We’ve missed you, London Fashion Week, but what a welcome return it has been. While the rest of the country focuses on what to wear in autumn, in the capital all sights were on spring/summer 2024, and among the waterproof coats and sandals (necessary for weather that could not make it’s mind up,) inside the runways were alive with bursts of colour, texture, and vibrancy that felt like a celebration of the turn of the season.
London has always had the reputation of being the rebel child of fashion month. While Paris has its couture roots, Milan is an artistic mix of high-fashion prints and colour, and New York is lofty and cool, London has always championed anarchic edge, and the city’s playful attitude came into full effect this season, making the most of the post-pandemic feeling of dressing up and heading out.
So what did Who What Wear’s editors wear to celebrate this momentous return to statement dressing? In typical fashion, we all brought our own personality to the mix, wearing everything from sleek trenches to statement feathers (with plenty of exciting accessories thrown in for good measure). Whether heading into east London postcodes for up-and-coming designers or pounding the pavements of west London for über luxury, we stayed true to our favourite outfits. So, if you fancy a little new-season inspo or simply just a nosy into our wardrobes (and I don’t blame you), keep scrolling to see what we wore to London Fashion Week September 2023. See you in Feb for round two…
“After years of trying to dress more ‘fashion’, I’ve settled into a happy place where I feel comfortable stepping out in quieter pieces. Sure, they’re never going to cause a flashbulb frenzy, but nothing makes me look and feel more put together than a trench coat and black classic accessories. As soon as I saw this satin Jigsaw number, I knew it was the one, and it was the first thing I reached for when I touched down in London. Pairing it with a black slip dress, leather shoulder bag and a skinny scarf, this is my take on quiet-luxury dressing.” Maxine Eggenberger, Deputy Editor
“I’m a firm believer in go big or go home (in every sense of the word), so this season not only did I want to incorporate statement pieces into my look, I also turned up the volume in the tailoring too. A feather top might not seem like the obvious choice for a Monday afternoon, but as soon as I saw this Cult Gaia piece, I knew I had to build an outfit around it. A boxy maxi coat and wide-leg trousers turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to help ground such a uniquely fabulous find.” Remy Farrell, Shopping Editor
“Every so often I find myself gravitating towards a pop of colour that would elevate my usual all-black outfits. For a long time, orange was that colour but this season, a new shade has stolen my heart. Prepare to see this Bottega green hue pop up in all my A/W outfits.” Joy Ejaria, Social Media Editor
“I have worn Doen’s Meribel dress on repeat since I bought it at the start of the summer. It’s comfortable, easy to restyle and a classic I’ll continue to use for a long time to come.” Hannah Almassi, Editor-in-Chief
“When running from show to show, I tend to opt for smart-casual style for Fashion Week. This season, wide-leg silhouettes have been a favourite of mine, and I found a comfortable style with a great puddle effect from H&M. To add some drama, I opted for a bold blazer from Mango, with striking shoulders and a cinched waist. The final layer was a few gold accents to pull the look together!” Florrie Alexander, Commercial Writer
“This fashion week I went back to basics, styling up black and white items that offered flattering cuts and a comfortable finish. I’ve seen the fit-and-flare dress come back into favour and was inspired to style a favourite A-line skirt to get the look. Styled with a deep V-neck top and a vintage handbag I juxtaposed the femininity with some knee-high cowboy boots and dark shades.” Natalie Munro, News Writer
“When I want to feel comfortable but still put-together, I always turn to jeans, heels and a blazer. And that was exactly my vibe on the final day of Fashion Week. Frankie Shop’s Bea blazer is well worth the hype, and I wore it nearly every single day over the weekend, making it well worth the price tag already in my eyes. I’ve worn it with some carrot-fit, loose jeans. from Zara and tied in the black of the tee with a bandana and H&M heels. The final touch is my beloved Loewe hammock bag. Sometimes the simplest of looks are the best…” Poppy Nash, Managing Editor
“I love this look! An accidental ode to my old school uniform, I felt like head girl wearing this blazer and mini skirt combination. The knee-high socks and loafers add to the preppy persona (the real school girl version of me would have never have had her socks pulled up), but as a lover of tailoring, I was happy to cosplay as prefect for the day. As September is a time of transition, I like to take some of my favourite summer styles and make them autumn-appropriate. I live in mini skirts in the warmer months, and to make this Arket one more autumnal, I added an extra layer with this Our Legacy knit vest of my boyfriend’s. For me, this is the secret to those in-between days—bare legs, blazers and boyfriend layers.” Rebecca Rhys-Evans, Branded Content Editor.
“Top of my priority list for any fashion week outfit is comfort, so I usually opt for something I live in all the time and know I can depend on—like these Citizens of Humanity Ayla jeans. It’s nice to feel a bit more polished than an average day, though, hence the addition of this beautiful Toteme bag and bouclé blazer. While my style is always quite timeless, I still like to nod to the trends of the moment to make an otherwise classic outfit feel more modern—this season all I can think about is red, so I’ve added accents here with a ribbed knit top and some cute Mary Jane ballet pumps.” Emily Dawes, Affiliate Editor
“Throw open my wardrobe and you’ll see that it’s full of neutrals; shades of camel and cream and grey and black that can be intermixed at a moment’s notice. The older I get, the less brain-space I have to think about my outfits ahead of time, so the fact I was able to get ready in a hurry and still look presentable, as I like to think I did this day, is testament enough that my theory works. I ordered this Mango coat and skirt the moment I saw it land online and, honestly, it’s the best thing I’ve added to my wardrobe in a long while. The quality definitely surpasses the price. Footwear-wise, after experiencing some blisters the day before, I cannot reiterate enough how heavenly it was walking around in these Dear Frances boots. They might look fierce, but the reality of wearing them is anything but. Very much an all-day boot, which is what you need when you’re dashing between shows—in the rain no less!” Maxine Eggenberger, Deputy Editor
“While I was planning Fashion Week outfits were were still in the strange summer-meets-autumn in-between that manages to be both windy and warm (and almost impossible to dress for), so a dress was the first thing that came to mind. Aje is a Who What Wear go-to for pretty styles that bring the drama, and soon as I tried on this sweeping, romantic dress I knew it all it needed was a simple pair of slingbacks to create a street style moment.” Remy Farrell, Shopping Editor
“I was inspired by my fellow ed, Maxine Eggenberger to try out tailoring with a silky bias-cut dress underneath, and I think the formula works! This green Ghost dress looks more day-appropriate with a blazer and closed-toe shoes..” Hannah Almassi, Editor in Chief
“With another day of drizzle, I was eternally grateful to have packed my trusty Whistles leather jacket. Made from a soft-feeling but structural leather, I love softening the look with satin and cashmere. Continuing with my tonal LFW theme, I used my taupe cropped knit from Mango and elevated arm candy from Polène to add some warmth.” Maxine Eggenberger, Deputy Editor
