London Fashion Week AW13: Day four highlights
It’s always weird when you see big trends emerging seemingly from nowhere. Part of it is wishing things into existence. I’ll always try to make huge fluffy mohair jumpers and mannish coats a ‘thing’ if it means people will make more of them and keep me well-stocked. In the last four days I’ve definitely seen my fair share of fluffy knits and gigantic coats, plus lots of shiny PVC/patent leather, flared skirts, fur, geometric layering and posh camo patterns. Texture-clashing is absolutely the new pattern-clashing. And we’re all going to be thoroughly sick of early 90s dance music before the year is out (apart from me).
Today was the day that those trends started to gel, and that’s when Fashion Week becomes coherent. As a fashion editor, you start to ‘read’ trends, homing in on what the important emerging themes are and tuning out the rest. Big structured coats are going to be, well, big if Christopher Kane and Peter Pilotto (above) are anything to go by. They’re cut roomy so you can fit in all those other cumbersome, texture-heavy layers underneath and still have room to breathe. (Sidenote: all the important fashion people – including Anna – were wearing Prada’s daisy fur coat. But not the tabi boots.)
PETER PILOTTO EMBROIDERED COATS
Christopher Kane as usual was one long torrent of ideas that I’m still processing now. Texture is always interesting with Kane – you really need to see his pieces close up as things are never what they seem. This was my favourite piece; an oversized coat of reworked camouflage…
Ashley Williams at Fashion East was a stormer – Elvis and Americana-themed, with teddy bear bags and Soo Catwoman eyeliner. Strong but commercial, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this hanging on a rail in Browns tomorrow…
Talking of commercial, this season’s Burberry was commercial as ever but highly desirable. All kinky primness (er… another emerging trend I’ve willed into existence) – think latex trench coats, innocent loveheart prints, blood-red high-gloss pencil skirts and shiny black flasher macs. Topped off with Tom Odell singing live, accompanied by an all-girl choir. Now that’s a show.
