Here's how London Fashion Week went

London is a place filled with cultural heritage, famously known for its subcultures, Vivienne Westwood and the Cool Britannia movement. Now, in a post-Brexit world where Vivienne is gone, how will fashion navigate itself? How will the hardships impact the futures of the young designers, that London usually champions? Fashion month has officially begun in London, presenting a wind of change.

Starting the week off strong, Sinead O’Dwyer taught all brands a lesson when it comes to inclusive runway casting. Inclusive does not mean having 20 models which are a double zero and one model which is a size 10, inclusive means to include real people from all body shapes and backgrounds. The sophomore show of the designer struck with a strong artistic vision and a phenomenal understanding of fashion and its relation to the body. A lot of designers use the same patterns for small as well as large bodies, which usually turns out to the detriment for the bigger sizes. Sinead studies the body and makes the clothes fit like a glove, highlighting everyone’s beauty. Her A/W23 collection was inspired by the Irish concept of "dúil", which means desire in English. Exploring fondness, tenderness, lust and a sense of longing, the designer rewrote what romance means, with the garments at centre stage. The collection featured a plethora of tone-in-tone monochromatic looks, leather corsets and her signature crochet tights. Adding to this testament to Irish heritage, another fellow designer, Robyn Lynch, who is also a recipient of the Newgen programme, explored what it truly means to be Irish. «What are the most generalized things that you think of when you think of Ireland?», she wondered. Green, shamrock, céili, and maybe a Guinness. Translating this question into garments, the designer presented an opera of green shades down the runway, whilst audio of a harp was playing in the background. Exploring her new world, the knitwear pieces made out of merino wool were a true standout.

More NewGen standouts were Priya Alhuwhalia, exploring a new episode of her Indian-Nigerian heritage, Ancuta Sarca, bringing us 2000s chic translated into the aesthetic of 2023, and Chet-Lo, moving into a new look, positioning himself in a new artistic sphere beyond his viral spike top. Labrum London took us to Brixton market, highlighting the increasing gentrification of this part of the city. LVMH prize winner and newgen recipient S.S.Daley presented the most immersive chapter of his brand so far: a story about the ocean and drowning, shown on giant screens in Central London. His signature is the combination of theatre and fashion, and this time no other than Sir Ian McKellen modelled and played for Daley.

London is known for the freshness of the NewGen designers, but also for the uniqueness of their household names. JW Anderson showcased his collection at the Roundhouse, an iconic concert venue, which is – as the word suggests– round. Kicking the show off with bagpipes, Anderson immersed the identity of the Scottish choreographer Michel Clark from the very start. Diving into his archives, Jonathan Anderson brought a new angle to his most iconic pieces. «Looking back is not something I do very often, but sometimes it is necessary to move towards the future,» says the designer, explaining his unusual approach to the collection. Moreover, Richard Quinn, who established his reputation as one of the most innovative British designers had his collection styled by Carine Roitfield, merging romance and BDSM. The princess of Goth, Dilara Findikoglu held her show in an old church, located in the fringes of East London. During a 20-minute long performance, the collection explored the theme of dressing through a uniquely female lens, featuring a ballad of corsets and miniskirts, finishing off with a butter knife dress. Emerging creativity was visible at the runway show of the MA Fashion degree of Central Saint Martins. Expressing their inner vision, the designers never fail to show pure creativity instead of commerciality. Beyond that, the Icelandic designer Sol Hansdrottir stood out with his bold inside-out garments, presented in the St. Gilles church. Moreover, the designer Talia Byre is one to watch – her simplicity within creation took the hearts of the young generation by storm.

The week was finished with London’s most anticipated show: the debut collection of Daniel Lee at Burberry. Just weeks before the show, the new creative director changed the brand’s logo, signifying a new era and a way forward. The front row was full of his former Central Saint Martins’ tutors, the school where he graduated from the BA knitwear programme in 2009. After his years at Bottega Veneta, he proved that he still loved bold colours and rather unusual accessories, such as a hot-water bottle, which the models carried around like a clutch bag. After a personal hiatus, he brought a new identity to Burberry – aimed at the young generation, he has the ability to understand emerging trends and needs of the Social Media Generation. He brought Burberry, a quintessentially British brand, through a renaissance by reimagining British identity in a broken country.