinn dedicated his collection to the Queen. Winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British design in 2018, Quinn also played archive footage of the Queen’s coronation as the backdrop to his all-black looks. Remaining true to his signatures of embellished florals and oversized bows, this time Quinn drew inspiration from the Queen’s own wardrobe including headscarves, overcoats and of course crowns. In Richard Quinn style, he closed the show with a laced white wedding gown, a positive celebration of new beginnings and love.