Go out and stay out: Top Trends from London Fashion Week FW22

The London Fashion Week FW22 season was packed with powerful statements and celebrations of colour, but most of all, London wants you to go out. Here are some of the trends set to catch on.

In a flurry of colour, spectacle, form-fitting silhouettes and pumped-up outerwear, London Fashion Week had all the hop, skip and jump of a city returning to office life and more noticeably, nightlife. Alongside an eye-opening parka and coat offering, the British designers offered a wardrobe to go everywhere in - in layers, lengths, textures and silhouettes that feel good now.

London A/W 22 wants you to go out, really out.

Amidst some pretty miserable weather, and despite the off-schedule absence of some blockbuster names like Burberry, Alexander McQueen, KNWLS and JW Anderson; showgoers got plenty of bang for their attendance, with a bevy of newcomers paving the way for the new British cool.

Debuts from Conner Ives and Poster Girl paid homage to the Euphoria generation, while Nensi Dojaka, Supriya Lele, and Simone Rocha laid down the romantic, out-from-under looks not to be argued with.

Evidently sexier en masse than its New York counterparts, the surprise and delight of the body-conscious London shows was its appropriateness, not only post-pandemic but post #MeToo. Intricate corsetry, outstanding mini skirts, sheer everything and second-skin latex felt powerful and liberated.

It was all about inspiring a positive mental state, given that women now want to forget all the time spent, and everything worn, in lockdown. Accessories matched the bold moments with moon boots, knitted balaclavas, oversized scarves, elbow-length gloves, taffeta, and tulle, enough to take us out of our sweatpant stupor. We asked, and London replied with fervor, personality and elegance.

... all about inspiring a positive mental state, given that women now want to forget all the time spent, and everything worn, in lockdown.

London Fashion Week A/W 22 season was packed with powerful statements, a celebration of colour and an authentic representation of creative ideals. Here are some of the trends set to catch on.

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Body of Work

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Bringing sexy back in the right way is no easy feat. However, a number of designers nailed it with this ongoing trend is looking set to define partygoers from here on out.

Lots of skin, sheer layers, slits and splits, corsetry, and asymmetric hems were spotted across the week at Halpern,  House of Sunny, and Poster Girl with plenty of cut-outs, colour, leather and lace.

Embellished bodysuits, sporty long socks and barely there minis were seen at David Koma, while crowd favorite Supriya Lele offered up low-slung hi heights, tiny tops and sheer layers. Nensi Dojaka ruled the trend offering wearable underwear-as-outerwear options with delicate silhouettes and perfectly placed cut-outs matched with sheer tights.

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Extreme knitwear

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Grandpa cardigan no more! Unless your grandpa happens to be styled by Matty Bovan, librarian-style long cardigans and plain knits are scrapped in favour of crocheted, boxy, cropped, over-oversize, and embellished accents.

It was punk and plentiful, with traditional means made modern in styling choices, palettes and patterns as seen at Molly Goddard, Partow, Conner Ives and Mark Fast.

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Twisted tailoring

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Unlike the relaxed, nuanced New York-chic tailoring seen a week earlier, the London designers emerged with a suiting and shirting refresh, playing into the mood of redefined working life.

Erdem and Maximilian took traditionally muted grey blazers to another plane with studs and equestrian-inpired quilting, while pinstripes took a turn at Palmer Harding with splices and asymmetry, and at Ahluwalia with graphic elements and sharp edges.

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Maximal minis

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Mini in length, not in status, this divisive silhouette which gained a significant foothold during Spring Summer 2022 almost feels done to death already, or does it?

London ensured it’s here to stay with a range of moods for the minimalist and the maximalist in dresses and skirts, with varying textures, prints and colours.

The bubble hem appears to be back for David Koma and Emillia Wickstead, while Supriya Lele, Halpern and Ahluwalia offered iterations for more than just a one-night stand.

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Sweet silhouettes

The return of the baby doll silhouette has been on its way back for a little while now and came to culmination at London Fashion Week with lots of lace, tulle and a slightly darker side.

Molly Goddard, Preen, and Bora Aksu did their babydoll dresses with plenty of lace, tulle, styled with printed tights, chunky boots, twee-ish brogues and oversized knits. Or do as they did in the 2000s, and get yourself a pair of ballet flats like the Simone Rocha crew.