LONDON, Feb 24 — Although absent in New York, bright colours, prints, and other fanciful details burst onto the runways at London Fashion Week. In the mix, the women’s suit made a notable comeback, albeit with a fresh twist — more casual and less strict — joined by a profusion of flowers, and colours to lift gloomy fall/winter moods.

After New York, it was London’s turn to unveil its fashion trends for the fall-winter 2023-2024 season. If one thing’s certain, it’s that the British capital cranked optimism up to 11 with collections that were in turn offbeat, whimsical, over-the-top, colourful and full of that touch of folly that was probably lacking in the Big Apple. Forget dull colours and classic prints, as these gave way to more extravagant aesthetics, with no compromises or complexes, and all without neglecting elegance. A veritable ode to the vibrancy of life.

Takeaway piece: The suit reboot

Who said tailoring was dead? Long live the suit... albeit in new materials, new cuts and more vibrant colours, with more eccentric details and plays on proportions. It’s time to head back to the office — if that wasn’t already the case — but without going back to the fashion of yesteryear. Some designers rebooted the suit with oversized sleeves, others revisited the school uniform, while a handful went even further with loose, flowing cuts, lace details, large collars and preppy ties. This trend was spotted on the catwalks of Simone Rocha, Edward Crutchley, Roksanda, Conner Ives or Bora Aksu, to name just a few.

Material of choice: Leather

Leather, or its vegan alternatives, seemed to be the star material of these shows. Already very much present in New York, it was all over the London catwalks. Dresses, pencil skirts, pants and jackets all got a leather-themed makeover, whether in colourful or more classic shades, and with a notable prevalence of the biker look, already seen in the Big Apple. This was a strong trend at Mowalola, David Koma, and to a lesser extent at Chet Lo and 16Arlington. Note, however, that many fashion houses focused on lace, tulle and feathers.

Two colours: Red and yellow

While the Big Apple gave pride of place to fall and winter shades, especially chocolate brown, London favoured more vibrant and unusual colours. Yellow and red were clearly the two must-have shades for fall-winter 2023, regardless of the proposed aesthetic. Carmine, cherry, garnet, poppy and vermilion reds were particularly popular on the catwalks of David Koma, Nensi Dojaka, Bora Aksu and Christopher Kane. But yellow, also seen in many and varied shades, could be set to outshine it, with sunny shades shining at Erdem, JW Anderson and Burberry.

Top print: Floral blooms

London Fashion Week means flowers, at least for the fall-winter 2023 season, with a veritable floral bouquet. In lace, in patterns or embroidered, and large or minimalist forms, flowers took pride of place in the collections unveiled in the UK capital. Erdem, a specialist in the field, evidently proposed several looks covered with floral prints, as did Richard Quinn, Christopher Kane, Emilia Wickstead and, to a lesser extent, Simone Rocha.

One last thing: Hoods up

As surprising as it might sound, hoods were all the rage in London. In fact, this sportswear staple made its way onto pieces that were as elegant as they were sophisticated this season, especially long, bodycon dresses. In wool, lace, and even in satin materials, hoods were simply everywhere. A detail spotted in the shows of Conner Ives, Bora Aksu, Di Petsa, Mark Fast and Talia Byre. — ETX Studio