Big name designers showed their SS23 collections during the weekend at London Fashion Week, before pausing for The Queen's state funeral on Monday 19 September. Drapers reports from the shows, and leading buyers from Browns, Harrods, Moda Operandi and MyTheresa share their views.
By Gabriele Dirvanauskas and Sabina Weston 19 September 2022
London Fashion Week packed in a busy weekend before pausing for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday 19 September.
Saturday and Sunday saw heavyweight names including Simone Rocha, Erdem, JW Anderson and Christopher Kane show their SS23 collections, alongside slinky looks by Nensi Dojaka, Molly Goddard’s signature colourful tulle, and a theatrical performance by this year’s LVMH prize-winner, SS Daley.
Designers marked the solemnity of the occasion in various ways - a minute’s silence preceded shows by Paul & Joe and David Koma, while at Halpern, a model shrouded in layers of voluminous blue fabric walked the catwalk in silence before the show commenced.
Read more: London Fashion Week: fresh talent, skin-baring looks and Machine-A founder's verdict
London Fashion Week's emerging designers continued to take attendees on a trip down memory lane to the early-2000s. The Y2K resurgence was spotted at Masha Popova, where models strutted down the runway in low-rise, tire-print jeans and visible thongs to the sound of revving engines. The Ukrainian-born, London-based womenswear designer juxtaposed bodycon silhouettes with voluminous, tulip-like sleeves on washed denim jackets and denim peplum tops.
This year's LVMH prize winner Steven Stokey-Daley’s showcase was held at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, which was transformed into an English summer garden for the collection. The show opened with a black-and-white-clad mourning procession, the presentation then shifted to Daley’s signature genteel tweed tailoring and puffed-sleeve shirts, trench coats and dresses, embroidered and etched with wild hare and floral motifs. As always, a theatrical element was added to Daley's show, with actors from the National Youth Theatre reading aloud love letters from the late Vita Sackville West to her lover Violet Trefusis.
Florals were also a prevalent theme at womenswear designer Yuhan Wang’s show, seen on floral-print bonnets and frilly, prairie-like dresses with regency silhouettes such as bustles and corsets.
On Saturday evening, JW Anderson returned to show in London for the first time since 2018, after showing in Paris. Creative director Jonathan Anderson, who is also creative director at Spanish luxury brand Loewe, presented his eponymous label’s SS23 womenswear collection alongside an arcade setting. His surrealist collection delved into the world of gaming – showing halterneck tops adorned with computer keys, sculptural, metallic dresses that ballooned at the hip, and screen saver inspired, surfer looks.
Queen of rainbow coloured, frothy tulle Molly Goddard showed her signature billowing dresses, in shades of fuchsia pink, as well as a red polka dot pattern, which was carried through babydoll smock dresses and cap sleeve tops with Peter Pan collars. Flashes of neon green and lilac were layered together for a contrasting look. The lavender shade has been popular in London this season, also seen at Rejina Pyo, Nensi Dojaka and Poster Girl. Menswear included ruched khaki and cobalt blue bomber jackets, fuchsia shirts and dusky pink slim suits.
London’s show of contemporary talent continued with Nensi Dojaka. Nothing wakes up attendees on a Sunday morning like a lingerie-inspired collection, complete with shimmering pale pink and silver sequins, and US model Emily Ratajkowski closed the show in a hot pink and rich purple, sheer flowing gown.
Womenswear designer Rejina Pyo has next season’s capsule wardrobe sussed, including all aspects of summer dressing, ranging from crochet beachwear dresses, to slouchy fit black, bright blue, stone and grey coloured suits for the office, and glamorous, pale yellow slip dresses with sheer panelling.
A powerful, emotive show was held at 16Arlington. It was the second collection after the passing of co-founder and creative director Federica
"Kikka" Caventi in October 2021. The SS23 collection merged sombre undertones with the womenswear label’s signature glitzy occasionwear. Cavenati’s partner in business and in life, designer Marco Capaldo, honoured her memory by exploring the contrasting-yet-interwoven elements of light and darkness, embedding glittering crystal studs among black leather. Snake print was a prevalent theme at 16Arlington, as were playful and glamorous textures of Maribou feathers and a pale blue, almost shimmering colourway.
Animal prints were a recurring element in Halpern’s showcase at the Royal Exchange at London's Bank, in the form of leopard print bodycon dresses and jumpsuits – sometimes contrasted with black shimmery fabric straight from the Studio 54 dancefloor, manifested in wide-leg, floor-skimming, flowy trousers and skin-baring tops.
Menswear was given the Simone Rocha treatment for the first time, who echoed her signature regal style into the new launch. Men’s bomber jackets were covered in layers of either black or white tulle, coordinating casual jackets and long shorts were adorned with ribbons of ruffles. Utilitarian strap details were carried through both men’s and womenswear, contrasting with Rocha’s mainstay voluminous, regal dresses. This season, corsetry details were seen across the collection, on both short and long dresses that varied from pale pink and orange lace, to metallic foil designs and gothic black robes.
Erdem Moralıoğlu (main image above) showed a collection consisting of ladylike, structured floral gowns, contrasted with corsetry – a favourite theme of London’s SS23 collections. White veils and black shrouds marked both celebration and solemnity.
Christopher Kane wrapped up Sunday night’s schedule. Pastel pink, lemon yellow and pale blue satin trousers, camisole tops and dresses were finished with contrasting white lace trims, and teamed with transparent plastic straps and metal buckles. Anatomical drawings of hands were motifs for the chest, seen on satin sheen dresses and tops.
The show was due to start as the nation observed a one-minute silence at 8pm, ahead of The Queen’s funeral. The jostling of the crowd, seeking to gain entrance into the show’s Roundhouse venue, halted for just a moment. After the show, Kane’s team issued an apology to attendees via email, attributing the delay in seating to an “unforeseen technical issue with the venue which delayed the opening of the doors,” apologising if this ruined anybody’s experience. The statement read:
“Our priority was showing respect for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll, and ensuring our guests were able to honour this special moment. We are deeply sorry if this affected your experience.”
Leading buyers share their views on the weekend's shows.
16 Arlington’s ‘Forget Me Not’ collection was a true highlight for the day, and the weekend as a whole. Marco found the perfect balance between soft and sophisticated femininity with an edge of sexiness that is truly unique.
Erdem closed the day for us and showcased a collection full of beautiful, elegant dresses that celebrated the print and embroidery he is so synonymous with, which our customers love so it was great to see it come through for next season.
Simone Rocha’s dramatic oversized bomber jacket in both men’s and women’s a real highlight and a style I can see being immensely versatile in our customers wardrobes. And of course the showstopping long feather coat from 16 Arlington’s was gorgeous, perfect to pair with a party dress, or a more pared back look – a real ‘must-have’.
We are predicting denim will be on most catwalks across the cities to come, we have seen highlights of it already from Rejina Pyo and Huishan Zhang, which was a pleasant surprise. Volume and back detailing have started to filter into most collections, and of course Simone Rocha executed it perfectly, as always!
So far the shows we have seen were a continuation of what we saw for autumn/winter and feel really special and fun with lots of embellishment and party pieces, which Harrods customers respond so well to no matter the season.
It’s great to see so many outstanding shows in our own city; Huishan Zhang, Erdem, 16 Arlington, JW Anderson, Simone Rocha – it has really felt like a strong return for fashion week in London.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in the coming weeks. Paris and Milan had an incredible AW show season where boundaries were pushed, so we are excited to see the SS post the pandemic. In Milan it will be interesting to see the of evolution houses we all know and love under newer creative direction, and the Paris schedule is packed, and I am sure we will see some outstanding collections from it. It’s also so exciting to see Victoria Beckham and A.W.A.K.E Mode on schedule there – a huge step for both brands.
Always a firm favourite, Nensi Dojaka stood out for me. She's developed further from her bodycon DNA, now introducing elements of lace and denim. The sequin silver dress and top styled with denim were my personal highlights.
16Arlington was also a standout. Marco [Capaldo, creative director] delivered a polished collection of day to night looks, with pared back silhouettes to contrast the level of heavy crystal or sequin embellishment. We were also excited to see the success of the Kikka bag, with new micro style offerings shown.
Simone Rocha excitingly showed menswear for the first time and it was interesting to see her make use of classical menswear silhouettes on womenswear, playing with androgyny - for example, the zip cargo trousers styled with a sheer corset and bodice.
Finally, Ancuta Sarta, a Rihanna-favourite, and a brand we worked with on a Browns exclusive, introduced a new clog shape that I anticipate will be popular.
16Arlington's leather crystal stud coat and Simone Rocha's olive puff sleeve oversized bomber immediately come to mind.
This season, we've seen a development from the overt sexiness of AW22, and instead we're seeing designers play with different levels of sheerness and transparency. Also snake print will be key with both Khaite in New York and 16Arlington here showing great looks.
New and emerging talent are a key part of our brand mix, buying strategy and the Browns DNA. Our customer is forever curious for those new designers to discover, making them a key investment.
Maximilian Davis' debut show for Ferragamo. Matthieu Blazy's second season at Bottega Veneta and Glenn Martens' second season at Diesel are all shows I'm especially excited for.
Tiffany Hsu, fashion buying director, MyTheresa
Simone Rocha, Christopher Kane and Dilara Findikoglu really stood out to me – stunning collections and iconic locations.
I loved the Nensi Dojaka sequin dress in pink and the cycling shorts. The beautiful floral back-pack by Simone Rocha and David Koma’s fire cut-out dress are on the list as well.
Cut-outs, corset and lingerie inspired styles and an overall very feminine aesthetic are sure to appeal to our customers.
Nensi Dojaka, David Koma and Simone Rocha are very popular among our clients.
I am really looking forward to seeing Schiaparelli, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta.
Erdem’s sensibility for spectacular fabrications and construction really stood out; he married antique fabrics with youthful silhouettes and set the bar for fresh elegance and refinement. 16Arlington still reigns supreme when it comes to cool-girl partywear. Nensi Dojaka kicked off the day on a high—she’s found such interesting ways to evolve her body-baring, lingerie-inspired designs. Resplendent with texture and color, Halpern’s show is always a visual feast, and this season began on a sincere and respectful note with a silent homage to Her Majesty complete with her signature silk headscarf.
16Arlington had no shortage of crystal-swathed hits, but a high neck ankle-length sheath, is a clear winner for us. Its silhouette boasts universal appeal, offering multiple age groups the opportunity to embrace the look for spring and summer party season. We also loved the novelty bombers at Simone Rocha and Erdem’s exquisite bustier tops.
From New York to London, we’ve seen a deluge of mermaid silhouettes and all-over sequins on the runway… we’ve already named this trend “Aquatic Siren”. It’s feminine and sexy eveningwear with a slightly ethereal, otherworldly glamour to it. At David Koma the theme was quite literal, with fun sea shell strung halter tops and starfish embellishments, while 16Arlington’s lean, long-sleeve lilac gown shimmered like moonlit water. On the other side of the spectrum, utility pieces are cropping up in newly romantic ways: beyond the oversize bombers which somehow still felt supremely feminine, Simone Rocha’s sporty parachute strap details (and new backpacks) helped to modernize otherwise precious pieces. A similar effect was achieved at Erdem with slim grosgrain D ring belts trailing behind intricate lace and embroidered dresses. Wild animal prints also seem to be coming back next season, with python leather being the coolest, and perhaps least expected iteration.
Overall, London has more than delivered on the novelty and romance our client gravitates to.
We have seen growth in our Erdem business over the past year as our customer has responded incredibly well to eveningwear, and the brand has introduced new modern silhouettes. Similarly, Emilia Wickstead has been a great resource for sophisticated and refined dresses. We are particularly excited to see a tremendous reaction to 16Arlington, which appeals to a youthful yet discerning customer.
In Milan there is a lot of interest among new creative directors at the luxury houses - we are excited to see the first collection from Marco de Vincenzo at Etro, Filippo Grazioli’s debut at Missoni, Matthieu Blazy’s sophomore collection at Bottega Veneta, as well as Del Core, Des Phemmes, Prada and Jil Sander. In Paris we are looking forward to the luxury houses like Chloe, Balenciaga, and Valentino, as well as new-to-Moda designers like Courreges, Ludovic de Saint Sernin and Coperni.
Tags Browns catwalks Harrods London Fashion Week Mytheresa
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