London Fashion Week AW23: Highlights and best moments

London Fashion Week AW23 is already over, and what a week full of highlights and surprises this was. Besides being the first London Fashion Week without the beloved Dame Vivienne Westwood (R.I.P.), there was the first collection by Daniel Lee for Burberry. So, here are the highlights of the most amazing AW 23-24 fashion shows of this week in London.

Burberry

All eyes were eagerly awaiting the debut collection of Daniel Lee, the new creative director at Burberry. The AW 2023-2024 collection focuses on the signature Burberry check with a fresh new take. The heritage check print is seen in unique colour combinations like purple and mustard, blue and red, creating a modern graphic look from head to toe. Daniel Lee, who was once Phoebe Philo’s right-hand man at Celine and later energized Bottega Veneta, reflects on his new project at Burberry, saying “I think the brand is about functionality.” Thus, the looks for Burberry AW 23-24 are designed for everyday wear, even on chilly days, as we see models on the runway holding hot water bottles covered in Burberry check. I want one!

Simone Rocha

Irish designer Simone Rocha is one of the best at translating the idea of seasonless and timeless collections. Her eponymous fashion label continues on a well-defined path with romantic yet rebellious looks. Lace, organza, and leather remain her classic materials. However, for the AW 23-24 season, Simone Rocha’s silhouettes are more elongated with less volume. We love the mother-of-pearl knitted shoulder detailing on both the men’s and women’s looks.

Emilia Wickstead

One of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales favourite designers, Emilia Wickstead, found inspiration for her AW 23-24 looks from Twin Peaks, David Lynch’s ’90s TV series. According to the designer, “I became transfixed by the characters and their wardrobe. It’s really a homage to that wonderful cast, like Josie Packard, phenomenally chic and elegant in louche, relaxed tailoring; schoolgirl Audrey Horne, who wears fitted sweaters and plaid miniskirts but who also has this 1950s seductive element to her, with her satin lingerie-esque evening wear, and even Agent Cooper too, with those masculine overcoats he wore. I was thinking about this very modern young teenage muse, which felt quite different for us.”

Erdem

Erdem Moralioglu didn’t have to go very far to find inspiration for his AW 23-24 collection. The English fashion designer recently moved into a Victorian-era house, a “home of hope,” a refuge for fallen and “friendless” women. The evening wear in this collection bears Erdem’s signature with brocade, lace, and taffeta dresses. Although the colours are predominantly dark with plenty of blacks, some looks in yellow, green, and lilac prove that there is hope in the world.

Richard Quinn

In Richard Quinn’s own words, his AW 23-24 collection is “something really ethereal. We’ve been looking at how we can elevate what we do. We’ve looked back at Chanel and Dior in the ’80s and ’90s—and they had that sense of poise and grace.” He added, “because especially now, I just wanted people to feel a sort of overwhelming love-reaction to the clothes.” Richard Quinn presented a bouquet of autumnal flowers with ridiculously beautiful looks.