A/W11 trends from LFW

So London Fashion Week is over for the beginning of the year. And with a triumphant like series of collections, presentations, salons and applaud from key press and buyers, FashionUnited have broken down new trends, where they were best

seen, and no doubt what will be trickling down onto the high street come Autumn.

The practical utility wear and glitzy eveningwear of past seasons took a whole new direction for A/W11, where designers turned to rich intricacy, detail, and sleek, considered chic. As far as investment fashion goes, one could see some pieces being pulled out of the archives in years to come. However, cleverly amongst the luxury and decor was a modern and sexy edge, which kept collections alive and moving forward.
 
The winter coat was widely featured in different forms amongst designers. From sleeveless blazers and furry gilets to wool meltons, Jaeger and Joanna Sykes at Aquascutum came up with endless variations, playing with oversized collars and lapels, and giving a traditional staple a modern and sexy edge.
 
Texture became a dominating force, this season, as this new sense of intricacy saw designers play with fabric. So wool was shredded, embellished, knitted, crocheted and plaid as seen at Christopher Kane and John Rocha. And in a clever take, designers played with contrasting and combining unexpected materials to skillful effect; Antonio Berardi inserted antique like lace embroidery into velvet devore dresses, and aggressive materials of goat hair, leather and savage fox sat against sheer chiffon and gold embroidery at Julien Macdonald.
 
Yet for all the serious chic, there was definitely an attempt to play modern and sexy, Antonio Berardi added a hardened edge to his lace panelled dresses and an old Hollywood glamour to lame show-stopping gowns with thigh high slits, and the Charles Anastase girl got a naughtier less innocent outlook.
 
Refreshingly in a continuation of the bright popping colour we have seen for S/S 11, designers didn’t return to the usual Autumn black on black fare but added rich autumnal hues of russet, teal, mustard, cerise (Jaeger) leaf prints(Jonathan Saunders) and crayola brights(Burberry).
 
And with all the detail – appliqué, embroidery, fabric fusion – silhouettes became simpler and more refined. Designers opted for either slim fit pants matched with fussy tops or played with long-lined silhouettes such as layering tunics over skin-tight trousers, draping (Todd Lynn) or over sheer loose flaring pants (Richard Nicoll).
 
And with the merging of artisan, good cutting and a sense of modernity, buyers such as Harrods’ Marigay McKee were scrambling to purchase ‘straight off the catwalk!’