Top trends from London fashion Week: the round up

When I got chatting to Holly Springett at a blogger meet-up mydeco had organised in London back in January, I immediately secured her as our voice for London Fashion Week. Not only is she a freelance fashion journalist and blogger, but you can tell she knows what’s hot and what’s not.

Here’s what she thought of London Fashion Week for autumn/winter 2011:

In terms of the emerging trends from London Fashion Week that held the greatest appeal for me, and the ones that I’ll be aiming to incorporate into my own wardrobe, I’m probably most drawn to the huge array of print and embellishment. I love the idea of mixing prints and playing with scale, and I’ll be looking for new pieces influenced by flora and fauna, having fallen in love with the prints from Jonathan Saunders featuring flocks of birds against intricate wallpaper florals.

This season at London Fashion Week marked the start of a new mood of grown up sophistication for autumn/winter 2011, with designers showcasing eminently wearable and beautifully constructed collections.

Sleek modernism was a key trend, with the focus on impeccable tailoring, subtle detailing and longer line silhouettes. Fluid, floor skimming skirts and dresses were seen on many catwalks, with particularly beautiful examples at Maria Grachvogel. New design talent J.JS Lee showed an accomplished range of menswear inspired tailoring, mixed with pared back leather and knitwear pieces.

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Bold colour was also a major trend this season, with Burberry, Erdem, Louise Gray and Paul Costelloe showing an array of rainbow brights.

Print and embellishment were everywhere, often used in eclectic mixes, contrasting scale and colour within the same outfit. Mary Katrantzou showed an incredible collection, featuring opulent prints of birds, florals and mosaics, while Clements Ribeiro’s use of pattern was as beautiful as ever.

English Heritage inspired looks have been around for a few seasons, but expect to see a deluge of tweed hitting stores for autumn/winter 2011. Jaeger, Mulberry, House of Holland and Margaret Howell all drew on quintessentially British inspirations, with traditional tweeds given a new twist in contemporary shades. Paul Costelloe opened Fashion Week with an upbeat collection of tweeds in bubblegum pinks and rich greens, combined with models wearing candyfloss coloured wigs!

Texture was also a key feature, with an array of shaggy (fake) furs sashaying down the catwalk, with some stunning rich chocolate coats seen at Jasper Conran.

In complete contrast to the trend for grown up sophistication, London’s edgier designers played with darker, Gothic inspirations, with Meadham Kirchhoff sending out invites embossed with witches, and Maria Francesca Pepe and Jena Theo (bottom) styling their models as pagan, warrior women.

I also loved the edgier, darker looks seen from Theo and Kirchhoff, and will be adding a touch of gothic inspired style to my A/W wardrobe, to balance out all the printed prettiness!

But Mary Katrantzou was the show that inspired me most. Her use of print and embellishment was extraordinary, mixing eclectic influences from Oriental prints and embroideries to Russian opulence, and I’m sure the collection will have a major influence on both fashion and interiors trends.

Check out Holly’s blog for more London Fahsion week pics and comments.