London Fashion Week celebrated its 40th birthday. Since milestones like these should be celebrated well, designers couldn’t do anything else but pay tribute to the city’s recent history. Discover the London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024 highlights below.
LONDON FASHION WEEK FALL/WINTER 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
On Sunday, the final model that walked the runway at JW Anderson brought London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024 to a close. The reclaimed designer looked at the “odd type” British characters and translated them into their most fashionable alter egos. Like we’ve seen in past seasons, Anderson’s chunky knits took the lead, followed by retro underwear and school uniform-inspired looks. Like other designers, Anderson felt heavily inspired by Gen Z’s way of blending the nostalgic past with futuristic elements, making it rooted in the here and now. It was thought to be a perfect moment to reflect on the change in Britain, the creative director explained to The New York Times.
Anderson remains one of the biggest names showing at London Fashion Week. With a collection rooted in British nostalgia, chances are small he’ll swap London for any other major fashion city soon. Anderson is not following the footsteps of other prominent names—like Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham, and others who swapped LFW for competitive towns— and that’s an excellent case for LFW to remain part of the “big four.” Its traditional British counterpart, Burberry, ditched its traditions with a third collection by Daniel Lee. While the house is known for its timeless appeal and high-quality standards, Lee decided to shake things up last season. For Burberry’s fall/winter 2024 collection, he played with the identity of typical Burberry staples. Like Anderson, Lee delved into the past to create a future-proof collection. But the past wasn’t limited to Burberry’s archives solely; Lee cast Agyness Deyn, Karen Elson, Lily Cole, Lily Donaldson, Naomi Campbell, and Edie Campbell to add some runway nostalgia to his collection. The show and the collection reflected the diverse types of people who wear the brand. Many Brits, from royals to “average” people on the streets, cherish their (vintage) Burberry staples. Chances are fair that Lee’s new take on classics will make these people review their wardrobe in the upcoming months, adding a dash of the new Burberry. That is, depending on the house’s new price points.
The highlights and biggest New York Fashion Week trends for fall/winter 2024
RED THREAD
While London Fashion Week does stand for refreshments and newness, there’s one striking case of color: red remains the most favorable color for many fashion houses. Seen at Roksanda, Emilia Wickstead, Molly Goddard, and Chet Lo, among others. These shows and prominent fashion houses in other significant cities proved that red is anything but abating. However, the shade is more profound in most cases than last season’s dominant color, which isn’t tied to this season. Looking back at Hermès’ Spring/Summer 2024 collection, it becomes clear that the French house was the first to re-introduce the shade last season. Whatever Hermès plans for the season ahead may be, cherry red remains the most favorable color for London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024.
SEE-THROUGH
When Prada introduces see-through skirts and dresses, other houses follow suit. In a literal sense, in this case. The number of sheer looks was countless, from bedazzled to embroideries and plain. Daniel Lee, Susan Fang, Yuhan Wang, and Simone Rocha knew what to do, at least. Mind you, sheer fabrics don’t equal naked looks. In some instances, designers opted for multiple layers to introduce a mystery effect, which suggests that something is transparent but, at the same time, fully conceals—making it a wearable take on the most significant trends of London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024.
DRESSING UP AS THE NEW STATUS QUO
While London often forms the perfect backdrop for a somewhat grungy style, London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024 opted for a more grown-up and dressed-up style. Erdem showed embellished skirtsuits, exquisite cocktail dresses, and other party-worthy ensembles. As always, Molly Goddard opted for significant volumes and bright color palettes. Holzweiler, a former Copenhagen Fashion Week darling, showed a more toned-down way of dressing up. Tule, combined with an everyday white shirt, a long skirt, and a fringed bag, turns into a cheque office look that, with only a change of shoes, would do well at a cocktail party, too. It could be viewed as the most on-point translation of the spirit of the times: practical at first, with a hint of endless possibilities of the time ahead – in any possible way.
