Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood looks to the past as inspiration for her SS22 ready-to-wear collection. Way back in the spring of 1998, the veteran British designer showed her Tied to the Mast collection exploring the fantasy of pirates and sailors. Many years on, the designer has chosen a similar source of inspiration but has adopted a softer, cheekier aesthetic. Through laser printed denim, sweater vests and asymmetric cotton sweatpants with bold nautical stripe motifs, the 1998 collection is reimagined and revived. Also of note: figure-hugging dresses and corsets aplenty – all classic Westwood. Based on a passionately committed zero-waste studio mantra, this collection is likely to appeal to those who share her conviction that sustainable fashion is the only way.

Words by Luis Skitini 

Charlotte Knowles

Through a hazy cloud of smoke and dust, the KNWLS woman emerges. For the SS22 collection, titled Adrenaline, Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault turn to the glamourised thrill of an open-road lifestyle. With sun-baked earthy tones, leather jackets and low-rise trousers are marked with the scuffs and scratches of high-speed escapades. Strappy corset-style pieces and front-lacing tops are paired with extra-long trousers. They’re styled with dipped-down cowgirl hats and trails of dazzling stones and beads that spill from bangles and oversized hoop earrings. The collection captures a liberated but rebellious vision of femininity. When it comes to fight-or-flight, the KNWLS woman is ready.

Words by Eoghan Flynn

Nensi Dojaka

Nensi Dojaka’s debut LFW presentation has arrived, proving why the designer is an emerging name to watch. For her eponymous label, the 2021 LVMH prize winner combined figure-skimming silhouettes, statement hosiery and her signature sheer fabrics to curate a collection for a resolutely modern-day woman. The collection showcases a series of the brand’s recognisable trademarks – cut-out shapes and lingerie-focused details are both a solid feature of Dojaka’s DNA. But this season also welcomes sleeker tailoring, 1960s’ inspired flower motifs and a colour palette as blush pink and tawny brown that deviates from her previously shadowy tones. Nightgowns as evening dresses and midriff-baring bodysuits? Take our money now.

Words by Bethanie Ryder 

Yuhan Wang

It’s challenging to imagine a world where green tights are deemed a fashion must-have. Yuhan Wang, however, pulls it off. The eponymous Chinese designer’s SS22 collection offers a plethora of lacy emerald green stockings, a stark contrast to the stony interiors of the Old Selfridges Hotel’s basement. The soft and delicate femininity of Wang’s delicate silk and lace drapings are matched with a tough and determined vigour reflected in thick black belting and corsetry. “The collection is about women’s power, mentally as well,” Wang says. “We are stronger-minded than many men.”

Words by Grace Sowerby 

Labrum London

Labrum is a Latin phrase for ‘having an edge’, and Labrum London did that at the Old Selfridges Hotel this season. The contemporary menswear label debuted a 16-piece collection titled The Sound of Movement, which subtly fused African and western cultural influences. Set to the upbeat tones of Mandé-Jazz group Balimaya Project, the collection features a vibrant array of tailored aubergine trousers, fern green suits and monochrome pinstripes topped with tightly wrapped headpieces. The show explored the colourful narratives of African diaspora against a backdrop of pulsing highlife sounds – warranting a standing ovation from the crowd.

Words by Tania Leslau 

SS Daley

Through the traditional garb of private school uniforms, Liverpudlian and Westminster fashion graduate Steven Stokey-Daley picks at the seams of societal systemic class issues in his debut show. The performance of struggle within the structure of power and class was unravelled by ten students of the National Youth Theatre at the Old Selfridges Hotel, in partnership with the British Fashion Council’s NewGen showcase and TikTok. The thought-provoking performance was enhanced by frilly collars, chunky knits, deadstock fabrics and a cornucopia of fruits and florals woven into school-inspired boater hats.

Words by Isobel Atkinson

Toga

After a year of dressing for comfort, it appears that the theme for next summer is a fresh and effortless take on tailoring, according to cult brand Toga’s SS22 collection. From relaxed suit trousers to sleek knitwear elevated with sophisticated craftmanship, the brand’s signature versatile pieces were treats for the eye. Borderless, genderless and organic, this collection allows for individual expression. With sleeves and capes billowing in the wind grounded by precise tailoring, Yasuko Furuta welcomes us to a new world order with a balancing act that encompasses restriction, freedom and comfort.

Words by Vanessa Ohaha

Simone Rocha

Tulle, lace, puff sleeves and biker boots – it must mean Simone Rocha’s back. This season sees her colour palette sway from the darker roots of her previous AW collection and transition to floral, sweet, and pretty, with hues of baby pinks, lilacs, and pure whites. Rocha stays true to her Gothic elements with pops of blood red, patent leather and oversized biker jackets. The models glided through her now favourite church setting covered in all the trimmings – gemmed socks, tiaras, ribbons and even diamante teeth necklaces to represent the transitions throughout womanhood. School girls never looked so saintly.

Words by Rosie Davenport 

Future Archives

Through the doors of the Future Archive showroom on Shoreditch’s Bath Street, we entered a curated space bursting with colour, craftsmanship and contrast. Zippy knits with coral reef sleeves and embellished with enamel detailing complemented shimmering corsets in acid tones, built from industrial metal and soft silk. Hand-embroidered Du-rags and garments were decorated with sequins made from Coca Cola cans. Another highlight: court shoes cloaked in green and purple checkered mohair. This collective of talents was launched by nine Central Saint Martins graduates including Lynn La Yuang, Isabella Smith, Angelica Ellis and Oscar Ouyang. Their goal? To preserve their own narratives and carve out their own paths.

Words by Rose Dodd