10 Shows From London Fashion Week AW18 We’re Still Talking About | InStyle.co.uk

Published on InStyle.co.uk, 20th February 2018

From thigh-skimming sequinned dresses at Halpern to floral sweeping gowns at Erdem, here's your cheatsheet to London Fashion Week... 

Richard Malone

Kicking off day one of London Fashion Week, Irish designer Richard Malone presented a collection inspired by the markets of his home town of Wexford. The runway came complete with rolled-up carpets whilst the soundtrack featured traders' voices shouting about their wares. As for the collection, there was plenty of clashing checks and prints in vivid hues across everything from cleverly tailored trousers to figure-hugging riding jackets and peek-a-boo dresses. Malone also continued his ongoing theme of sustainability through his partnership with the female weavers in southern India he has worked with since his graduate collection with the use of recycled fabrics and the addition of machine-washable evening gowns

Simone Rocha
There was plenty of her signature dark romantic looks featuring tulle, lace and veils, but this season, Rocha also showed plenty of tailoring in the form of trousers and oversized blazers, all accessorised with pretty bows. In addition, she played with patent coats in a dirty greens and blood reds with lines of tiny bows threaded across the body.

Halpern
"Inappropriate glamour is a contemporary state of mind: an evening look at noon, dressing against the dress codes, and the irresistible pleasure of being out of place," read the show notes, and after watching Halpern's autumn/winter show all you wanted to do was don sequins, even if you were just nipping to the local shop. From thigh-skimming dresses to flared jumpsuits, floor-sweeping trains and ruffled sleeves, this was cool-girl glamour at its finest.

Burberry
We always knew Christopher Bailey's last ever show for Burberry was going to be a biggie but with Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Sienna Miller on the front row, the sounds of Bronski Beat and The Communards echoing around the vast venue plus Adwoa Aboah and Cara Delevingne stomping the runway, Bailey certainly ensured he said farewell with a bang. For his final season, Bailey added a rainbow hue to the Burberry check, to symbolise the brand's financial support for LGBTQ+ charities. This featured on everything from trench coats to puffer jackets and even trainers. But it was his final look, a huge rainbow patchwork cape modeled by Cara Delevingne that added a truly poignant touch to end of Bailey's 17 year tenure.

Preen by Thornton & Bregazzi

With show notes featuring book covers including everything from The Pearl to the Haenyo Women Divers of Korea, the designer duo Thea Bregazzi and Justin Thornton took us on an underwater journey. There were pretty floral dresses with knot detailing, leather scuba-esque hoods, and plenty of pearlescent sequinned detailing on shimmering gowns. Fuzzy shoes and bags, reminiscent of floating seaweed upped the deep sea experience. 

Delpozo
This red carpet fave, which usually shows during New York Fashion Week was a welcome new highlight on the LFW schedule. Josep Font, the brand's Creative Director, comes from an architectural background so it was apt that its show took place at London's RIBA, which also reflected the collection's focus on sculptural silhouettes. Lily-pad shaped belts cinched in trousers and dresses whilst huge oversized flowers adorned collars of coats. There were plenty of sequins too whilst colour combos were also bold with clashing blues and yellows alongside reds and pinks.

Mary Katrantzou
It was Bauhaus meets Victoriana at Mary Katrantzou, with a collection effortlessly fusing the two. Having originally studied interiors textiles, Katrantzou showed cropped puffa jackets inspired by Chesterfield sofas, cinched-in jackets akin to vintage lampshade shapes and plenty of shimmering sequins that fell like drapes to the floor. 

Christopher Kane
"I have never shied away from sex in the collections - and this one is no different,' said Christopher Kane in his show notes. 'It all started with the illustrations from The Joy of Sex, by Chris Foss and Charles Raymond. They're both a textbook study and a sensuous display of line drawing, almost in "coffee table book" form that's both weird and really everyday. All of which always intrigues me." This translated into flesh-coloured dresses featuring graphic illustrations, captioned with "More Joy" or "More Sex." Meanwhile, there were plenty of rubber gowns and fine lace whilst other dresses came with jewel cage like constructions.

Marques'Almeida
Since day one, the Portuguese duo Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida have stressed that their brand is for the girls that inspire them and wear it. Dubbed #MAgirls, each season they put out a casting call on Instagram and this season they featured even more than ever with many walking in the show whilst others featured in video interviews projected on the venue's walls. Working with the designer Louise Gray the duo debuted a line of sweaters, emblazoned with empowering statements such as "Power Women." But it was the motocross trousers that really revved up showgoers. Worn with a giant orange hued teddy-bear coat, no one was left in any doubt that #MAgirls are the coolest gang to aspire to be like next season.  

Erdem
With the glamorous Adele Astaire (younger sister of Fred, who married the son of the Duke of Devonshire in 1932) on his moodboard, it didn't take long for the rumours of will he/ won't he design Meghan Markle's wedding gown to start circulating. Featuring flapper-style silk dresses, plenty of 1920's polka dots and a new take on tailoring in the form of mannish silhouettes plus brogues, we would love if the rumours came true for what would sure to be a major wedding gown moment.