Trendstop London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2023-24

Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers a look at some of the highlights from the Fall/Winter 2023-24 edition of London Fashion Week.

Designers at London Fashion Week drew on their own journeys and heritage in collections with a deeply personal quality. Memories from childhood and teenage years, their homes, and their family histories were intertwined throughout their collections, imbuing them with meaningful values. Subversive, punk-inspired touches alluded to the capital’s anarchic, youthful spirit.

Staged in London’s Sadler’s Wells theatre, the inspiration for Erdem’s inspiration came from his own Bloomsbury townhouse, once a “House of Hope” providing sanctuary to disadvantaged Victorian women. Their ghostly imprints informed Victorian black trenches and riding jackets whilst dark purples and acid greens were picked out from the designer’s wallpaper. Corsets, bustles, and bare skin revealed through layers of taffeta paid homage to the late Vivienne Westwood, with a punk take on Victoriana also coming through in jet embroidered knits and metallic brocade skirts and crushed floral prints.

Drawing from his youth growing up in Glasgow in the 1980s, Christopher Kane titled his collection “Housewives, cleaners, barmaids”. Subverting these codes Kane presented classic knit jumpers with ruffled PVC skirts, and soft vintage florals and sequins dramatically contrasted with structured neck panels that represented kitchen chopping boards. The shapes and fabrics in the collection were inspired by every-day life, capturing Kane’s upbringing in a working-class environment’. Weeds from pavements and even rodents appeared on gowns in AI generated prints.

London-based label Labrum, continued to weave its West African heritage into their latest collection in a show at Brixton village market where head designer, Dumbuya, was raised. Labrum explored the harsh reality of long-distance relationships faced by migrants separated from their families as well as celebrating Dumbuya’s own journey from Sierra Leone to London via Cyprus. Designs featured tailored pieces, vibrant outerwear and varsity jackets decorated with travel patches and passport stamps. Two-tone denim was designed to provide a visual symbol of the difference between the dream and reality of migration.

Exclusive Offer:
FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop’s Fall Winter 2021 London Fashion Week: The Return of Optimism report. Simply click here to receive your free report.

Trendstop.com is one of the world's leading trend forecasting agencies for fashion and creative professionals, renowned for its insightful trend analysis and forecasts. Clients include H&M, Primark, Forever 21, Zalando, Geox, Evisu, Hugo Boss, L'Oreal and MTV.