AS ONE of the world's four main fashion capitals, twice a year London plays host to five days of catwalk shows attended by celebrities, fashion editors, retail buyers and other industry insiders, all keen to get a glimpse of what's in store for next season.
London Fashion Week's autumn/winter 2020 edition concluded on Thursday – but as usual, the clothes were only half the story. From backstage to the action on the catwalks and the famous front rows, here's what went down in the Big Smoke...
:: Burberry's trip down memory lane
Riccardo Tisci said he was inspired by memories of his time as a young designer, for his fourth collection at the helm of Burberry.
The result was a confident showing that married the storied house's well-known codes – a beige colour palette, trench coats, check prints – with streetwear staples, bold colours and metallic fabrics.
The deconstructed rugby shirts in bright hues were a highlight, as were the men's duffle coats – we predict copycat looks will be all over the high street next season.
:: Tommy Hilfiger's star-studded show
Veteran US designer Tommy Hilfiger staged the most celebrity-filled show of the week on Sunday night to unveil #TommyXLewis, a collaboration with racing driver Lewis Hamilton.
The Formula One driver cast supermodels young and old – including Erin O'Connor, Jodie Kidd, Jourdan Dunn and Alessandra Ambrosio – in the show, and he was joined for his bow at the Tate Modern by Naomi Campbell wearing a neon cagoule from the streetwear-heavy collection.
:: Roksanda's fabulous front row
Aussie A-lister Cate Blanchett graced the front row at Roksanda alongside fellow actors Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson and Zawe Ashton, making up one of the coolest front rows of the week.
The leading ladies were treated to a stunning collection in the grand surroundings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, featuring the designer's trademark vivid colours and fluid silk gowns.
:: Richard Quinn's floral fantasy
Richard Quinn has fast become one of the hottest tickets of LFW thanks to his catwalk theatrics, and his Saturday-night show did not disappoint.
Soundtracked by a classical version of ABBA's Dancing Queen, the collection was awash with Quinn's signature vivid florals and voluminous shapes. But as usual it came with a side of subversiveness, this time in the form of bondage-inspired bejewelled and studded face masks.
:: Victoria Beckham's gentle rebellion
Victoria Beckham said she was thinking about breaking the rules for AW20, but hers was a 'gentle rebellion' that brought chunkier heels on over-the-knee boots and slightly shorter hemlines on tweed A-line skirts.
As usual, the Beckham crew (minus Brooklyn) were on hand to support mum at her Sunday morning show.
:: Future fashion stars on show
London is renowned as the breeding ground for future fashion superstars, and if you want to find out who's destined to be the next big thing, the Central St Martins MA show is a must-see.
Hotly-tipped this year are Paolina Russo, a Canadian graduate who has already bagged a collaboration with Adidas thanks to her impressive knitwear designs, and Johanna Parv, whose garments with detachable bags are designed for urban cyclists.
:: Metallic make-up
On the beauty front, it was all about sparkle and shine in London, with gold leaf pasted on models at Preen, silver leaf used to create foil eyes at Erdem, crystal shards at Halpern and glitter at Marques'Almeida.
While these bold looks may not seem very wearable in the real world, they're sure to generate a trend for metallic and glitter textures come next season.
:: Matty Bovan's big barnets
The most extreme hair look of the week came courtesy of the Matty Bovan catwalk, where certain models were weighed down with humongous wigs five times as wide as their heads.
Practical they were not, but that's not what Bovan is about. His mantra for autumn/winter? Big hair, don't care.
