A guide to London Fashion Week S/S 2016

London Fashion Week runs from Friday 18^th September-Tuesday 22^nd September and this season there is a big change: it’s moving from Somerset House to Brewer Street Car Park in Soho. Here we aim to offer you a guide of the most interesting shows and presentations, to help you discover the most exciting and upcoming brands.

Friday 18^th September

12:00 Felder Felder – Created in 2006 by German-born twins Annette and Daniela Felder while they still were students at Central Saint Martins, this brand has immediately identified with a feminine rock’n’roll aesthetic. Always sensual and bold, the label is embraced by singers and actresses such as Rihanna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Florence Welch. Last season, following the 70s trend, these super blonde sisters showcased a collection marked by a lot of see-through organza, metallic disco flares and oversized red and emerald faux furs.

15:30-17:30 Molly Goddard (presentation) – This young designer from west London and ex fashion knit student at CSM creates pure magic with her hands. She presented her first collection last A/W at Somerset House and the set recreated for the presentation was that of an art class. The models, who were chatting and painting, wore beautifully made ethereal tulle skirts with a clumsy silhouette and wool sweaters. Goddard created a distinctive aesthetic for her label: soft, fragile and kind of undone at the same time, standing between new Bohemia and a melancholic coming of age.

17:00 Fydor Golan – The dynamic duo composed by designers Fyodor Podgorny and Golan Frydman, conquered every fashionista’s heart with their playful imagery, made of childish references and bright colour blocking. Mixing geometrical shapes and sport lux with the innovative use of technology, last season they proposed a My Little Pony inspired psychedelic collection with unique textiles and 3D embroidery.

Saturday 19^th September

10:00-12:00 Faustine Steinmetz – After graduating at CSM and working for designers like Jeremy Scott, this Parisian-born designer founded her own brand in 2013 and immediately stood out for her revolutionary way to deconstruct denim, taking the ordinariest of materials to a brand new level. Every single piece is hand-dyed, handwoven using traditional handlooms, hand-shredded and of course hand-sewed. The result is a proper work of art, standing between a dreamy spectral feeling and an extremely cool undone attitude.

13:00 Holly Fulton – Multiple award winner and Royal College of Art grad, Fulton founded her label in 2009. Her aesthetic is the perfect incarnation of a modern luxury; her attention to detail and use of digitally manipulated print and unusual embellishment make her creations precious. Last season, she showcased a collection which was a chilled out, modern reinterpretation of a noir diva – one of those you could find in a motel room in a Lynch movie – with a pink twist.

16:00 JW Anderson – Jonathan Anderson founded his brand only seven years ago and he has already made a name for himself in the fashion industry; now considered as one of the most interesting designers at LFW. Known for his playful aesthetics, last season showed a freshened reinterpretation of the 80s look, characterised by mix and match, and by exaggerated shapes and colours.

18:00 Simone Rocha – Dublin-born and CSM graduate (where else?), Rocha is another young designer with just a few years of showcasing at LFW behind her. Having already gained recognition worldwide, last season was all about round shapes and soft black velvet.

20:00 Gareth Pugh – This designer’s works have notably been showcased at Victoria & Albert Museum’s Fashion in Motion; his creations are pieces of art. Pugh is always experimenting with new shapes, volumes and textures and the results are often highly dramatic “wearable sculptures” loved by some of the greatest celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

Sunday 20^th September

11:30-12:30 Claire Barrow – Barrow’s designs are dominated by an illustrated aesthetic that winks at a DIY attitude – both culturally and politically engaging. Mainly known for her hand-painted leather jackets, she has developed an imagery that goes from bold or funny slogans to paintings of kittens and naked bodies. Her label is deeply connected to the iconography of young British subcultures.

16:00 Paul Smith – The English brand for excellence, Paul Smith has always stood for traditional British style and craftsmanship with an eclectic and original twist.

Monday 21^st September

11:00 Erdem – Erdem Moralioglu founded his brand in 2005, after graduating at the Royal College of Art, and he dedicated himself to the accurate creation of extremely feminine and flattering clothes which epitomize the blend between the delicate, the fragile and the bold. A constant of his collections are beautifully made flower appliqués and embroideries, the use of experimental textiles and vibrant colours.

13:00 Burberry – A popular name at LFW. With their resort 2016 collection, Christopher Bailey created ladylike silhouettes, gowns, little A-line dresses and a lot of beautiful lace.

15:00 Christopher Kane – Kane has been considered head of the rebirth of British high fashion since he started his brand in 2006. His latest resort collection was an innuendo to love, with hearts embroidered and printed on clothes and heart-shaped crystals used as buttons. The colour palette was delicate, varying from grey tailored suits to pastel silk dresses and pleated skirts.

17:00 Peter Pilotto – Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos are the brilliant duo behind this label, founded in 2007 and well represented around the world. Their resort collection was particulary interesting as it stood out from the previous ones: no digital prints (previously the brand’s trademark) but instead a wide range of relaxed silhouettes, cosy pastel-toned capes and colourful embroidery.

Tuesday 22^nd September

12:00 Marques Almeida – This relatively new brand, launched by Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida in 2011, is known for their “special denim” due to constantly showcasing innovative variations of the material. More than jeanswear, they portray a sense of raw beauty and an undone and effortless coolness, steeped in a 90s aesthetic.

14:00 Ashish – Indian-born designer Ashish Gupta graduated from the prestigious MA fashion at CSM and showed for the first time at LFW in 2005. Presenting extravagant and alluring designs, last season was all about sex, a word which could be found embellished on caps and sweaters. The collection consisted of red camisoles and a recurring pair of over-the-knee shiny red boots, lace underwear and shimmering camouflage coats.

16:00 Ryan Lo – Hong Kong-born designer Ryan Lo certainly knew how to make the best out of YouTube tutorials, as thanks to them he learned how to knit. His label his sophisticated and contemporary, combining the ladylike and the undone with mannish tailoiring: simple shirts, girly lace skirts and camisoles are often paired with super long wool cardigans.

Francesca Milano