There was a certain intimacy to the crowds outside the shows at London Fashion Week, which turned 40 this month. Aside from conjuring feelings of togetherness and pride, that milestone underscored how the approach to style in London — off and on runways — is different than in New York, Paris or Milan.
That approach can sometimes be written off as too funky or too laissez-faire, resulting in a perception that London Fashion Week attracts “not serious people” (to quote Logan Roy from “Succession”). But the event’s loudest critics seem to be those who complain about how, in other fashion capitals, they just see versions of the same thing.
It is true that London’s fashion scene is smaller, quieter and weirder than others. That hasn’t stopped the city from becoming an incubator of nascent fads — or from becoming a place where disparate trends are amalgamated in ways that create entirely new dress codes.
Smoky eyes that a supervillain might kill for.
A gust of wind brought this relaxed suiting to life.CreditCredit…Recorded on Google Pixel
The cardigan and chunky shoes took these pinstripes to a more casual place.
The clothes, tattooed arms and silver nails struck a balance between masculine and feminine.CreditCredit…Recorded on Google Pixel
When a show ends, the runway moves to the venue’s exit.
Destroyed denim was a smart choice for showing off the boots.
A mix of colors and textures that was easy to stare at.
Spotting jeans like these is a perk of constantly prowling the streets.
Simple layers brought the laced-all-the-way-up denim down to earth.
If you’re willing to have fun, fashion offers endless possibilities, like wearing an animal print with not one, but two checker prints.
The varsity jacket worn over a chiffon dress evoked both star quarterback and prom queen.CreditCredit…Recorded on Google Pixel
Intermittent pops of red invigorated this mixture of black and pink.
That dress was the kind that allows you to be fashionably late.
That sweater was the kind that could double as a blanket.
A solid example of how to combine plaids.
Susanna Lau, a fashion writer, tempered the heaviness of her patchwork coat with a dress that floated in the air.
Reds and pinks strike again — this time with a space-commanding silvery coat.
The cardigan’s ruffled shoulders echoed the trim of the skirt.
A column silhouette with many layers.
Maximal grooming was a good foil for the minimalist attire.
Traditional suiting subverted by a double waistline and an open midsection.CreditCredit…Recorded on Google Pixel
Eyes that sparkled even from behind the tinted shades.
This easy outfit was splendor near the grass.
Leaving a show, or going to a ball?
Speaking of balls: Disney princesses could take a cue from this mash-up of a shrunken yellow gown, big eyeglasses and hair twists.
At the back of this simple-looking dress was a giant yellow flower.
A frock full of contradictions (short and long, modest and revealing, cheerful and dark).
An attitude that was as loose as the shirt’s untied strings.CreditCredit…Recorded on Google Pixel
A couple of handsome coats and a cute little dog, too.
