Fashion shows

Trend report: What to wear for SS23



WWD backstage at Jil Sander SS23

Let’s say it now, there’s not a lot of newness around at the mo. The world’s in flux, designers are scared for their jobs, no one’s taking risks and the big brands especially just wanna sell. Who can blame them? BOF’s Angelo Flaccavento was maybe a bit harsh with his ‘clothes to die from not for’ (lol) summing up of MFW SS23, but he had a point. It’s a commercial season, so let’s just get that out of the way. Honestly, I’m not sad about the black-everything revival, I can’t complain about the loafer love-fest and as a New Luddite, it’s great to see women’s watches in the spotlight. Read on for my round-up of what I’ll be wearing and doing this season… (more…)



Let them wear blankets



Saint Laurent aw23

At the risk of sounding trite, the humble blanket has stepped up as a metaphor of our times and a recurring motif at the AW23 shows. A symbol of post-Covid comfort and tactility as well as warmth (the UK energy crisis continues) and survival (another day, another earthquake), we just can’t be separated from our security blankets.

Styling wise, they appeared as travel accessories in the menswear shows (more…)



The Burberry dilemma



Burberry AW23

Wow, London Fashion Week came back big time this season. Simone Rocha, S.S. Daley, JW Anderson and Moncler were the buzziest shows, but Burberry AW23* was the one with the highest expectations. Did it deliver? Hmmm, still not sure.

There were high hopes for a repeat of Daniel Lee’s work turning around Bottega Veneta. In particular, new CEO Jonathan Akeroyd is aiming to double Burberry’s leather business, so all eyes were on the bags. (more…)



Bode just unveiled its vison for womenswear



Bode AW23 womenswear - Ssense

There was a big post-show buzz around the Bode AW23 show during men’s Fashion Week in Paris. For the first time. Emily revealed her ambition for womenswear; not a ‘feminised’ take on her menswear as one might expect but a fully realised vision that riffed off early 20th century glamour, incorporating familial storytelling (of course) and handcrafted embellishment.

It got rave reviews, although I felt the styling of the menswear was more eclectic. My highlights: an equestrian-themed applique jacket, hand-knit embroidered sweaters and gloves, a perfect shawl-collared tuxedo and the men’s T-bars and Mary Janes. (more…)