What’s the one thread running through London Fashion Week?

Young designers, who are known for one thing, are trying to prove that they can work beyond and outside of their comfort zone.

Aside from Christopher Kane, who, though he makes dresses, makes very different dresses for very different girls each season, a handful of young designers who are known for one aesthetic, went in totally different directions.

Meadham Kirchoff may be the most extreme example. Gone were the ripped jeans and neutral colors, the rock and roll jackets and deconstructed dresses–instead we got color and lace and glitter. Marios Schwab, who helped kick off body con a couple of years ago went prim with grown up blouses and stiff dresses (in a good way). Mary Katranzou stuck to prints, but added intricate shapes and details to her dresses. Mark Fast added some velvet, and other not-knit pieces. Even Matthew Williamson, who’s been around much longer, abandoned his sequins and feathers for tweed and pants.

As an observer, it’s fun to watch, but does it work for the critics, and more importantly the customers?