The 5 London Fashion Week trends you need to know

London Fashion Week is always a time to celebrate the brilliant creativity of the British fashion industry. Our homegrown talents take the spotlight as buyers, editors and influencers flock from all over the world to see the designs from Britain's best and brightest. 

London Fashion Week is known for its unique brand of creativity—which often champions distinctive, avant-garde looks—but that does not mean that you can't find a few trends (opens in new tab) that permeate even the most individual designers. 

Team Marie Claire was out in full force this weekend, riding around the city in a DS 9 hybrid car to attend the shows and be able to bring you a first look at the top trends. Between Dilara Fındıkoğlu's dramatic display set inside an old church and David Koma's runway on the top floor of a London skyscraper, the last few days were certainly packed with memorable moments. There was even a performance by Alicia Keys to boot. (We have Moncler to thank for that one!) 

From bows to hip details and all things red, keep scrolling for 5 of the most popular trends we saw on the Autumn/Winter 2023 runways at London Fashion Week. 

Take a Bow

For this Spring/Summer 2023 season (opens in new tab) we saw heart shapes take centre stage, yet in Autumn/Winter it seems this motif is set to be replaced by a bouquet of bows. From Simone Rocha to Yuhan Wang, Susan Fang and more, bows were the feminine touch of choice for many designers this season. Simone Rocha lent into this theme quite heavily, sending models down the runway with bows in their hair and across their faces. 

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Seeing Red

Every attendee was seeing red this fashion week, but rest assured it had nothing to do with our tempers. David Koma lined a room in red carpet for his show, while Nensi Dojaka cast her show space in a striking red light. The colour was prominent on the runway too, with brands including Bora Aksu, Eudon Choi and more showcasing head-to-toe red looks. 

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Joined At The Hip

At New York Fashion Week (opens in new tab) we witnessed the return of the peplum top, but London seems to have taken the hip focus one step further. Designers added volume at the waist to create unique silhouettes this show season. At 16Arlington and JW Anderson, this came in the form of feathers, while Christopher Kane added bustles at the hip which were said to have been inspired by intestines.  

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Fall in A-Line

After seasons of sleek silhouettes, it seems A-line shapes are back for 2023. Full skirts were present on the runway this fashion week, reminiscent of the looks prominent in the 1950s. Pleated looks were seen at Eudon Choi and Emilia Wickstead, while Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha and Erdem opted for embellished A-line iterations.  

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Animal Instinct

Pigs, ducks, chickens (and even rats), the London Fashion Week runways were filled with animal inspiration this year. Christopher Kane displayed AI-generated prints featuring farm yard animals, while Daniel Lee offered duck-printed shirts and skirts. At JW Anderson, heeled shoes were made to look like cat paws. This acted as an extension of the designer's last menswear collection, in which he designed shoes and bags which resembled frogs. 

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