Feminine hues, prints and textures get a sleek update at London Fashion Week

LONDON (AP) — The models have packed up, the temporary runways taken down. London Fashion Week on Tuesday wrapped up five hectic days of women’s wear shows, a whirlwind display of summery colors and textures from big name designers and newcomers alike.

London hosts a more eclectic collection of designers and labels than fashion weeks in New York, Milan and Paris, and the latest crop of spring and summer designs seen this week has been a big mish-mash: futuristic metallic leathers at Burberry, sweet ‘50s pastels at Temperley, ‘70s disco fever at Jonathan Saunders, and ‘90s minimalism at quite a few other shows.

Tuesday kicked off with ‘70s-inspired florals, wide-leg trousers and mannish suits at luxury label Mulberry, best-known for its leather handbags. The collection nodded to several of the season’s popular trends: sleek trouser suits, all-season leather, metallic jacquard, and head-to-toe ice-cream pastel shades.

Model-turned-designer Roksanda Ilincic followed with a collection of dresses with simple feminine shapes and minimal detailing, leaving her use of beautiful color combinations and luxury, glossy fabrics to do the talking.

Day five also saw collections by many younger and adventurous designers. Simone Rocha, the daughter of British fashion institution John Rocha, deftly combined schoolgirl innocence and tough attitude, while maverick duo Meadham Kirchoff sent the party home with a spectacularly whimsical show of Marie Antoinette fashion gone mad.

Mulberry

Luxury brand Mulberry has ditched most of the playfulness in its recent seasons, showcasing a spring collection that’s still quirky but definitely grown-up.

Mulberry’s show at London’s swanky Claridge’s hotel was decorated with dozens of garden gnomes and fake geckos crawling on rose bushes — a typically wacky atmosphere of pretty English garden meets exotic creatures.

But appearances were deceptive, and the clothes themselves were more sophisticated than the setting suggested.

Creative director Emma Hill sent models down the catwalk in oversized leather biker jackets and mannish tuxedos in navy, black and white. The 1970s-inspired collection had floral embroidery, floor-length skirts, flower buttons and high-waisted wide legs, updated with metallic jacquard printed with mini-flowers and geckos.

Leather separates and trouser suits balanced flirty pleated skirts. There were muted brown ensembles along with head-to-toe sweet pastels in mint and peach — including pastel-colored shoes and handbags, the brand’s bestselling item.

Burberry

Luxury British label Burberry dazzled a star-studded crowd with colourful metalics, corsets and capes at the most anticipated show of London Fashion Week –– despite a gloomy profit warning.

Set in Kensington Gardens, the huge greenhouse-like tent which housed the show led by Christopher Bailey was plunged into darkness.

A backdrop showed Burberry’s new flagship store lit up against silhouettes of iconic London buildings and monuments –– Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral and Nelson’s Column.

Models rolled out Burberry’s latest spring-summer collection on Monday under the expectant gaze of burlesque style icon Dita von Teese, American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, tennis star Andy Murray and actor Dev Patel.

First up is a long white cloak. Next, tailored jackets worn over swimsuits in pleated satin, followed by dresses and tops with fitted corsets.

A cropped cape covering the shoulders often completes the look, setting off a feather dress in midnight blue or purple hotpants.  

Burberry’s colour palette for the season ranges from dusky pinks and flesh colours, suggestive of lingerie, to green lace dresses and trench coats in red and fuschia.

The clothes take on an increasingly aluminium hue, until a grand finale of rainbow-coloured metallic raincoats.

“It was an explosion of colour, it was really surprising,” enthused British fashion editor Hilary Alexander who said she was “electrified” by the show.

Peter Pilotto

Day four of London Fashion Week also featured a show by duo Peter Pilotto, who remained faithful to their creed of colorful, computer-generated prints.

On a podium covered in geometric patterns, under a neon light, black silhouettes exploded into a vibrant spectrum of cobalt blue, scarlet red, and fluorescent yellow.

And just as colors were splashed together, so too were materials: netting juxtaposed with silk, sometimes covered with beading or mirror fragments. 

Some designs evoked the Op-art of French Hungarian Victor Vasarely, others took on an African theme.

Roksanda Ilincic

Taking her inspiration from artists, Roksanda Ilincic’s catwalk show had plenty of ensembles for the woman who wants to look stylish without trying too hard. Simple, streamlined shapes like tailored shifts and breezy A-line dresses came in high-impact color combinations that really popped: Tangerine with cobalt, mango, dirty pink or white.

Sometimes all the colors came together on one dress, like a modern abstract painting.

Models cradled oversized satin clutch bags and wore patent courts with multi-colored block heels.

The show, staged in the Savoy Hotel’s glamorous ballroom, ended with a series of ensembles made in a glossy, laminated organza that added a sporty edge to the elegant designs.

Ilincic, who counts U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and Britain’s Kate Middleton among fans of her sleek style, said her designs were inspired by artists Niki de Saint Phalle and Joself Albers.

Her show had many of her popular signature elements: Beautiful colors, high-waisted silhouettes, feminine bell sleeves and modest mid-calf or ankle-grazing hemlines.

But this season the designer said she wanted to shake up the elegance with casual wear - like taking an evening dress shape and making it out of T-shirt or jersey materials.

“It gives an element of fun, something unexpected,” she said.

Simone Rocha

Budding talent Simone Rocha has her designer dad’s giant shoes to fill, but she seems to be taking it all in her stride.

The 26-year-old showcased her latest spring collection at London Fashion Week Tuesday, a collection of all-white outfits, sheer cut-out panels, neons and leather that mixed schoolgirl innocence with cool attitude.

The collection started with dazzling white button-up shirts and boyish shapes in Broderie Anglaise, but the prim look was soon undercut by thigh-revealing, irregular shaped sheer panels on the front or back of skirts.

High-collared, neat shapes in muted shades of butter and toffee followed, but soon things were shaken up with a pale sundress overlaid with a high-shine neon yellow PVC plastic, all-over metallic gold foil vests and skirts, and floral-crocheted skirts and oversized jackets in fluorescent yellow and neon coral.

Models wore mannish brogues with clear plastic soles and heels, a design that has been worn by celebrities including Rihanna and proved to be Rocha’s best-selling product.

Rocha debuted at London Fashion Week in 2010, after graduating from famed art and design college Central St. Martins.