In the blink of an eye, another London Fashion Week chapter has come to a close but, my, what a season it was! Fashion types converged on the city, soaking in five days of captivating shows, and even London's notoriously changeable weather (one day temperatures edged towards 30 degrees celsius, the next it poured) couldn't falter our enthusiasm. Team Who What Wear assembled, attending as many shows as humanly possible and, on more than one instance, fleeing from our traffic-imprisoned cars and sprinting in heels (heels!) to make our next show.
Now that we've had a chance to compare our notes and discuss the incredible runway spectacles we witnessed, we've whittled down over a hundred shows, presentations, and events to bring you a concise edit of the spring/summer 2024 fashion trends that really mattered at London Fashion Week, of which there are eleven. How's that for a bitesize edit?
Of course, there will be more to feast your eyes on when it comes to compiling the S/S 24 version of our bumper trend report that covers looks from all four major fashion cities (which is coming your way very soon—watch this space!) but, for now, acquaint yourself with the are the leading London Fashion Week trends to know for spring/summer 2024. Scroll on!
1. FLAME THROWER
Style Notes: Picking up where A/W 23 will leave off, mark our words—red is going nowhere for spring/summer 2024. My favourite use of the colour was undoubtedly Tove's maxi complete with black ruffle trim.
Style Notes: Red sequins aren't something you see every day, which made this Huishan Zhang look all the more unique.
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2. RETURN OF THE VEST
Style Notes: Worn with jeans—an unexpected palette cleanser in David Koma's otherwise glamorous collection—or skirts, if your outfit includes a vest, it’s going to be on point. Apply this logic to your looks now, and continue right until next summer.
Style Notes: Use this basic to give fanciful pieces, such as a sequin midi, a more relaxed finish. I'm making a mental note of this for the upcoming party season.
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3. SUMMER CARDIS
Style Notes: The spring/summer 2024 collections acknowledge the fact that here, in Britain, knitwear is a year-round staple, but one that should be no less fabulous than the rest of the items you wear. Erdem's embroidered cardigans were some of the most beautiful pieces we saw.
Style Notes: Susan Fang styled her tulle pieces with delicate crochet cardigans in pastel hues, making for a gorgeous texture pairing and palette.
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4. TIED UP
Style Notes: From dresses to coats to shoes, the prettiest runway looks came with bows as standard. Not every interpretation was saccharine either; Simone Rocha used them to add undeniable charm to all-black outfits.
Style Notes: The shoes, the shoes! Erdem's floppy bow slingbacks might not be all that practical, but they will bring you joy.
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5. YOU DROPPED SOMETHING
Style Notes: Dropped waistlines decorated both dresses and JW Anderson’s soon-to-be cult trench coat this season, so you know it's only a matter of time before the trend infiltrates the rest of the market.
Style Notes: Featuring chic gathers and a dropped waistline, all wrapped up in a powder-pink hue, I can see this Eudon Choi dress being mighty popular next wedding season.
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6. ALL THE UNDERPINNINGS
Style Notes: From slips to bras to bloomers, what ordinarily lies beneath comes to the fore on the catwalks this season, with brands such as Supriya Lele embracing sheer layering to further enhance the look.
Style Notes: The trend takes a twee turn with the addition of knee socks, French knickers and a matching cropped blouse at Paolo Carzana.
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7. BURSTS OF VOLUME
Style Notes: Turns out, spring/summer 2024 is set to be the season of the bustle; a detail I spotted on 16Arlington's most gasp-inducing dress.
Style Notes: Volume at the hips was also showcased at Molly Goddard but, as the below shopping edit shows, there are plenty of ways in which you can get your fix (would you look at those Ganni sleeves).
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8. PURPLE REIGN
Style Notes: A new recruit to next season’s palette, things took a delicate turn with lavender and lilac tones, which were most commonly seen in dress form. Here's looking at you, Molly Goddard.
Style Notes: Although purple was largely seen in pastel form, make no mistake—it can still bring the drama.
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9. SKATE PARK REGULARS
Style Notes: Let the anarchy ensue with chains, baggy trousers, skater dresses and stomping shoes. Chopova Lowena's show didn't merely tap into the skater mood; it was held in an East London skate park, while metal music rang out past its 10pm noise curfew.
Style Notes: Natasha Zinko's grunge camp also highlighted a similar aesthetic, where models adorned with backpacks, sweatbands and padded clothes dashed around a lengthy catwalk circuit (one where a skateboard would have come in very handy).
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10. WHITE OUT
Style Notes: Stock up on the Vanish now—white cotton is going to be the fabric of S/S 24. Okay, it might not feel like the newest trend going but, worn top-to-toe, there's no denying that it looks incredibly fresh and elevated.
Style Notes: The way to make this trend more directional is by way of silhouette. Look for dresses with talking-point details (yes, that's another example of a drop waist on the runway). That, or look to different fabrications that add interest, such as Eudon Choi's broderie above.
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11. CLUB CULTURE
Style Notes: Clothes that were made with raving in mind proved to be a common catwalk theme, though none quite got it quite as right as Chet Lo.
Style Notes: Cue lace-up details, smatterings of studs and mesh fabrications. Another quick way to achieve the club-kid aesthetic is by clashing your colours. See below.
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Next Up: The Autumn/Winter 2023 Fashion Trends That Really Matter
