London Fashion Week Fall 2012 Round-Up

My favorite Fashion Week has officially come to a close. The womenswear shows having ended on Tuesday, I'm happy to say that the London shows more than satisfied me, so I was not as sad to see the week end as I could have been. If you've been reading my LFW coverage, you've already seen my babble about why I love it so much (see here and here). I'm not trying to start a tradition here, but London Fashion Week was full of so many colorful shows that I wanted to write about that I have rounded up for you some other wonderful looks that did not make it into their own posts.

Prints


Prints are always popular at London Fashion Week. It has to do with that freedom to experiment that London-based designers have. London is quickly becoming an epicenter for young, creative fashion designers who push the boundaries and break the rules. Prints are pretty tricky, but the London crowd have got them down. From artistic abstractions to digitally produced images to recognizable patterns and motifs, color and print interweave in a way that channels fun and edgy glamour.
It's difficult to categorize the style of prints that went down London runways this past week because there was such a variety. Clements Ribeiro showed ornate prints fit for historic tapestries and rugs. Michael van der Ham presented us with juxtapositions of abstractly printed fabrics and painterly florals, staying true to his aesthetic. Basso & Brooke put different prints together in the same garment with little transition between. Erdem's bright, feminine florals were modern and punchy.
Though one can't place all of these prints under one identity, it's certainly true that they are all bold yet beautifully done.

Left and right: Clements Ribeiro

Left and right: Michael van der Ham

Left and right: Basso & Brooke

Left and right: Louise Gray

Left and right: Erdem

Left: Holly Fulton

Right: Issa

Left: James Long for Fashion East

Right: Felder Felder

Brights

I was not extremely surprised to see the limited number of bright colors at London Fashion Week this season. The London-based designers who show at Fashion Week are more renowned for prints and textiles (see lengthy section above). Nonetheless, gloomy England did produce some cheerful brights. Roksanda Ilincic had a beautiful set of azure blues and vibrant purples and Acne showed some quick pops of shocking neon - almost radioactive - green.

Left: Mulberry

Right: Roksanda Ilincic

Left: Peter Jensen

Right: Acne

Other

I have placed the following looks in this category - though strange as it seems - because people are often quick to judge such a style. Before you hastily regard the following as "weird" or "strange," take a closer look. This may be Fashion Week, but these images are examples of art. It takes true vision to compose such designs, and I ask you to put your words aside and just observe for a minute. The garments below are beautifully crafted and imaginative; not just anyone can dream up something like this. Though you might not dare wear these clothes out in public, remember that fashion is more than just the fabric on our backs: fashion is self-expression, just like the art in a museum.

All images from style.com

All looks by Meadham Kirchhoff

Meadham Kirchhoff's "interplanetary disco" is filled with a cacophony of color and print, intended to represent the happiness of the outsiders who forget the misery and anger caused by the world in favor of joining one huge party. Take a second look at the designs; this is not crazy, this is art portraying a statement.

(For more beautiful insanity, check out Jeremy Scott's New York show.)

At this point, I have covered the remainder of London Fashion Week that I had hoped to blog about. I hope you have gotten a good sense of what London Fashion Week is really about because it has its own unique aesthetic.
Next up, Milan!

xoxo