WE DON’T MIND ADMITTING THAT PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS AT HIS & HERS MAGAZINE HAVE DIPPED A TAD IN FEBRUARY DUE TO FOLLOWING THE MOST MEMORABLE LONDON FASHION WEEK IN YEARS SOMEWHAT OBSESSIVELY. WE’RE CHALKING THIS UP TO IMPORTANT WORK-RELATED RESEARCH, BUT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER IT TO BE GRATUITOUS ONLINE GAWKING OVER FASHION AND CELEBS. EITHER WAY, HERE’S WHAT WE LEARNED:

As the internationally acclaimed London Fashion Week came to and end, we had the opportunity to catch our breath and take stock of the event’s highlights and sensations — one of which was the appearance of Queen Elizabeth II, who made her London Fashion Week debut at the Richard Quinn show.

Hundreds of designers flaunted their latest styles over this spectacular, five-day event — but which made the greatest impact? Here are a few of the stand-out shows of London Fashion Week and some of the design trends that’ll be making their way off the catwalk and into our wardrobes this year.

Burberry

Burberry brought the entire spectrum of colour to the catwalk when it showcased its designs on Day Two of London Fashion Week. Fusing stand-out shades onto contemporary casualwear, Burberry retained its image as a forward-thinking, urban brand.

Blush-pink sweatshirts, rainbow sparkles, and scarlet jackets, joined chunky lemon jumpers, multi-coloured puff gilets, and floral mesh dresses to create perhaps the most colourful catwalk of the event. This was creative director Christopher Bailey’s final show for Burberry, and he dedicated his last collection to: “the best and brightest organisations supporting LGBTQ rights around the world”. Once most famous for its traditional beige checks and trench coats, Burberry’s intelligent use of colour and drive for hyper-modern streetwear and athleisure clothing has made it one of London Fashion Week’s standout shows.

Infuse your wardrobe with the Burberry trend by incorporating not one, but multiple bold shades into your outfit — think patchwork, geometric and polka dot patterns with plenty of character. Select contemporary athleisure styles — such as bomber jackets and oversized sweatshirts — and never shy away from check prints and the streamlined silhouette of a vintage trench coat, which remains a Burberry signature piece. We’re really grateful to the Burberry PR team for sharing their behind-the-scenes highlights from the show and for providing the eye-catching pic for this feature.

Simone Rocha

On Day Two, guests at London Fashion Week were captivated by the near haunting, vintage styles of Simone Rocha. Setting the mood with flickering candles in chandeliers, Rocha stepped out of her black-lace-dress comfort zone and into a world of historic grandeur (*note to self: The His & Hers team really must find & embrace their black-lace-dress comfort zones!)

Think long dresses embellished with satin bows, elegant ruches and patterned tulle, and you’re on your way to visualising the almost Edwardian style of Rocha’s AW18 catwalk. But you’d be way off the mark if you thought Rocha brought only early 19^th-century designs to the catwalk. The most impressive aspect of Rocha’s pieces was the flawless transition to styles from across the 19^th century. Alongside the embroidered traditional outfits, we saw 1980s-style power suits and 1970s-inspired, punky tartan outfits. Designer, Simone Rocha, said: “I have double breasted jackets and blazers, layered with dresses with the Edwardian scoop neckline.”

This AW18 collection is a perfect example of how we can fuse trends from multiple eras into a contemporary outfit. Rocha is a master of luxury layering, so blend Victoriana collars under gothic leather jackets and voluminous tulle skirts over platform shoes to encapsulate the look of multi-era femininity.

Michael Halpern

Another stand-out Day Two performance came from Michael Halpern, who brought glitter, sequins and 1970s-esque glitter to the catwalk only a few hours after Rocha’s haunting vintage parade.

Nothing was safe from disco fever in the Halpern collection. Huge hoop earrings, zebra-print boots under shimmery red coats, and bare-shoulder tops over half-and-half technicolour trousers signalled a leap towards confident 1970s fashion in 2018. Not only did Halpern wow the audience with Studio-54 designs, but he also showcased the importance of body-flattering cuts. Think thigh-skimming sequin dresses, figure-fitted retro jumpsuits, uber-high platforms, and disco-ball colours and you have Halpern’s 1970s glamour trend down.

At a time when many designers were advocating the all-black, Time’s Up movement, Halpern’s fun and vibrant collection gave London Fashion Week an alternative way to inspire hope and optimism.

Christopher Kane

Driven by feminine sensuality, Christopher Kane’s Day Four AW18 collection showcased red lace dresses, black leather accents and diamante-fringed minidresses among a variety of other seduction-inspired designs.

Similar to Halpern’s runway, Christopher Kane drove a carefree sense of fun, self-expression and hedonism — most notably indicated by the slogan: ‘More Joy’ printed on one of the model’s jumpers. “I have never shied away from sex in the collections — and this is no different,” said the designer.

Bring the spirit of Christopher Kane to your wardrobe by investing in sheer lace, crystal embellishments, sparkling blazers, faux-fur trimmed linings, and anything else that makes you embrace the power of your femininity and stand out.

Roksanda

The Roksanda AW18 collection was infused with strong silhouettes and body-enhancing cuts to empower the female outline.

Augmented with blues, pinks, yellows, and oranges; the Roksanda range was inspired by dance and performance artist, Caroline Denervaud, which meant that every piece hung and held the model’s body to perfection regardless of movement.

Silk wrap tops and tie-waist designs featured next to mesh skirts and flared trouser suits. Floaty silhouettes reigned supreme, allowing for a more fluid outline and creating an undulating figure that all women can enjoy. Silk and satin were prominent fabrics in the Roksanda collection, while high-necklines and ankle-length hems were also important to the aesthetic of the catwalk.

Romantic designs, subtle palettes and undefined lines are the main points to embrace from Roksanda AW18. Wrap your body in loose, silk shirts and culottes finished with a long coat or add mystery to your figure with tulle dresses, balloon-sleeve blouses and wrap-around cardigans.

London Fashion Week brought colour, style and sophistication aplenty to the runway, and we know you’ll be bringing the very best elements of the shows into your wardrobe throughout 2018. As always, we’d love to know how you’re wearing the key catwalk trends. Please make our day by sharing your outfit pics, or just telling us about your London Fashion Week highlights in the comments section or by using the social media handles below.

For similar features, please visit our fashion page.

Main image courtesy of: Burberry

Sources:

http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/designers_profile.aspx?designerID=1245

http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/suzylfw-burberry-street-smart-with-a-dash-of-heritage

https://www.ft.com/content/ae686272-145c-11e8-9e9c-25c814761640

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/london-fashion-week-day-two-highlights-reviews-jw-anderson-burberry-simone-rocha-halpern-a8215746.html

http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/suzy-menkes-simone-rocha-london-fashion-week-aw18

http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/suzy-menkes-molly-goddard-halpern-london-fashion-week-aw18

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/feb/18/michael-halpern-designer-london-fashion-week-platforms-sequins

https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2018-ready-to-wear/christopher-kane

https://www.ft.com/content/5899a700-15ad-11e8-9376-4a6390addb44