Day 4 recap of London Fashion Week brings a few more trends to the table. Keep a look-out for bare shoulder tops and dresses as well as sheer, pleated paneling when shopping for next season. In fact, keep pleats in mind overall when looking for your next item to spice up your staples.
Antonio Berardi
Ethereal, billowy silhouettes in vivid hues made an appearance at Berardi’s show. Romantic undertones accompanied the fluid fabrics with sparkling embellishments and vibrant floral print. The collection was successfully light and freeing.
Roksanda Ilincic
Roksanda Ilincic wasn’t afraid to be bold this season, veering her line toward a more sophisticated and refined path. With Julia Dault serving as inspiration, Roksanda focused on strong, “primary shapes” to serve as silhouettes in her brightly hued line-up. Sharp folds hung from the necklines and bodies of sleek silhouettes while Perspex embellished several boxier pieces in a collection that succeeded in changing the direction for the brand.
Erdem
Erdem chose to fuse the darkness of the thickest jungles with the beauty that spawns in the spaces unknown to the rest of the world. Organic embellishments adorned body-skimming but modest dresses in subdued hues. Makes sense, since Marianne North, an English Victorian biologist served as a muse. Standout gowns embroidered in botanical motifs provided drama and mystery to this well-executed collection.
Michael van der Ham
A pieced together montage of textures and prints at Michael van der Ham reminisced of a masterful and romantic art installation. Sweet and pretty cocktail dresses shone in the line-up of soft and graceful pieces.
Burberry Prorsum
Christopher Bailey cited rebirth as his inspiration for the fanciful spring collection comprised of iridescent, gossamer fabrics in a gradient of colors derived from the countryside. The dresses were light-as-air, fluttering gently and inspiring a feeling of freshness and new beginnings. Trenches juxtaposed against the billowy shapes with their streamlined silhouette and bold accent color.
Mother of Pearl
A cute and athletic line-up of loose silhouettes, body-skimming two-piece ensembles and a fleshy color palette.
Issa
A playful mood overtook Issa this season, with loose, unobtrusive silhouettes and a delightfully evolving pattern that built upon its zig-zag print from last season. Soft squiggles quickly transformed into galloping horses on the breezy dresses and loose two-pieces, before progressing into a floral motif consisting of hand-painted organza flowers. The collection delivered on its trusted fit-and-flare silhouettes as well as plenty of wearable options sure to be a sell-out.
Christopher Kane
Kane introduced an inspiring dedication to Kane’s late professor and close mentor Louise Wilson with his collection. To begin, he focused on coiling rope that carefully embroidered separates and dresses. He then continued to eruptions of tulle from expertly molded curves on peplums and shift dresses. Capping off were inspired pleat panels, fastened to the attire with large metal barrettes. The result was a motivating and attractive collection with enormous mass appeal.
Huishan Zhang
Perfectly lady-like cocktail dresses and girly silhouettes with nipped waists and puffed-out skirts gave the presentation a very sweet quality. Choosing a pale pink, peach and faded yellow palette, Zhang embroidered Chinese street artist inspired calligraphic letters for some playful mischief and lightness. Capping off the show was a handful of heavier looks giving a nod to his evening allegiance.
Thomas Tait
The winner of the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize confirmed he was the rightful choice with his collection for Spring 2015. Razor sharp tailoring in angular silhouettes and checkerboard patterns on 3D effect dresses drew inspiration from the works of Paris-based artist George Rousse. Silk dresses provided liquidity to the more angular cuts. Overall, it was a selection that both satisfied the taste for creativity as well as provided plenty for the every-day consumer.
Giles
A wild jungle theme roared through the presentation at Giles this season. Bold monochromatic prints of wild predators, colorful embellishments of tiger paws and snakes slithering down shift dresses all played up the fun inspiration. The silhouettes were kept classically tailored and wonderfully feminine, contrasting against the more powerful rainforest creatures.
Peter Pilotto
Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos chose to push their brand to new limits by showcasing their technical strength with a variety of techniques and embellishments. Perspex was abundant, so were bundles of embroidery, 3D flowers, and macramé on straps. Color blocking and designs reminiscent of patchwork quilts graced the simpler silhouettes. With that much technical prowess in this smart collection, sticking to sleek tailoring was a wise choice.
Tom Ford
The ‘70s have never been so rock’n’roll. Tom Ford’s procession of the ultra-glam rock chic can’t help but conjure images of The Rolling Stones behind scenes, or Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent for that matter. A bevy of high-shine fabrics sparkled on top while legs for miles bared themselves in sky-high platforms and micro-minis. While all pieces proved to be lust-worthy, a real show-stopped was a black caped number encrusted in a slithery black sequin.
Busardi
The beautiful natural landscapes of South America inspired this light and airy collection reminiscent of Patagonian glaciers, flowing falls and sandy shores. The soft colors and fabrics perfectly captured the organic flow of nature.
