The Best of London Fashion Week

We saw some sights at London Fashion Week (good and bad) and we’ve all had a week to digest, analyse and start thinking about what we can take away from the whole affair to actually wear.

Colour was the big one with pink clearly set to stick around for another season (very economical) on coats, oversized sweatshirts and simple block shapes. Mint was another major player, again on bold, simple designs with no fuss or frills to complicate matters. For reference, see J. JS Lee and Jonathan Saunders for the perfect palette as well as a lesson in striking neck and hem lines and clean cut collars.

Even the humble sleeve has had a reinvention as a wide, on-the-elbow version of its former self, as seen at Mulberry and J. JS Lee. It’s boxy, bold and slightly awkward, and definitely requires pairing with an otherwise neat silhouette and short hemline. Think ’60s meets varsity. Or something like that.

Speaking of odd clashes, Ashish’s sequin carrier bags have to be Fashion Week’s most simultaneously ridiculous yet amazing accessory. And they’ll definitely be all over east London. Slogan sweatshirts, tees and dresses were swarming all over the catwalks, along with a grungy, sexy aesthetic as seen at Mark Fast with dirty hair and lots of kohl.

So, two definite routes for S/S ’14. Bold, striking and simple in pastels and white. Or grungy, grimy and covered in slogans (and sequins). We’ll take a little of each please.

Image by Charlotte White