On Friday 15 September, after attending the BFC breakfast ,the Drapers team headed out for the first official day of London Fashion Week spring/summer 2024.
Read the show highlights from day one below and follow our social channels for live coverage throughout the week.
Paul Costelloe
Irish designer Paul Costelloe was the first on-schedule show for London Fashion Week SS24. Set in the greenhouse-esque Royal Horticultural Halls near Victoria station, both the location and tennis inspired collection were a perfect fit for the morning’s late summer sun. Models carried rackets down the runway, with cream knitted jumpers knotted loosely around their shoulders. Blue and white stripes also featured heavily in the collection, on sleeveless shirts, cropped jackets and loose blazers. The painted floral landscape backdrop, accompanied by a dainty soundtrack, lace dresses and oversized hair bows, all felt rather high society.
Edward Crutchley
The gothic aesthetic of St Cyprian’s Church in Marylebone was the perfect backdrop for Edward Crutchley’s moody SS24 show. Described by the show notes as a “medieval playground fight” the garments were entirely monochrome, aside from sheer latex pieces produced in collaboration with Oliver Haus. Harlequin diamonds, block stripes, and the label’s wheel-shaped logo featured heavily across ruffled dresses, pleated trousers and knitwear pieces alike. The unisex collection also showcased outerwear in the form of sharp blazers and puffer jackets. Photographic prints of masculine torsos appeared across several different silhouettes, playing tricks on the eye. Accessories included micro-sunglasses, velvet choker necklaces and chunky black trainers. The collection reminded Drapers of nineties film The Craft meets Wednesday Addams.
Di Petsa
Entitled “Reflections of Venus”, Greek designer Dimitra Petsa kicked off her namesake label’s show at the NewGen catwalk space at The Old Selfridges Hotel with a chorus of dancers clad in her signature white wet-look dresses. Reaching a dramatic climax in the centre of the space, one topless model was thrust into the air by her cohorts before the lights dropped. She then reemerged, draped in a floor length gold gown, reborn as Venus herself. This metallic gold featured throughout subsequent looks; as a slashed mini dress, a cut-out swimsuit and wrap-around strappy heels. Models carried dried flowers, mirrors and even a clay pot down the runway. Lace-up bodices, trousers and dresses appear in black and white satin, and once the cast have done their finale walk, Petsa herself took a full lap of the runway.
Stefan Cooke
Stefan Cooke opened the 30th anniversary of the BFC’s Newgen presentations. The label showcased a collection of feminine-inspired menswear in delicate, pastel check patterns on longline kilts and ponchos, drop-waist raincoats and surrealist foam blouses cinched at the waist with belts – all accessorised with 27 refurbished vintage bags from Mulberry. From colourful tassels to leather bows, bags from the capsule collaboration between the two quintessentially British brands include the Roxanne, the Lily and one of Mulberry’s most popular models: the Bayswater, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Ahluwalia
Drapers 30 under 30 alumni Priya Ahluwalia was one of the more notable shows on the first day of the SS24 schedule (main image above). Staged in the grand lobby of The British Library, model and activist Adwoa Aboah opened the show in a crimson floral satin top and mini skirt combination, paired with leather elbow length gloves and knee-high boots. Florals also featured on a men’s vest and shorts co-ord in bright green, pink and purple. This then shifted to a blue colour palette, where we saw the designer’s well-known waved stitched denim on mini dresses, trousers and cropped zip through jackets. The finale saw a raucous of colour, prints and patterns stomp the stairwells with strong accessories – including belts with giant A buckles, cowboy boots and square framed sunglasses.
Bora Aksu
Returning to Bloomsbury’s Goodenough College for the second time, Bora Aksu’s SS24 collection took inspiration from his grandmother’s crocheting skills, paying homage to his native Turkey through references to Istanbul’s Ottoman architecture and traditional Turkish head pieces. These were combined with Aksu’s signature dramatic romanticism, including opulent amounts of chiffon, frills, floral motifs and puffy sleeves.
Mark Fast
London-based Canadian designer Mark Fast brought out his signature knitwear in neon hues – including Barbie pink, acid lime and blood orange – juxtaposed with pastel looks, including baby blue and soft lilac. Taking inspiration from day-to-night looks and desert landscapes, Fast’s SS24 collection combined 1980’s-90’s rave culture’s cutout and fishnet jumpsuits with modern-day music festival looks, including fringed cowboy boots and scarf tops.
Natasha Zinko
London-based, Ukrainian-born designer Natasha Zinko took attendees camping in Central London’s Soho Square. Combining a child-like nostalgia for carefree camping trips with the dystopian reality of confronting the overwhelming power of nature amid climate change, Zinko pushed functionality to the front of her SS24 collection: cargo trousers with excess pockets for hand-free storage, waterproof ponchos and all-camo looks, including gowns and athleisure alike.
Chopova Lowena
Closing the first day of London Fashion Week in West London were design duo Chopova Lowena, helmed by designers Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons. They showed a collection entitled “Girl’s Tear, Girls Tear” in a cavernous skate park. Fusing their Bulgarian background with memories of falling for English skater boys, the soundtrack was composed of 1990s grunge music, which their upcycled fabric kilts swished along to vigorously.
Emblazoned bomber jackets were worn with hooded cartoon sweatshirts underneath, but unlike local teenagers, were accented by the label’s debut handbags and footwear. Large leather shoulder bags were often carried by models two at a time, in both cherry red and black, with the shoe notes stating they were produced in Italy. Ugg collaborated on footwear, where short black boots were embedded with silver spikes. Towards the end of the show were multiple white looks, across puffy blouses, pleated skirts and voluminous dresses, all echoing the brand’s recent capsule bridal collection for etailer SSENSE.
