The Best of LFW A/W16

From left to right: Alexander Mcqueen, Burberry, Topshop Unique, Erdem, and Peter Pilotto.

collage created by me, with original images from Vogue

I remember working on NYFW reviews like it was yesterday, and that feeling is actually almost true, just change yesterday to three days ago. I'm still in NYFW mode, but London Fashion Week is here, wait, it's actually over already. Only five days, really, London? Why can't you be like New York Fashion Week and have eight days in a week, like the Beatles song? But the blessing of this weirdly short fashion week makes it easier for me to pick and choose the shows I deem worthy enough to review. LFW was just as successful as NYFW, maybe even more, but this lack of quantity emphasizes the abundance of quality, so I only had to [fairly] easily pick five shows, not twenty. A lot of returns from last season's fashion month review return, but a few new names are dropped. And just a reminder: the more new show reviews, the better the fashion week was. Let's start with a new(er) name:

With an emphasis in layering, unique designs that involve hand-stitching, and ankle-grazing garments, Peter Pilotto's collection is perfect for winter, or even better, a trip to the ski resort. He uses practical methods to fit in with the collection's season, like thick, oversized coats and socks with sophisticated heels, yet he still adds his own twist by combining multiple fabrics and techniques into one. Lace, fur, embroidery, and is that a sliver of blue silk in the bottom right look? Pilotto definitely knows how to create transformative looks by simply combining a variety of methods and styles into one, and it shows through the eccentricity that we see from this collection. An extra plus: the embroidery the designer uses has been seen all over the runway this fashion month, which adds an interesting, even fun, touch to a seemingly dull season. Here's another lesser-known one who brings a whole different level of femininity to fashion week: 

The designer, Erdem Moralioglu, doesn't only take inspiration from one decade, but instead uses three -- the '20s, '30s, and '40s -- for his collection for Erdem. He uses delicate floral prints, embroidery, and vintage shapes to create a collection that is not only a tribute to the past, but a tribute to the stardom from the past. Moralioglu says he always needs characters to inspire him, so in this one, he used old-time stars like Gertrude Lawrence and Bette Davis to drive his inspiration. The source shows in his looks -- each dress looks fit for a star who spews femininity, and even the pantsuit has a feminine touch with the floral embroidery. The designer also brings back the floral frock on a good note, which also tells us that wearing a spring-centric print in the winter is completely okay (plus, he's not the first one to bring up floral patterns this fashion month). Similar to brands like Valentino or Gucci, this collection is simply beautiful in the most glamorous way possible. If only I could wear that flapper-esque dress in the top right photo to prom.

Now I move onto a brand I love with all my heart, the only brand that I actually own clothing from, the first show I ever did a real review on (even if it sucked). Topshop Unique rose from the dust that is called their last disappointing collection from SS16 and returned to show that they're back, and better than ever. A part of my soul lives in their AW15 collection, so it may be impossible to love anything more than that one, but their newest one still deserves a standing O. Long silhouettes (this is starting to get repetitive), reliable outerwear, and statement pieces made the collection one that, in my opinion, defines who Topshop Unique is as a brand. What I love about Topshop is that they always make extremely wearable collections, and this one may be the most fitting. I would gladly wear every single item above, especially that sequined midi, and it wouldn't necessarily be considered "high fashion", it would just be considered well-dressed. Topshop appealed to the masses, or maybe just the cool-girls, with these looks -- who doesn't love a crushed-velvet ankle boot and herringbone pea-coat? However, they still made it their own with unique items like ribbon-chokers (Adam Selman, anyone?) and '70s inspired velvet dresses. And that's who Topshop is: a brand that is able to both relate to what consumers want, but also create completely unprecedented collections. A paradox, right?

I could go on about my spiel about how there's always comfort in the expected, or I could just bring up Alexander Wang, a designer who we always expect gritty collections from, but that doesn't decrease the overall greatness of them. The next brand happens to follow that same pathway (change gritty to dreamy), and it shares the same first name as Wang. You guessed it -- Alexander McQueen -- now designed by Sarah Burton (female designers REPRESENT!), who never fails to bring a beautiful collection to the runway when the time comes. It's awfully similar to last season's -- we get that same romantic feel with some ruffles and lots of surrealism in this year's, but Burton still brings a new idea to the table. This season it's embroidery, a tribute to nature, and dream-like gowns that graze the floor and leave little to the imagination. The delicate floral hairpieces and intricate details in every piece showcase the work Burton put into this collection. Maybe the fact that a female is designing the collection truly represents the beauty of feminine details and shapes, and Sarah Burton is finally living up to the wonder that is Alexander McQueen. Like poetry, like a dream come true, like a walk through the gardens in The Palace of Versailles, McQueen's collection is one close to a fairytale. 

I end my "Best of LFW" with a classic, a brand that defines London fashion as a whole. Burberry, of course, and this time it's taking us back to their roots, but with a modern spin. If a glam rocker-girl had to have a trusty pea-coat and sophisticated basics, then she'd come running to Burberry's AW16 collection, textured tights and all. We see the classic Burberry in the boxy tailoring of coats, hemlines of dresses, and traditional collars, but then the Bowie, or better yet, Ziggy Stardust inspired twist comes -- wild, metallic textures and prints that include sequined flowers, snakeskin patterns, and lots of color-infused jacquard. The glitter on the model's cheeks completed the glam feel, yet none of the out-there details of the looks took away from the collection as a whole. Some dresses had major length and volume, but most of the collection fit a structured, mid-thigh hemline, giving room for the glamorous coats to steal the show. The addition of Jake Bugg in the middle of the runway singing his most mellow songs with only his voice and acoustic guitar allowed the models to calmly glide across the runway, and it also did not overpower the metallic prints, which I believe made the show the best out of LFW (or even all of fashion month). Burberry shows off its traditional London feel by giving looks only fit for a cool-girl from London, and if this is what those girls are wearing, sign me up, please. 

Milan Fashion Week, I dare you to beat both NYFW and LFW. I mean, the Gucci show tomorrow will probably beat all of fashion month, so MFW will probably win. Again.

All photos from Vogue

What were your favorite shows from LFW? Share in the comments below!

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