END. PRESENTS: LFW FIELD NOTES WITH GEORGIA FREEMAN

London Fashion Week has always been about nurturing British talent and clearing a place for homegrown talent to shine, from the long-standing pillars of British fashion to the youngest and brightest stars. This year, there was a new sense of excitement in the air. Still, there was the space for young talent to show, but the return of Alexander McQueen after 25 years in Paris set the overarching story: one of a proud return to roots, to the system and scene that continues to nurture names that will go on to shape international fashion. It was a monumental year, and a reminder that British fashion is looking pretty exciting right now.

With our womenswear buyer Georgia Freeman in the field, we got an insider’s view of the event, from bagpipes at Barbour to Chiu Chow chilli oil necklaces. While Georgia pinballed between shows in every corner of the English capital, she captured everything worth remembering about the annual celebration.

Barbour

One of the most memorable parts of the weekend was Barbour’s Tartan Reimagined event. Based from South Shields, Barbour is a proud neighbour of ours and to showcase its new focus on tartan, it hired out the entire ground floor of the Saatchi Gallery. I was welcomed by an extremely loud bagpipe player which left Barbour’s Scottish roots ringing in my ears for a little while. This origin story was echoed in the tartan which has been part of the brand since it started 130 years ago. 

My favourite bits were the unique pieces created in collaboration with Aardman (the animation studio behind Shaun the Sheep and Wallace & Gromit) and the piece by ERDEM covered in eyelets. Combined with the fact that the mannequins were styled with a copy of the Observer’s Book of Horses & Ponies, the event felt perfectly balanced between heritage and the future.

Aaron Esh

On Friday night I headed to the Electric Ballroom in Camden. I haven’t been in there since I was 16… Aaron’s SS27 show is titled “Laws of Attraction” and it was one of the most fun shows of LFW. His ability to transform super-wearable pieces into something artistic and refreshingly creative was on full show, with stunning bold colours bringing the energy to match a soundtrack that had everyone ready to party. 

180 Strand 

Fashion weeks are a lot. Sometimes you need somewhere to chill and in London, that’s what 180 Strand exists for. The space acts as a central hub for activations and an incubator for young talent. This year, Lee Kum Kee was the official culinary partner, which of course means that I am completely hooked on Chiu Chow Chilli Oil and now the proud owner of a special beaded necklace with a new jar of the stuff attached to it.

TOGA

I’ve worked really closely with TOGA for a long time now, and it’s always a LFW highlight. This year, it felt like a special show, with incredible feathers and silver details running throughout. It presented a really fun look at formal dressing, transforming traditional silhouettes with details like huge V necks, massive ruffles, asymmetrical cuts, and mixed fabrics.

KNWLS

We headed south for the KNWLS show which took place in a school hall. Word is that founder Charlotte plays badminton here… Charlotte and Alex have been close partners with us for a while now, so I feel a strong personal connection to KNWLS, and I wasn’t disappointed. The collection was beautiful with some amazing colours styled in a state of messiness that made it all feel so real. A leather jacket with an exaggerated collar and a black lace cami stood out as my favourite pieces. As always, I can’t wait for this collection to arrive in our London and Milan stores.

Simone Rocha

Arriving at The Old Bailey is generally considered one of the worst starts to a Sunday morning possible. Luckily, I wasn’t here for a hearing, I was here to judge Simone Rocha’s SS27 collection. 

The fun started outside, with some of the best street style I’ve seen yet. It was beautiful to see people of all ages there, including a little girl and her mum looking amazing. It was a dream come true to attend this emotional show by your favourite romantic’s favourite romantic. The opening line of the show notes was “I’m trying to love you,” so that set the tone for a typically ethereal collection. I loved the bomber jackets styled with lace-trimmed flowy satin skirts and sharp pointy heels; they embodied the powerful femininity that defines Simone’s designs.

Octi

Octi is an experimental jewellery brand made in London by founder Oct Ransom. While jewellery is often displayed like standalone items to emphasise its beauty, Octi opted for a different tactic which worked so well. The brand’s incredible creations were presented as part of a sound and space experiment, surrounded by reflections of water, the crash of cymbals, and more.