4 Things You Don’t Want to Miss About London Fashion Week Fall 2019. From a frenzy of patterns to dressing posh and polished, here are some highlights from LFW February 2019.
1. It’s all about the details
A lot can be missed when you only focus on the big picture, but if you take a closer look you’ll find something quite astonishing. Anna Wintour, one of the most important and influential figures in fashion, loved the details featured in the Autumn/Winter 2019 collection of Irish designer Simone Rocha. The delicate, tiara-like hair accessories worn by the models add personality and becomes such a sweet final touch that puts together the looks displayed in the show. Rocha’s clever manipulation of materials are wonderful – some skirts and outer layers on gowns are made of black tulle, and although femininity is a dominant tenor in these outfits, this soft material somehow looks so hardcore in a good way, as if this sort of femininity is absolutely untouchable. This juxtaposition of feminine hardcoreness seems to be a constant theme, as roses – a thorned flower – are often seen on gowns, and a pastel pink nightgown-like tutu is worn with black knee socks and boots, but then there’s also a big black PVC coat worn with black flats.
Simone Rocha Fall 2019 Backstage. Photography Zoe Natale Mannella Image courtesy of purple.fr
And then there are the zebra and leopard-striped boots as well as small pieces of tulle peeking out from under JW Anderson’s skirts and trousers, the leather baseball hats, and the big and wide golden chains worn on the models’ necks… It’s details like these that can totally elevate a look, small yet largely impactful pops of color placed strategically. Anderson’s designs for this collection are meant to resemble fantasy, a fashion show up in the clouds.
2. Mother nature is the muse
Planet Earth is, apparently yet undeniably, a great source for inspiration – and this has been very prominent throughout this recent LFW. Richard Quinn, one of LFW’s most anticipated designers, channeled his obsession for flowers through the floral dresses seen on the runway for his show. The dresses, drapey and magnificent and puffy-sleeved in shape, were not the only highlight of Quinn’s collection – tailored embroidered suits that flattered waists, headpieces made of feathers, and tartan coats were also the stars of the show.
Richard Quinn Fall 2019 Backstage. Photography Lily Brown Image courtesy of wonderlandmagazine.com
Peter Pilotto assembled outfits that look like they came straight out of a fairyland. These fairies on the runway wore floral silk jackets, plissé metallic jackets, sorbet shade dresses, and blouses layered with lace and ostrich feathers. There’s also a wrap dress that perfectly resembles the Northern Lights, and also a striking thick leopard-print coat in a bold orange color.
Some dresses featured in Halpern displayed a variety of animal patterns, from tiger to snake, made in yellows on the upper part of the dress transitioning to orange towards the lower part, heavy and glossy. Purple dresses adorned with glittering sequins and black and gold dresses worn with fishnets completely rocked the Halpern show, too, and marvelously brought the disco to the runway.
Creating a collection so feathery, frothy, and fabulous, Mary Katrantzou looked into the Ioanian philosophy of Empedocles which defined the elemental as earth, wind, fire, and water. Katrantzou’s pieces were embellished with beautiful colors from all across the spectrum,
On a low-key, less diva note, Margaret Howell presented relaxed tailoring in earthy colors like subtle greens and oranges that are easy and even peaceful on the eye. Howell’s workwear are definitely quite utilitarian, but the corduroy and herringbone jackets as well as pleated skirts displayed in the collection adds a nice drop of chic.
3. The future is female
We’ve seen a wonderful lot of brilliant female designers who transmits dramatic and powerful femininity with their designs this recent LFW, and Molly Goddard is among them. Wallpaper describes Goddard’s signature dresses as “smocked”, “ruffled”, and “feather-like”, which are very true statements. Models walked down the runway in lime green, sorbet yellow, and fuschia, and although they wore little to no accessories, the rebellious aura sprinting around Goddard’s show comes from the pairing of dresses with lace up boots and balaclava bodysuits and straight-legged pants.
Molly Goddard Fall 2019 Backstage. Photography Jason Lloyd Evans Image courtesy of wallpaper.com
Rejina Pyo contemplated about structure and what clothing “is really about” when she was designing her collection, inspired by form and creation after renovating her house, and a time when clothing was cherished and classics would last. This thoughtful period culminated in historically popular silhouettes like pencil skirts, 1940s skirt hems, 1990s sportswear, with the addition of silk dresses.
4. Dressing smart
Grace Wales Bonner from her eponymous brand Wales Bonner was inspired by African-American literature, researching and looking into yearbooks from the 80s and 90s from Howard University alumni. The university had played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement, leading to Bonner thinking about the “black intellectual wardrobe”, which – based on what was seen on the runway – consists of Herringbone jackets, varsity jackets, baseball tops, and collared shirts.
Ports 1961 Fall 2019 Backstage. Photography Jason Lloyd Evans Image courtesy of wallpaper.com
Ports 1961 had its own take on luxurious sophistication, and it’s quite interesting. Camel dresses appearing undone at the collarbone, asymmetrically cut blazers, vinyl mackintoshes with flyaway sleeves, in grays and black and white and carmine. Long tassel earrings were worn by the models. (Text Jordinna Joaquin)