Just when you thought it was safe to stash away the scarves and gloves and look ahead to your summer wardrobe, the biting cold weather has other ideas.
Luckily, Fashion Week holds all the insider clues for next season’s upcoming autumn/winter trends so you get one stylish step ahead right now. There has to be a plus side to all this snow and ice.
Forget being fashionably late and playing catwalk catch-up – take early inspiration from London Fashion Week’s top designers.
If you want to be in on the runway action, for the first time this year fashion lovers can watch almost all designers in action from their sofas at londonfashionweeklive.co.uk.
There you can revisit London Fashion Week’s standout shows and pick up hints on how to wear the looks now, without jostling for seats with Anna Wintour.
Or you can simply read our guide to the best of the shows, right here.
MATTHEW WILLIAMSON: If there’s one thing Williamson always does with panache it’s bright prints and bold colour. The designer surprised the audience with a conservative grey tweed two-piece but soon launched into a colour explosion with swirling multicoloured prints and statement-making overcoats in cobalt blue and hot pink. WEAR THE LOOK NOW: Jazz up your wardrobe with an uber-bright overcoat.
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD RED LABEL: Helping Haiti was also at the fashion forefront on Vivienne’s Westwood politically-charged catwalk with models opening the show in her statement charity tees. The designer’s beloved tartan was weaved into the collection in the form of a prim plaid skirt, boyish tailored trousers (pictured right) and fuchsia suit jacket. WEAR THE LOOK NOW: Buy Vivienne Westwood’s limited edition Vital Statistics Haiti t-shirt, £40, available at viviennewestwoodonline.co.uk.
FASHION FOR RELIEF: Naomi Campbell kicked off the week with her star-studded Fashion For Relief show raising over £1 million for Haiti. Kate Moss and Naomi joined forces to pay tribute to Alexander McQueen sporting the designer’s dramatic print dresses. Mossy was later reduced to tears by Sir Philip Green’s winning charity bid of £100,000 for the McQueen dress she modelled. WEAR THE LOOK NOW: Clothes modelled by Naomi’s celeb pals are available at netaporter.com from March 15 in aid of the White Ribbon Alliance for Haiti.
TOPSHOP UNIQUE: Inspired by a camping trip in the wilderness Topshop Unique went wild for woodland-themed looks featuring models sporting crazy antlers, faux fur-creature hats and gigantic furry mittens. Earthy outdoorsy fabrics and heavy-duty shearling coats were unexpectedly contrasted with tutus and bra tops for a youthful feel to appeal to Topshoppers. WEAR THE LOOK NOW: Swap traditional tights for thigh-high cable knit socks.
DAVID KOMA: Remember ‘that’ dustbin-lid shaped black dress worn by Cheryl Cole on the X Factor? The controversial frock catapulted new designer David Koma into the style spotlight. With other fans including Beyonce, Rihanna and Lady Gaga, the rising star of fashion showcased sure-fire celeb-friendly little dresses with nude and black colour blocking, zig-zag detailing and more daring designs featuring rolls of heavy metal zips. WEAR THE LOOK NOW: Look for dresses featuring hardware like zips to cause a stir.
BURBERRY: Winter traditionalists will revel in Burberry’s snuggly sheepskin and shearling coats, each one varying in shape, colours and buckle detailing. The traditional Burberry trenches were ousted for the aviator flying jacket, which designer Christopher Bailey said can be “as versatile as the trench – strong and sexy, masculine and feminine”. The celeb-packed front row certainly looked like they agreed. WEAR THE LOOK NOW: Invest in an aviator flying jacket topped with a cosy shearling collar.
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