SPECIAl REPORT
London Fashion Week
This week saw London’s design talent take to the spotlight and flaunt their SS12 offerings. As New York’s quirkier, more vibrant fashion sibling (albeit slightly rougher around the hems), London always throws up some edgy trends.
Following on from our NYFW Report, we’ve been at the data again. Analysing 300,000+ daily tweets and updates from the tents at Somerset House and beyond, we give you the top designers, styles and prints. Based on the amount of online buzz and the sentiment shown towards specific trends, our interactive charts give you an instant guide to who and what is hot.
Graphing online buzz
Online buzz generated by key LFW designers over the last 12 months
SS 2011
AW 2011/12
SS 2012
Online buzz generated by key LFW styles over the last 12 months
SS 2011
AW 2011/12
SS 2012
Online buzz generated by key LFW prints over the last 12 months
SS 2011
AW 2011/12
SS 2012
The week that was:
London has a thing for prints. Maybe it’s escapism from the weather or maybe we’re just a vibrant bunch. Last week, post-New York, it seemed the rest of the world were catching on, but London has switched it up a gear. Florals were the resounding success of the week; take your pick of photo-realism at Mary Katrantzou, scaled-up and leery at Peter Pilotto and découpage style appliques at Christopher Kane. The message from the designers is that florals don’t have to be ditzy, while online sentiment indicates that this trend is going to sell.
A LFW round-up wouldn’t be complete without doffing our caps to the digital dons that are Burberry. The online storm they whipped up around their show was a masterclass in digital marketing. Following this triumph, they easily topped our list of most-talked about fashion week designers. They’ve changed the fashion landscape and next season it will be telling to see who else has stepped up to the mark.
Key looks from the catwalk
How were the big looks received?
Key Fashion Week Tweets
@LondonFashionWkMary Katrantzou just pushed the boundaries of prints and tailoring even further. We're entranced. Pure magic. #LFW RF @MaryKatrantzou
@BurberryIn 1 hour watch the #Burberry Prorsum Womenswear S/S12 show on http://bit.ly/qdlPQ8, or follow @Burberry for the first ever #Tweetwalk #LFW
@Burberry#Burberry Prorsum S/S12 utility pleated skirt & raffia Burberry Whipstitch bag #LFW twitpic.com/6nels5
@JessC_MI think I've spotted my first trend of LFW. Lace pencil skirts at Preen and Clements. Sort of only works in navy #LFW #fashion
@HilaryAlexanderFlower stickers,slashed pastel brocade,origami folds,athletic sandals,micro-hems,inspired by 'teenage wasteland' bedroom at Chris Kane
@susiebubbleMaximal colliding with minimal at @acneonline — a wild array of textures http://yfrog.com/nzrtrerj
@TopshopGlad you all loved our Unique show! What will you be rocking come SS12? We're partial to the metallic gold hoody and rose gold shorts #LFW
@erinfashionA slick polished show for @michaelvanderhaam Trouser dressing & amazing access. One of my favourite shows so far #LFW http://yfrog.com/hw15ckhj
@StylistMagazineThe Osman show has started at #LFW. All cool, light pinks and airy whites - very ethereal. Watch it live: http://bit.ly/q7jPl3
@AGirlAStyle@ErdemRTW was SO beautiful I held my breath practically the whole time. Oh my word! Wow! Ravishing florals, lace, lace gloves & sequins #LFW
@natasha_fashion#LFW #Clements Ribeiro lace prints, Paisley prints, Bridget Riley prints on silk trs, long dresses, vest tops. yfrog.com/h7nxadaj
Buzz + Sentiment = Fashion Week's Top 10
1. Burberry
Seen on: Monday
London SS12 belongs to Burberry. With the launch of the first ever ‘Tweetwalk’, the live streaming of the catwalk and the garments available for purchase online immediately after the show, Burberry win best in show for their digital marketing strategy. What’s more, the clothes stood up to the attention. African inspired prints and accompanying embellishment sat well alongside leather macs and voluminous dirndl skirts. With craft references, the accessories garnered a wave of mentions too.
Close2. Topshop Unique
Seen on: Sunday
Topshop will be hoping they’ve struck gold with their Egyptian inspired collection shown in the disused Eurostar building at Waterloo. It was a star-studded affair, attracting the likes of Anna Wintour and Naomi Campbell. The inspiration behind the clothes wasn’t subtle, with scarab beetle motifs covering tube skirts and column dresses. Hieroglyphic knitwear and printed sheers added a more graphic dimension to the range, whilst sporty hoodies and boxing shorts in gold metallics will sell well.
Close3. PPQ
Seen on: Monday
PPQ have friends in the right places, their shows always draw a big crowd. And this translates well into online buzz. Marking their tenth year in the business, this season’s collection paid homage to the brand’s style whilst making fresh statements. Trashy lettered prints, motif-emblazoned denim and a helping of pastel tones gave this collection a touch of Vegas vamp. Pandemonia (a 6ft inflatable celebrity and LFW darling) sitting front row only added to the effect.
Close4. Mulberry
Seen on: Sunday
Register to read more5. Daks
Seen on: Saturday
Register to read more6. Jonathan Saunders
Seen on: Saturday
Register to read more7. Jasper Conran
Seen on: Saturday
Register to read more8. Basso & Brooke
Seen on: Friday
Register to read more9. Corrie Nielsen
Seen on: Friday
Register to read more10. sass & bide
Seen on: Friday
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Top 10 Designers
1. Feminine
Seen in: Clements Ribeiro, Jaeger London
Moving on from AW 11/12 and echoing what was seen last week in New York, London presented a softer take on feminine looks. At Clements Ribeiro a simple and elegant silhouette carried delicate floral prints with lace trim. At Jaeger, bows added a girlish touch to the refined look, with daydresses, sheer fabrics and dirndl skirts all adding to the mix. Simple slip dresses and tiered ruffles at Richard Nicoll suggested a more subtle working of the trend.
Close2. Sporty
Seen in: Aquascutum, Antonio Berardi
Maybe it’s Olympiad-fever but London designers definitely acted on the memo about sporty styles this season. Aquascutum went in full force with their mesh fabrics, halter neck styles and high-shine plastics. Antonio Beradi’s simply cut shift dressed were panelled like an athletes' kit whilst sleek trousers bore stripes down the side of the leg. Emilio de la Morena also alluded to the theme through stark cuts and a crisp palette of white, yellow, vivid blue and black.
Close3. Tailoring
Seen in: Paul Smith, Pringle London
The recurring cuts of tailored trends proved that London has the skills as well as the ideas.. Paul Smith showed who wears the trousers with his three variants; a slim fit, a boyish cut and a wide legged crop. Checked fabrics and fedoras topped the look. At Pringle, sharply cut coats, namely a silver mac, and centre crease trousers were the stand out pieces.
Close4. Retro
Seen in: Jaeger, Holly Fulton, Peter Jensen
Register to read more5. 1950’s
Seen in: Jonathan Saunders, Issa, Daks
Register to read more6. Ballet
Seen in: Meadham Kirchhoff
Register to read more7. Oversized
Seen in: Acne, Christopher Kane
Register to read more8. Oriental
Seen in: Julien MacDonald, Corrie Nielsen
Register to read more9. Minimal
Seen in: Jackie JS Lee, Christopher Kane
Register to read more10. Androgyny
Seen in: Paul Smith, Aquascutum
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Top 10 Styles
1. Floral
Seen in: Peter Pilotto, Erdem
Spring is going to be blooming marvellous if the London designers are to be listened to. Floral prints, in their myriad of forms were seen across the city. Pick of the bunch included Peter Pilotto’s usually complex prints, which were lifted with scaled-up florals in a paintbox palette. Erdem’s ultra-feminine blue florals were pure porcelain ornament and received rave reviews. Mary Katrantzou proved her digital genius yet again with complex layered prints sitting alongside photographic florals in blocks of brights.
Close2. Paisley
Seen in: Jonathan Saunders, J.W Anderson
Adding to the trippy feel of the print stories this season was the emergence of a paisley trend. J.W Anderson’s scaled-up paisley print trousers and matching shell top were bold without being brash; a nod towards the young designer’s future commerciality. Jonathan Saunders' suburban housewife silhouettes, adorned with washed out paisley, were elegant and, in a city where print never stops, achieved newness well.
Close3. Stripes
Seen in: Margaret Howell, Mulberry, Issa
What summer would be complete without a jaunty stripe in tow? And it looks like SS12 will be no exception. Mulberry’s British-seaside themed collection visited them in pastel deckchair form, on panelled maxi and shift dresses. Jaeger too had headed to the beach, with their 60s inspired show. Their lemon, copper, navy and aqua variegated stripe on shorts, shifts and jackets will work best accessorised with a stick of rock. Margaret Howell offered a more straight-laced nautical story.
Close4. Snakeskin
Seen in: House of Holland, Maria Grachvogel
Register to read more5. Leopard Print
Seen in: House of Holland
Register to read more6. Checks
Seen in: Bstore, Daks, Vivienne Westwood
Register to read more7. Graphic
Seen in: sass & bide, David Koma
Register to read more8. Tie Dye
Seen in: Jena. Theo, Danielle Scutt
Register to read more9. Zebra
Seen in: Mulberry, Holly Fulton
Register to read more10. Polka Dot
Seen in: sass & bide, Michael van der Ham
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Top 10 Prints
About EDITD
EDITD connects fashion, luxury and apparel people with the data they need to make better decisions. EDITD is a cloud-based social, commercial and factual observation instrument, giving businesses the ability to quickly understand trends and market dynamics, both historically and in real time. Far beyond inspiration, EDITD is factual information; essential for how the fashion industry is evolving.
