Fashion Stories a Story to Tell: London Fashion Week 2017 Round-Up

I love London Fashion Week, I always miss its charm of the beautiful and unexpected, this season there were no disappointments even with its smaller designer rooms. We saw a mix of luxury, individuality meeting quirky urban designer, which I love. As there are many capsules collection for every female and non binary persons wardrobe, which delighted me.

As I strolled down the walk way one of my favourite quirky accessories and clothing brands; BPB  once again attracted me to their accessories. With their funky clutch bags with perfectly coloured perspex motifs, who reflect your mood and fashion taste for that day or evening. Then this season we were treated to a new collection of business cards that are so much fun, they could easily include a lipstick if you dare.

Quirky BPB clutch bags 

Quirky BPB business card cases

At LFW Make up at Maybelline is always favourite of mine. This season canvassing; the face contour, was their main story. So inspiring, which man or woman doesn't want to have a complete flawless look ?

Maybelline at LFW          

I then spotted the gorgeous custom biker jacket range by Laurie Lee Leather with additional thoughtfully designed leather trousers. As part of the collection; this logo stood out for me 'Bury me in This,' a very die hard rock chick statement, love it. Leather jackets have always bring out the rock chick and a little naughtiness in all women - they are always a pleasure for me for me to wear. So seeing cheeky slogan leather jackets made to your requirement made my motor run, easily..

Laurie Lee. Gorgeous leather jacket and trouser with rock and roll logos.

The trend of living on the urban prairie is definitely a theme to watch this year. As re- defined in Teija and Burberry this season, executed it well with fresh white and traditional pattern shirt fabric. Inspiring us to want to live a simpler urban life, then you remember live a little, which then takes you to the decision. Why not layer pieces together for greater longevity and wearability.
Its quite special that both Teija and Burberry have spared similar themes and influences this season. With one difference Teija was inspired from Nordic and Finnish minimalism. Were this season Burberry was influenced by Henry Moore and both brands used traditional European and Japanese natural fabrics. 

Teija

I am a little bit handbag obsessive .. and I am not apologising for it either; cause they are perfect little or large creations of wonder; and L'Afshar is no exception to the rule. With a hint of a celebrity following, this has began a new audience and awareness for the brand for this season; attracting the handbag conscious. I am glad I spotted these designs months ago before the online and magazine frenzy. Beautifully resin and acrylic bags with elements of gold plating inside, each one is a little work of art, very exciting.

L'Afshar Lilian M Afshar resin & acrylic clutch bags

The words 'Clint Eastwood' is anomalous with the film industry and 'everyday mens' fashion in the 1970s and 1980s; an iconic mix of the film genres of the spaghetti westerns and crime film dramas. 
Laura Apsit used the spaghetti western genre and with thoses scenes of gun slinging, to its full  element. Even naming this creation the same name as the man himself; a traditional Stretson Revenger hat with a white emission and chrome cracked paint finish on a felt base, very clever and witty. I can so see the 'Clint Eastwood' hat dressed with a pair of skinny jeans and a 1980s styled t-shirt .. a urban western look was made for this hat.

Laura Apsit Livens white Clint Eastwood hat. AW17 Semi construct. Painted emission and Chrome cracked paint on felt.

My love for accessories was undeniable as little child, I would prize my plastic white heart earrings and as a toddler I would not leave the house without my multicoloured wooden bead necklace. So seeing beautiful head-laces and shoes make my eyes twinkle, so in this blog you will see a few beauties of persuasion. 
So.. here we go.. Korean fashion and accessories designer Moon Lee created such a range of beautiful head-laces, that are very feminine yet goth glam, with a level of couture about them, which love. I then can imagine images of a lady wearing dark smoky eye makeup and a black silk shift dress. These head-laces are just elegant and a definitive fashion statement pieces.

Moon Lee Korean Designer Head Laces

As I moved towards the shoes part of the designer rooms, I did spied the Luke Grant Muller brogue love affair. A very dreamy capsule of shiny coloured brogues for all occasions, with a clear focus on disco sparkle shades, which makes these brogues scream; 'I am fun and futuristic.' They are very classically executed with a unisex element, even though this trend has always been a quintessentially of British male attire. But with fashion everything can be interpreted formally into a non binary fashion, making this range of shoes have a universal appeal to both men and women.

Luke Grant Muller brogue style unisex shoes. For all occasions

At the designer rooms I do zig zig my visit as a my train of thought gets rewarded with child like desire for fashion and all it reference points. Yes its a Narnia-like experience of discovery for me. 

The themes of feminism have been explored passionately this season, with messages of activism on t-shirts. With this element of the spoken statement; designer Clio Peppiatt themes of 1970s motorsport and female prominence delivers a roaring feminism statement across a t-shirt saying, 'Fast Women' and also a offering of a beautiful baseball jacket with delicate colours, that could easily be worn in the evening because of its soft fabric; very clever. 

Clio Peppiatt Fast Women T-Shirt

Clio Peppiatt Baseball Jacket

Then I spun into designer Yvailo ecological designed brand. The coats in his 'Nymph collection' made me dream; which is essential to fashion. Elements of blue and frosted shades of colour with themes of water nymphs and their dwellings of all forms of water, were fabulous.

Yvailo: A water nymph Story

My next zig zig visit in fashion land, was were I meet the accessories designer range Kitayama who's were inspired by the most recognisable parts of the anatomy of a rabbit; its floppy ears and soft fur. This very avant garde designed drawstring handbag; made out of lambs leather to symbolise the rabbit's ears and animal fur to represent its coat. This realistic depiction; is a major taboo subject to some in fashion, especially because of the animal welfare, even with this negative symbolism the thought of creating a beautiful tactile bag was inspired, because of its witty nature, which I found very sweet and delightful.

Kitayama drawstring bags made of lambs leather and fur

Between my adventures of clothes and accessories at LFW, this season themes of the causal glamour, ecological realms of nature and 'celebration' continued to appeal. Unwittingly one of these themes 'celebration' drew me into A Andreassen collection of backless loafers because of the perfect colour tone of leather chosen and the intricate design on the front of the shoe. As I spoke to the designer she treated me to the tale of its inspiration, the heart shape decoration on the front of the shoe is from is inspired from the Scandinavian Christmas tradition. This range's minimal design looked comfortable, fashionable and adaptable to an avant grade and witty person's wardrobe. 

A. Andreassen Scandinavian accessories brand. With pocket inspired by Christmas tree decorations

After my strolls through clothing, hats , shoes and hair accessories I drifted into the beautiful Michelle Lowe Holder 's ecological accessories range . Her collection called 'Elemental' was made from recycled plastic, wood and cork. These future incarnations of ecological fashion were amazing and beautiful. Their appearance is undistinguishable from their past lives, polished and treated in such a way they look like semi-precious stones and luxurious fabric. Ecological fashion has changed and has a very attractive face now.

Michelle Lowe-Holder beautiful ecological accessories collection. Made from recycled plastic, wood and cork.

One more visit to the designer clothing showrooms this time with my the Quirky gentleman Michael; I spotted a crocheted top by Sabinna inspired by flowers, but to me I felt this interpretation was more a coral theme because it's texture was more alive and permanent then the fragile life of a flower. It had a more power and strong appearance, that was more prehistoric, which I loved, as it looked so tactile; I so inspired by it.

Sabinna: Earth elements of crocheted flowers

Then my last find of the day was a creation from a designer from both Hong Kong and the U.K named Jamie Wei Huang .Who designed an anthemic dress, that was like a story from a period of two revolutions combined, one of French and the other of oriental origin. Its gathered layering of fabric and French Revolution colours, triggered ideas of passion and liberty in my thoughts. Images of a woman wearing such a dress would be a contemporary political statement for a strong women.

Jamie Wei Huang diversely cultured dress 

London Fashion Week is always a pleasure. Thank you designers and the British Fashion Council.


Words by Olga Chee-a-tow
Photography by Olga Chee-a-tow