English Beat: 10 Reasons To Love London Fashion Week
We came, we saw, we got the goodie bag. Though London Fashion Week has been deemed by naysayers as the red-headed stepchild of the fashion calendar, this season's schedule delivered everything we could ask for: top-notch collections, A-list parties with an open bar and—drumroll please—Janet Jackson. Below, a handful of our favorite moments, London-style.
1. Linda Farrow & Roisin Murphy Party
A colorful crowd crammed into AURA on Sunday night to toast Linda Farrow's latest collaboration with singer/fashion show fixture Roisin Murphy, making the duo's sunglasses less of a prop and more of a necessity. New mama Murphy performed to the likes of Leigh Lezark, Charles Anastase, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Derek Blasberg, Jasmine Guinness, and gender-benders Jodie Harsh and Andre J., who paired his beard with Heidi braids (as you do). And what of those shades? Let's just say the 24-karat gold-coated half-moon cat-eye sunglasses had us at "cheerio." Photos courtesy of Black Frame.
1. Mark Fast's Plus-Size Runway
Proving that last season's curvy girl catwalk—which prompted his stylist and casting director to quit in protest—was no blip, Canadian knitwear maestro Mark Fast recruited plus-size model Crystal Renn for his fall show. Joined on the runway by voluptuous Fast fave Hayley Morley and the usual stringbean suspects, Renn—last seen working it in V Magazine's Terry Richardson spread—cradled her curves in the designer's body-con knit dresses with confidence. Critics may accuse Fast of being gimmicky, but we're just happy to see some meat on these fashion bones for a change. Photos via Style.com, see the full collection here.
3. Burberry
Gallant gents holding umbrellas over our heads? Don't mind if we do. A star-studded front row, plus appearances by Mario Testino, Anna Wintour, Carine Roitfeld, and Kristen Stewart? Yes, please. Since returning to London Fashion Week in September, Burberry has established itself as the anchor of the LFW festivities, and this season's spectacle didn't disappoint. The parade of fitted lace shirts, ruched dresses , sexy over-the-knee boots, cropped biker jackets with enormous shearling collars, and military-style coats that nearly had us tackling a model or two—with nary a check print in sight—proved that there's a reason why Christopher Bailey keeps winning awards. The intense autumnal hues—mossy greens, mustard yellow, plum, and fuchsia—was a bold contrast to spring's icy pastels and was supported by clever details like a brown leather belt-looped collar and golden zips bisecting jackets. Oh, and streaming a live 3-D version of the show for stylephiles stuck at home? Totally classy and totally cool. Background photo by Erin Donnelly. Runway photos via Style.com, see the full collection here.
4. Richard Nicoll
A navy bustier with a check-print skirt won our hearts at Richard Nicoll's show, where smart and sexy happily collided. Lingerie-inspired details, clean layering and wearable everywoman ideals coursed throughout the collection, with standouts including a blood-red one-shoulder frock that broke free from the overwhelmingly somber palette, check-print jackets and an array of cornflower blue velvet. Consider us smitten. Photos via Style.com, see the full collection here.
5. Celebrity Sightings
Let's face it—star-gazing at London Fashion Week can be a little lackluster for those who don't have a burning passion for British girl groups or anyone sired by Bob Geldof (come back, Kanye!). Fortunately this season our inner star-fuckers had plenty to sink their teeth into, from Burberry's front row line-up of Mary-Kate Olsen, Kate Hudson, Kristen Stewart, Claire Danes, and Alice in Wonderland's Mia Wasikowska to Janet Jackson's presence at shows like Todd Lynn and Pringle of Scotland, where she shared the spotlight with Tilda Swinton and (thankyougod) Courtney Love. Photos by Erin Donnelly.
1. Linda Farrow & Roisin Murphy Party
A colorful crowd crammed into AURA on Sunday night to toast Linda Farrow's latest collaboration with singer/fashion show fixture Roisin Murphy, making the duo's sunglasses less of a prop and more of a necessity. New mama Murphy performed to the likes of Leigh Lezark, Charles Anastase, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Derek Blasberg, Jasmine Guinness, and gender-benders Jodie Harsh and Andre J., who paired his beard with Heidi braids (as you do). And what of those shades? Let's just say the 24-karat gold-coated half-moon cat-eye sunglasses had us at "cheerio." Photos courtesy of Black Frame.
1. Mark Fast's Plus-Size Runway
Proving that last season's curvy girl catwalk—which prompted his stylist and casting director to quit in protest—was no blip, Canadian knitwear maestro Mark Fast recruited plus-size model Crystal Renn for his fall show. Joined on the runway by voluptuous Fast fave Hayley Morley and the usual stringbean suspects, Renn—last seen working it in V Magazine's Terry Richardson spread—cradled her curves in the designer's body-con knit dresses with confidence. Critics may accuse Fast of being gimmicky, but we're just happy to see some meat on these fashion bones for a change. Photos via Style.com, see the full collection here.
3. Burberry
Gallant gents holding umbrellas over our heads? Don't mind if we do. A star-studded front row, plus appearances by Mario Testino, Anna Wintour, Carine Roitfeld, and Kristen Stewart? Yes, please. Since returning to London Fashion Week in September, Burberry has established itself as the anchor of the LFW festivities, and this season's spectacle didn't disappoint. The parade of fitted lace shirts, ruched dresses , sexy over-the-knee boots, cropped biker jackets with enormous shearling collars, and military-style coats that nearly had us tackling a model or two—with nary a check print in sight—proved that there's a reason why Christopher Bailey keeps winning awards. The intense autumnal hues—mossy greens, mustard yellow, plum, and fuchsia—was a bold contrast to spring's icy pastels and was supported by clever details like a brown leather belt-looped collar and golden zips bisecting jackets. Oh, and streaming a live 3-D version of the show for stylephiles stuck at home? Totally classy and totally cool. Background photo by Erin Donnelly. Runway photos via Style.com, see the full collection here.
4. Richard Nicoll
A navy bustier with a check-print skirt won our hearts at Richard Nicoll's show, where smart and sexy happily collided. Lingerie-inspired details, clean layering and wearable everywoman ideals coursed throughout the collection, with standouts including a blood-red one-shoulder frock that broke free from the overwhelmingly somber palette, check-print jackets and an array of cornflower blue velvet. Consider us smitten. Photos via Style.com, see the full collection here.
5. Celebrity Sightings
Let's face it—star-gazing at London Fashion Week can be a little lackluster for those who don't have a burning passion for British girl groups or anyone sired by Bob Geldof (come back, Kanye!). Fortunately this season our inner star-fuckers had plenty to sink their teeth into, from Burberry's front row line-up of Mary-Kate Olsen, Kate Hudson, Kristen Stewart, Claire Danes, and Alice in Wonderland's Mia Wasikowska to Janet Jackson's presence at shows like Todd Lynn and Pringle of Scotland, where she shared the spotlight with Tilda Swinton and (thankyougod) Courtney Love. Photos by Erin Donnelly.
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