We'll Always Have...London?

We sought escapism with New York Fashion Week in the beginning of February and were sadly kept grounded in reality. Since we have been in need of a bright spot lately, we can turn to NYFW’s quirky, little sister that just wrapped up: London Fashion Week. With about half of the instagram hashtags at 1.7 million, LFW may be smaller, but she is still mighty, especially when it comes to creativity. While it was cheeky, bright, and whimsical, the fashion London gave us was nostalgic while still looking forward.. With this delightful showing of British plaids mixed with fairy tale designs and vibrant colors, is it possible she’s showing us fashion can be fun again?


While the tweed and ruffles on the catwalk took us to Neverland, the most realistic place to look for achievable escapism was on the London streets. How does one capture the essence of LFW without getting too caught up in the fantasy? To begin with, color was key. While color is always key, it is important to note that Fall 2017 is being shown during an equally dreary time of year. Without the inspiration of a Spring or Summer collection, it is easy to fall into the sartorial trap of greys, browns, and deep jewel tones. But with great effort, we saw vibrance on the runway and across influencers on social media. One particular trend to note was that one of the most notoriously challenging colors to wear, yellow, found itself in favor again - and rightfully so.


Another way to emulate the achievable whimsy of LFW is through a strong accessory game. During NYFW, bags came back into focus on the runway - proving that accessories are still an integrable part of the high-fashion game. Influencers across the London street style scene also brought their bags front- and-center in their social media posts, highlighting key brands such as J.W. Anderson, Anya Hindmarch, and British staple, Mulberry. J.W.anderson in particular became an instagram darling, giving us fashion’s new “it” item for the season: the Pierce bag. Aside from it’s lust-worthy design, the kitschy elements and loud colors of bags and accessories in London only echoed the greater sentiment of the week.


For us New Yorkers, we may have found fashion week across the pond a bit more inspiring and our search for escapism recharged. For those who might not have found their stride yet across the Fall 2017 shows, don’t worry - we’ll always have Paris!