FASHION Magazine

Trend: Couturified

Luxe is one word that comes to mind for Fall 2014 at London Fashion Week.
This season, there has been an overwhelming use of lush fabrics, unexpected technique and a new level of intricacy in almost every collection. Decorative art was the theme at Burberry Prorsum, where Christopher Bailey took his well known aesthetic to the next level by hand painting pieces and personalizing accessories for each model on the runway (their initials were on each of the finale ponchos). Both John Rocha and Simone Rocha used sculpture and laser cuts in their pieces.

Mary Katrantzou showed mindblowing Greek-inspired dresses that looked as though been delicately assembled together by string. Jonathan Saunders and Roksanda Ilincic also had 3D dresses made up of laser cutouts almost resembling layered leaves, while Erdem‘s collection had numerous dresses that look like they were constructed from a reinterpreted lace-like fabric. Christopher Kane finished his show with a grouping of ethereal mega-folded organza dresses that caused a gasp in the room when the first one came out. To boot, many designers opted to use multiple techniques in one garment creating unbelievable visual impact.

Burberry Prorsum Fall 2014

Trend: Couturified

Christopher Kane Fall 2014

Trend: Couturified

Jonathan Saunders Fall 2014

Trend: Couturified

Erdem Fall 2014

Trend: Embellishment

This is another trend we have really seen over the last few seasons and it’s not going anywhere. In fact, it just keeps getting bigger and bolder. Nearly every major collection this week had some form of bling to it. At Mary Katrantzou, pieces were so intricately and cleverly embellished that they looked like big colourful embroidered badges. Christopher Kane, Roksanda Ilincic and Peter Pilotto also seem to have committed themselves to this growing trend in their Fall 2014 collections. All three of these influencers cleverly used some form of appliqués (beading, embroideries or sequins) to add a textural element to an already interesting silhouette.

Peter Pilotto Fall 2014

Trend: Embellishment

Mary Katrantzou Fall 2014

Trend: Colour

Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto and Burberry all showed bold and colourful pieces in their collections, breathing new life into familiar shapes. Christopher Kane also followed suit, using neon yellow and pastel pink throughout, while Tom Ford used red as an accent colour to a mostly black collection.

Tom Ford Fall 2014

Trend: Colour

Roksanda Ilincic Fall 2014

Trend: Slouchy pants

Whether cropped or full length, nearly every collection had a version of a men’s style slouchy pant. Often paired with a loafer or flat there is something sexy about this silhouette (although I can bet that nearly every man would argue otherwise). Pringle of Scotland, Topshop and Paul Smith all had their own versions but I have to say the cropped ones were amongst my favourites.

Topshop Unique Fall 2014

Trend: The Pointy shoe

Ladies, pull those pointy pumps back out because Fall 2014 looks like a pump-plenty season. Notice how shoes are often modified every season—just enough to make you feel like you need to buy new ones? Well I have to say the classic, regular, traditional, pointy, basic stiletto looks like it has made a strong comeback. Pringle of Scotland, Jonathan Saunders and Marios Schwab all featured their own take on a basic pointy pump. And for those who favour things more down to earth, we spotted pointy flats on the Fall 2014 runways as well, which were often the product of a collaboration with British designer Nicholas Kirkwood.

Jonathan Saunders Fall 2014

5. Meadham Kirchoff

A Meadham Kirchoff show is nothing if not spectacle, and the duo’s Spring 2014 show had all the stylings of one—throbbing ominous music, bright orange Pipi Longstockings wigs, oversized wide brim hats. But the real standouts were underneath all that: a broderie anglais bib worn overtop a intricately beaded floor-length dress, a lace-trimmed gingham full skirt worn under a gold python swing coat and a sleeve-slashed take on the classic Chanel suit. Queen Elizabeth I meets Hitchcock meets pastoral living never looked this good.

4. Burberry

You can’t go wrong with pretty, and pretty is something Christopher Bailey does so well. Drop-shoulder felted coats were the perfect continuation of fall’s ice cream outerwear trend, while sheer pastel lace pencil skirts seem the perfect wardrobe essential this season. And speaking of pretty: consider a floral applique fold-over clutch your girlish must-have come spring.

3. Simone Rocha

On the last day of shows, Rocha cemented her wunderkind status with a pearl-laden collection of way updated ladylike styles. Frilly plastic covered crochet cocktail dresses? It’s a bondage meets babydoll genius move. Double for see-through, pearl-trimmed panels draping the sides of full skirts. Triple for pearl-trimmed knee high socks and shrouded veils.

1. Christopher Kane
There was no London collection as evenly well regarded as Christopher Kane’s for Spring 2014. “A revelation,” “highlight of fashion week,” “the best thing ever,” are only three versions of street buzz. A cross between science, psychedelia and an all-new take on florals, Kane raised his own personal bar higher than ever with popping text book applique on lace dresses, curved iridescent plastic insets on suiting and a dazzling metallic fuzz that made up skirt suits and dresses mid-way through the show. His cuts—midi length pleated A-line skirts, sophisticated suit jackets, ankle grazing slip dresses—are getting more and more mature each time. His everything else is what’s more modern than ever.

2. Jonathan Saunders

If the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, than Jonathan Saunders Spring 2014 was great indeed. Styled together, the slouched silk track pants, Western style leather and suede mix jackets, intricate sheer lace button downs and layered tie-dye effect slip dresses were a lesson in cool girl styling. Alone, they were kaleidoscopic bursts of newness we’re itching to get our hands on.

A flower:

Call it psychedelic Georgia O’Keeffe, but Christopher Kane has analogized erogenous zones with bright popping floral appliques that made for jaw-dropping statements near the finale of his Spring 2014 outing. Post-show, he told Tim Blanks it was a tribute to the flora and fauna we are a product of—We need flowers and trees to live. More like I’m going to need that dress to live.

A disco ball:

The Tom Ford woman is no shrinking violet, and that was never clearer at last night’s spring show. Head to butt in mirror-covered lace, his mid-show dresses incited a light show of their own on the ceiling and walls of the photo pit at the end of the mirrored runway. The timid need not apply.

Chillin’:

Christopher Bailey went soft as an English rose, literally, with his Spring 2014 Burberry collection of relaxed merino coats, sheer English lace pencil skirts and chic granny panties in pastel hues. Drop shoulders and loose fits will make it especially easy to hide those late winter hot cocoa hits, so go on, pack on a few.

A boy:

Erdem was reportedly by schoolboy uniforms for spring, though I can’t imagine him ever veering too far from his signature femininity. Yesterday’s all black and white outing was as delicate as ever, with a lace bomber jacket and strapless floral applique pantsuit thrown in for good measure.

Another New Look:

Given Peter Pilotto and design partner Christopher de Vos’s fiercely future-y touch, it was interesting to see their prints, this time in acidic fluoro hues, take on an almost retro form. Wide layered paneling and full skirts made it way interesting.