At the recently concluded London Fashion Week, some designers looked at art history to present their fall-winter collections. 

Erdem Moralıoğlu, for instance, had American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas on his moodboard. Simone Rocha’s The Wake, on the other hand, was inspired by Queen Victoria’s mourning dress at Hampton Court. JW Anderson’s collection was, meanwhile, based on Last Of The Summer Wine, a British TV comedy show,  offering a playful take on knitting and slippers with looks styled with granny hair and grandpa coats.

Here are some of the other key trends that emerged at London Fashion Week:

Tactile textures

Erdem’s evening dresses and knit separates came festooned with feathers along with plume-edged footwear, indicating that feathers aren’t going out of style anytime soon. Kanika Goyal’s wearable separates, meanwhile, were crafted in visually sumptuous vinyl and perspex.

Roksanda’s line-up featured cozy and rich faux fur pieces tailored to look uber-luxe. Designer Simone Rocha peppered her signature tulle with nylon taffeta and faux fur while sprinkling them with diamonds,-charming clash between a polished granny aesthetic and a nonchalant girly vibe.

Off beat volumes

From Roksanda to JW Anderson, designers experimented with off-kilter volumes, proposing exaggerated silhouettes. 

Designer Molly Goddard offered a playful take on ugly chic. The cardigans were double-layered, smock tops were styled over ball gowns and oversized cashmere sweaters came layered over Disney dresses.  

A model presents a creation for British fashion label JW Anderson on 18 February
(AFP)

Historical figures

Simone Rocha gave a tribute to the late Queen Victoria’s mourning wardrobe, and hosted her show at St Bartholomew the Great, London’s oldest parish church.

Designer Priya Ahluwalia had Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story on her mind. Her collection was high on earthy reds, oranges and blues.

Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator.