9 things you missed from London Fashion Week

There were many surprises on and off the catwalks.

London Fashion Week tells the story of London’s rich creativity and culture. (Jordan Pettit/PA)

The world of luxury fashion knew no bounds during London Fashion Week.

Traditionally, it’s a great time to spotlight some of the most prominent and upcoming designers, and for this season, it was no different.

Here’s what you might have missed…

Burberry paid tribute to Amy Winehouse

During the 2024 autumn/winter Burberry show, the heritage brand paid tribute to the late Amy Winehouse.

To close the event, Back to Black by the singer-songwriter, who died in 2011, blasted through speakers as legacy models Naomi Campbell, Karen Elson and Mancunian Agyness Deyn, walked down the runway for the last time.

The show took place inside a huge marquee at Victoria Park and marks the third collection from the heritage brand’s creative director Lee Daniels, since he took over from his predecessor Riccardo Tisci in September 2022.

Other stars across sports, fashion and entertainment were also in attendance, including Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, British screen star Olivia Colman and British-Nigerian rapper Skepta.

Zendaya wore a new 16Arlington dress

Whilst promoting her latest film Dune: Part Two, as LFW kicked off, Zendaya wore a dress straight from the latest 16Arlington autumn/winter collection called ‘I’m Not Sorry, It’s Human Nature’.

Styled by long term stylist Law Roach, the dress was a strapless maxi gown that featured fringed beaded tassels and large sequins. She wore it with her hair pulled back into a bun.

The 16Arlington show took place at the Barbican Centre, which was transformed and draped in black cloth that mirrored the gothic chic aesthetic of the show. Models emerged wearing a racer neck silver tassel dress, super long black tailored coat and a hot pink jumper with a dog motif, inspired by curator Charlie Fox’s book, The Young Monster.

It’s what made the 30-year-old London-born Marco Capaldo – the man behind the brand – think more deeply about what it means to be a freak, monstrosity, and the human psyche. He wanted to encourage people to express rather than suppress themselves.

Nicola Coughlan stunned at Erdem

Bridgerton and Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan attended Erdem wearing a showstopper gown. The 37-year-old actor chose a red ruched cherry red dress, with a deep V and oversized, off-the-shoulder sleeves – topped off with matching gloves.

It was a star-studded line-up, with actors Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Zawe Ashton and Lily James sitting alongside her.

Models walked down the runway in the autum/winter collection, including draped asymmetric dresses and asymmetric opera wrap. Some featured ‘facelift tapes’ pulling against their temples.Simone Rocha models walked in bedazzled Crocs

At Simone Rocha’s show, the Irish designer unveiled her latest collaboration with Crocs.

Models – some who had red roses painted on as eyebrows – wore dramatic tulle and corset dresses, that mirrored the exploration of the underpinnings of Queen Victoria, paired with bedazzled Crocs and laced trainers, which had faux diamonds and jumbo-sized pearls.

Quiet luxury at JW Anderson

Northern Irish designer JW Anderson showed the quiet luxury trend is still very much alive and kicking with his autumn/winter 2024 collection.

Anderson is also creative director for luxury giant Loewe – his eponymous brand channels less surrealism but is still experimental – playing around with traditional silhouettes and forms.

Knitwear was central to this collection, with skimpy matching sets oozing luxury – with plenty of extremely chic bags and accessories, the bread and butter of the JW Anderson brand.

There were plenty of stars on the front row – including Jameela Jamil, fresh off her appearance on the latest British Vogue cover, artist Tracey Emin and actress Ruth Wilson.

Molly Goddard was inspired by Balenciaga and Dior gowns

On day two of LFW, Molly Goddard shared her 2024 autumn/winter collection near an English folk music venue Cecil Sharp House near Regent’s Park.

The British fashion designer was inspired by voluminous Balenciaga and Dior evening gowns from the 60s. But she put a modern twist on them and refused to feature the tight corsets women often wore during that era.

Instead, Goddard embraced flexibility, and ease and replaced the metal boning with elastic waists, to make them more comfortable for modern wearers.

Actor Rosamund Pike, who recently starred in Saltburn, also attended the show and sat alongside model Edie Campbell.

She braved the cold and wore a black mini dress, which was hemmed with large white frills. Pike finished the look by throwing on a black blazer, black Mary Roger Vivier court shoes and a black Malone Souliers handbag.

Roksanda was inspired by a mural

Serbian designer Roksanda Ilinčić’s autumn/winter 2024 collection was all about extreme experimentation, after visiting the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier’s 12-square-foot holiday cabin on the Côte d’Azur in France.

She was inspired by the murals that were painted on the walls of his entrance and experimented with texture. The evidence of this is seen in some of the ankle-length skirts, sleeveless tops and capes some of the models walked down the runway in.Bridgeton’s Golda Rosheuvel sat next to Roach, singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas, TV presenter Miquita Oliver, rapper Eve and model and founder of charity Malaika at the show.

The actress wore a red oversized poncho top, silver-grey culotte trousers and black chunky boots. Her hair was in a high bun with side bangs, whilst Roach rocked a tailored black coat with a fiery red design.

Puffy sleeves will be huge

Voluminous silhouettes – particularly sleeves and shoulders – were everywhere at London Fashion Week, from Irish designers Paul Costelloe and Simone Rocha to Bora Aksu – whose AW24 collection was inspired by sculptor Eva Hesse.

Plus-size models walk the Ahluwalia show

Ahluwalia presented its autumn/winter 2024 collection called ‘Reveries’ on Saturday, where the creative director, Priya Ahluwalia re-envisioned the art of storytelling.

Model Leomie Anderson made a surprise appearance on the runway wearing a burnt orange hooded silk top and trousers with matching panels, whilst two plus-sized models also graced the runway.

One also wore a burnt orange two-piece with a hooded bustier and high-slit maxi skirt. All garments were dedicated to the exchange of wisdom usually found in the “old Indian and Nigerian folklore and fairytales”.