London is a great city for fashion. However, the latest installment of London Fashion Week has not been very much about fashion. At least, not in a classic sense. As we predicted in our trend forecast, what we could see were a lot of "anti-fashion" looks. There were a lot of looks that tried to make the uncool - cool (you wouldn't spend 20 pounds on such a look if you saw it on the street) and which tried a bit too hard to prove a point.
It seems that some of the other trends we predicted were also present on the runways of the British capital. Psychedelic experiences and club kid vibes, described by naïve lines, childish patterns, hard mixes of colors and so on were present at every step.
Here are some of the looks we did like.
There were many interesting looks in the Xander Zhou collection, which was all about Star Wars. However, this look was our favorite because of the way the tie mixes in with the shirt, obviously. It is a clear fashion decision, it is new and something we'd like to see more of (it could become a trend). And this is what we want to see during a runway show!
Chalayan is a brand we've been following for a few seasons now as it has an original point of view and is not afraid to have strong voice that often goes against the stream. For the autumn-winter 2019 season, the brand offered a rather dark collection with a few pops of colors here and there. We especially loved this long vest look, which was elegant yet casual. Vests are not often used in creative ways, which is why this piece was special, as it is based on a play with proportions.
We could see different shades of red in various shows, but one of the best ways in which it was used was by E. Tautz. We liked not just the shade of red of the base layer, but also the brown on the top layer, which contrasted mildly with the base layer, thus adding depth to the look without adding a lot of bulk.
This Phoebe English look was quite interesting not just due to its analog color combination, but also because of the cuts of the pieces. We liked the idea of mixing flared pants with a very relaxed jacket.
Craig Green did have some crazy looks in the collection, but there were also some really cool and exciting ensembles, such as this trench and pants look. It's new, innovative and fresh and, above all, wearable. It is a runway piece, but it is still a clothing item, something many designers these days don't seem to be able to do (or to want to do).
The Belstaff collection might have been very "off-the-rack" but it was one of our favorites: wearable, cool, everyday pieces. We loved this simple bomber jacket featuring a very stylish and fancy collar.
In culture, there is always an interesting phenomenon happening: there is a strong establishment and a small counter-culture. Many times, the counter-culture becomes the new establishment and the old establishment becomes the counter-culture. This is what we are seeing in fashion today: oversized, anti-fashion, drag-type clothes are all over and almost no wearable, classic menswear to be seen. We're not saying there should not be a place for everyone in fashion, but we would love to see more balance and more diversity in terms of thought and concept in the London fashion scene.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. We want to hear from you! What did you think of the looks from this edition of LFW? Which was your favorite look? What do you make of the general trends? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
