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The 8 Biggest Trends from London Fashion Week
From left to right: J.W. Anderson, Palmer Harding, Mother of Pearl, Peter Pilotto, Ashish
An overwhelming trend from the spring 2016 collections in New York was a relaxed fit and look: comfortable silhouettes paired with pajama dressing made for a very cozy fashion week indeed. Fast forward to London, and the overall feel was a bit different. Where one was relaxed and soft, the other was rigid and strict — or at least, that's what the inspiration called for (and luckily, was not always the case). If you haven't already noticed, the feminine, frilly and sometimes very restricting Victorian era was one of the most mined inspirations for designers across the pond for spring, and as form follows function, many of the secondary trends related to it.
Before you get immersed in what Milan has to offer, let's take a look back at the top trends from London Fashion Week.
In the Victorian Tradition
From left to right: J.W. Anderson, Simone Rocha, Giles, Erdem, and Mother of Pearl
London borrowed heavily from the Victorian era. Ruffles, smocking, lace, high collars... we could go on. But the collections speak for themselves. It should also be noted that this is a trend that's still going strong from last season.
Print Blocking
From left to right: Jonathan Saunders, Emilia Wickstead, Duro Olowu, Mary Katrantzou, and Mother of Pearl
Color blocking is usually the trend that keeps on giving in London, but this time around, the city has taken it up a notch by blocking prints.
Fit to Be Tied
From left to right: Issa, David Koma, Christopher Raeburn, Eudon Choi, and Amanda Wakeley
Emphasis was placed on the waist with plenty of designers tying their looks up with a bow. Some were Obi-inspired, others not, but all made quite the impression.
Precious Pinks
From left to right: Felder Felder, Bora Aksu, Ashish, Emilio de la Morena, and Molly Goddard
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Pale pastel pinks drove home the ultrafeminine vibe in London. We noticed this right from the start of the London calendar.
Cold Shoulder
From left to right: Peter Pilotto, Natasha Zinko, PPQ, Temperley London, and Barbara Casasola
The off-the-shoulder trend was popular in New York and had another huge showing in London. It's almost startling how many designers are adopting this look. Let's wait to see what Milan has to say about this.
Netting
From left to right: Sibling, Paul Smith, Pringle of Scotland, Simone Rocha, and Burberry Prorsum
Netting was used to great effect in London, applied on most looks to cover (or sort of cover) the entire body. A word of warning: don't wear this trend with too much jewelry. You're just asking for a snag.
Chokers
From left to right: Issa, J.W. Anderson, Palmer Harding, MM6, and Gyo Yuni Kimchoe
Chokers from the Victorian era were a little more gothic than what was seen on the runways in London, which were minimalist in their approach.
Chintz
From left to right: Markus Lupfer, Vivienne Westwood Red Label, Topshop Unique, Emilia Wickstead, and Bora Aksu
Another Victorian offshoot, chintz is quite different from the blown out poppies we saw in New York. But there's no reason that these patterns need to fall under "chintzy." These are the soft florals that we're excited to see come spring.
For more spring 2016 trends, click here.
All photos from Imaxtree or from the brand.
