London Fashion Week Fall 2013: Pretty Little Punks

I know I tend to be overly-loquacious about fashion, but the thing I love most about London Fashion Week is that it takes all the best parts of the amazing city, from the retro to the grungy and forms it into one lovely picture. This season was no exception, with a definite emphasis on the underground ’80s and ’90s punk movement which had a style all its own. Here were my favorite shows from the past week (all images courtesy of Vogue):

Preen

• The Inspiration: The punk symbols of the late ’70s
  
• The Runway: Taking cues from several different punk styles and trends, including zippers, dark colors and argyle, the collection melded together the retro and the modern. By melding, I mean literally, with paneled dresses and multi-hemline skirts. Even the elaborate finale piece had a punk rock flair fit for a princess of darkness. Swoon.

Jonathan Saunders

• The Inspiration: Erotic images from 1950′s pulp fiction and B-movies
• The Runway: Sky-high heels, retro hairdos, bustiers, and poodle skirts all played with the era in this amazing collection that managed to stay grounded at the same time. The focus for this show was on patterns over prints but the emphasis on Fifties glamour was more than enough to make it stand out.

Matthew Williamson

• The Inspiration: William’s own vintage tapestry couch
  
• The Runway: Jacquard, embroidery and other bohemian themes and fabrics came into play in this gorgeous collection. There was a decidedly British feel to the show, as it depicted the Northern journey of a fashionable English rose. Scandinavian and folkloric elements came into play as well, elevating the bohemian theme to beautiful, ethereal heights.

Marios Schwab

• The Inspiration: Fifteenth century Flemish art
  
• The Runway: Art, poetry and romance all played a role in this dazzling runway show. The color palette was dark and moody, comprised of deep reds, blues, and grays. The fabrics were likewise heavy and dramatic with rich velvet and organza. The most wonderful thing about the collection is that it is still wearable, even though it is chock full of showstopping pieces.
  

Peter Pilotto

• The Inspiration: Art from the Spanish Renaissance, particularly El Greco
  
• The Runway: Dramatic shoulders and bright colors made this collection instantly unforgettable. Gilded embellishments and textured elements emphasized the Spanish influence of the show, while the swirling patterns gave even the most basic pieces an artistic flair. Bellísimo!

Louise Gray

• The Inspiration: London club culture of the ’80s and ’90s
  
• The Runway: The underground elements of fashion during this time period were extravagantly re-created with outlandish hairstyles, bright colors and homemade-looked accessories. Always a unique designer, Gray’s collection this season was no exception, with its perfect balance of youthful designs and modern silhouettes. Even the more tailored pieces had crazy prints, so as never to be mistaken as boring.

Erdem

• The Inspiration: The Ingmar Bergman 1966 classic Persona
  
• The Runway: Moody and dramatic, like its cinematic influence, this gorgeous collection took all the best noir elements and made them real. The balance of light and dark that is so prevalent in classic films was gorgeously alive in the mixed textures and rich fabrics of the show. Subtle hints of color and florals broke up the darkness, and it all came together in one sumptuous canvas.

Burberry Prorsum

• The Inspiration: Classic & sexy looks from the 1960′s
• The Runway: One of my favorite designers and one of my favorite eras came together in one truly gorgeous collection. A mixture of classic and subversive, like the turbulent decade itself, the show focused on the brand’s famous trench coats. Embellished with rubber and epaulets, the coats were both modern and retro made for a seductive sex kitten or a proper lady, because who doesn’t love a perfect trench coat?
  

Tom Ford

• The Inspiration: A conglomeration of the pop art and glam rock movements
• The Runway: For his first full runway show in years, Tom Ford pulled out all the stops and sent out a colorful and personality-filled collection. Sequins, animal print, fringe, and embroidery all made cameo appearances in the show, creating a look that was far more playful than we’ve seen from Ford in recent years. Yet, all of his classically sophisticated silhouettes remained in tact because he is, after all, the Master.

Meadham Kirchhoff

• The Inspiration: The neo-Romanticism theme of the ’90s
• The Runway: Inspired by goth princesses like Courtney Love, there was a hint of eerie beauty to the collection. An emphasis on black velvet exaggerated this effect, as did slightly lopsided crystal tiaras on some of the models. Black patent leather and rubber aprons gave off the feeling that every girl on the runway was a waitress in the afterlife, a gruesome image that managed to be beautiful and delicate in the hands of such talented designers.