An overview of London Fashion Week by Harvey Nichols’ buying director, Averyl Oates
Romance is definitely in the air, and London carried on the key trends that started in New York; there is a definite return to femininity, dresses are integral and lace is key whether it is layered over silk, used as inserts, edging, or on it’s own; from Erderm’s beautiful doll like white lace dresses, that a modern bride would just die for, through to Christopher Kane’s exquisite neon lace dresses, skirts, blouses and jackets, that were beyond cool, through to Marios Schwab’s pretty silk dresses edged and inserted in lace, there is a lot to choose from. Another inspiration, Princess Margaret!!! Acne showed their very fluid collection in her old apartment in Kensington Palace and she was also one of the key influences for Christopher’show. Ladylike dressing is everywhere, although a blouse may appear prim it will be in lace or sheer to give it a more sensual feel. Maxi dresses and prints are also key; unusual three dimensional silk screen prints at Peter Pilotto, who showed a very grown up collection, inspired as was Marc Jacobs in New York by vintage YSL, as well as tattoo prints also at Christopher Kane and Marios Schwab. Layering is everywhere, shown beautifully at Richard Nicoll, especially with the contrast of hard, and soft, leather layered over lace, silk over sheer or vice versa, and the Seventies is back but softer with maxi dresses for day, wide legged trousers and scarves. It makes you yearn for next summer already.
The most poignant event by far was of course Alexander McQueen’s Memorial at St Paul’s Cathederal, where Suzy Menkes summed up the mood by quoting from the Keates Poem, “Ode on a Grecian Urn”; “Beauty is truth, truth beauty – that is all ye know on earth and all ye need to know”
