Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Glitz, glamour and going out: London Fashion Week returns to the spectacle

Glitz, glamour and going out: London Fashion Week returns to the spectacle

The UK capital was back in full swing this season, with a packed physical schedule and an electric atmosphere.

Determination was in the air at London Fashion Week, as the usual set of editors, influencers and celebrities braved Storm Eunice and some of the highest wind speeds on record in England, all in the name of fashion.

Spirits were high, masks were scarce and the shows were packed. More than 50 labels on the schedule chose to present in person, with the overarching theme for many catwalks being go big or go home. It spoke to a genuine appreciation of the craft, and a palpable desire for normality.

This year, billed designers were a mix of established and new talent. Savile Row's first black tailor Ozwald Boateng, for example, returned to London Fashion Week for the first time after a 12-year hiatus. But the event was largely skewed toward newcomers: Postergirl and Conner Ives made their runway debuts, while LVMH Prize-winner Nensi Dojaka staged her highly anticipated catwalk -- just her second ever solo show.

Although there was a healthy dose of make-believe on offer (James Walsh, a womenswear graduate from Central Saint Martins, fashioned a bustier and pair of shorts out of a tree trunk), the impending removal of coronavirus restrictions in the UK meant some brands left reverie at the door and kept one eye on commercial viability.

"When we started doing collections over the pandemic, it was just about fantasy," American designer Michael Halpern told CNN. "And now that we're going back to a collection where part of it will go into stores, you have to be mindful of both worlds."

Next generation
British designer Matty Bovan, winner of the 2021 Woolmark Prize, created his collection in America.

Harris Reed was inspired by the royal wardrobe and Elizabethan-era makeup.

Reed's designs were "a queerer interpretation of kings...and kweens," according to the show notes.


The absence of fashion week heavyweights Burberry, Victoria Beckham and J.W. Anderson meant there was ample space for a new cohort of designers to flex their creative muscles. The 25-year-old Harris Reed staged a regal presentation of his new gender-fluid designs in a baroque-styled Westminster church, while Yuhan Wang -- who graduated in 2016 -- caught our attention with her tasseled leather suits, faux-fur coats and the inclusion of her cat, Misty.

Yuhan Wang sent her cat, Misty (far right), down the runway.

James Walsh produced a matching tree trunk set for the Central Saint Martins show.


Life of the party


Whether it be a moving orchestral rendition of Olivia Rodrigo's "traitor" at the Richard Quinn show, a German shoegaze band at Bora Aksu or Sam Smith performing at Reed's presentation, live music was back in a big way this season as designers celebrated the return of physical shows after many had gone virtual amid the pandemic. It was the Roaring '20s for RIXO, who presented their new gilded-age collection against the grandiose backdrop of Goldsmith's Hall, while Conner Ives partied like it was 1999 with face-gems, plaster-white under-eye concealer and silk halter neck tops.

RIXO stage an ultra-glam presentation at Goldsmith's Hall in central London.

Halpern's new collection prioritized glitter, sequins and dramatic fringing.

British designer Richard Quinn soundtracked his runway with a live orchestra.

Butterfly clips, beaded sarongs and face-gems gave the Conner Ives show a '90s feel.

This was the American designer's first London Fashion Week runway.

Richard Quinn's designs were often larger than life.

As were Molly Goddard's signature taffeta ruffles.

Goddard created perfect partywear for Autumn-Winter 2022.

While Quinn turned elegant evening wear on it's head.

Bora Aksu staged his runway inside a mesmerizing church in South London.


Banding together


There were some notable collaborations this season, with London-based label Roksanda creating an array of glamping-wear with the help of sports brand Fila -- including wellies and windbreakers that looked more like ball gowns, as well as a puffer jacket large enough to sleep in. Matty Bovan's club kid take on Americana similarly included repurposed pieces by Vivienne Westwood, Calvin Klein and Converse All-Star.

Roksanda collaborated with Fila on a range of glamping looks.

Matty Bovan upcycled pieces from a range of designers in his Autumn-Winter 2022 collection.

Roksanda held its catwalk inside the Tate Britain.


Sex sells
Skin was front and center at the Nensi Dojaka show.

Similarly at S.S. Daley, less was more.

The Fashion East runway gave a new meaning to the term "open shirt."

Richard Quinn used latex, dominatrix suits and skin-tight silhouettes in his collection.


Rising star Nensi Dojaka successfully forged a seductive winter wardrobe by swapping mesh for velvet in her lingerie-inspired Autumn-Winter 2022 show; while British menswear designer Steven Stokey-Daley (of S.S. Daley) veered away from his typical output of bold shirts and Argyle knits to experiment with stripping back -- literally. One of his more memorable looks included nothing but a leather waistcoat, black underwear and a pair of sock suspenders.

Famous faces
Idris Elba closed the Ozwald Boateng show, held at the Savoy Theatre in London.

"Top Boy" actor Nicholas Pinnock was also in the model lineup.

Irina Shayk strutted the runway in a fuscia pink shawl-dress.

Lila Moss made an appearance at the Richard Quinn show, too.


Ozwald Boateng's landmark show ran on a specific type of starpower. An array of Black talent -- including actor Idris Elba and rapper Dizzee Rascal -- featured in the model lineup wearing expertly tailored jewel-toned suits. Richard Quinn also enlisted a handful of familiar faces, including burgeoning model Lila Moss, the daughter of fashion royalty Kate Moss, as well as Irina Shayk and drag queen Violet Chachki.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×