The second stop of the Fall 2023 season, London Fashion Week was led by a few big names – particularly the debut collection from Daniel Lee at Burberry – but largely felt characterized by its continued growth as a hotspot for some of the industry’s most exciting young talent. The spirit of Vivienne Westwood loomed large over the week, not just at the memorial where London’s leading luminaries paid tribute to the punk fashion pioneer, but also in how it resolutely upheld its reputation as the most eclectic and free-spirited of the major fashion weeks – as well as being a particularly strong showcase of talented woman designers.
Rising star Dilara Findikoglu continued to wow as she threaded strains of Victorian mysticism into her world of feminine sensuality and power, while using her platform to call for support for the survivors and reconstruction efforts after the devastating earthquake that touched her hometown in Turkey.
The unique Fashion East incubator program continues to be an essential element in supporting fashion’s future, and Standing Ground stood out with a collection that created a minimal and futurist couture sensibility out of deadstock silk and velvet fabrics.
Meanwhile, Fashion East alumni Matty Bovan and Nensi Dojaka both earned spots on the list, continuing to carve out space for exciting new design perspectives.
After heading to New York last season (and fresh off dressing Rihanna for the Super Bowl), JW Anderson returned home to London and partnered with the iconic and idiosyncratic Michael Clark Dance Company for a collection that abounded with the designer’s unmatched imagination and knack for surreally reconfiguring unexpected reference points.
Living up to the hype that has been building since his appointment at Burberry, Daniel Lee delivered an unexpectedly vibrant collection that showed he was not afraid to take risks as he guides the house forward into a bold new era.
Here are The Impression Top 10 fashion shows of Fall 2023 season as selected by our Chief Impressionist, Kenneth Richard.
10 – Standing Ground
9 – Simone Rocha
8 – David Koma
7 – Matty Bovan (tie)
7 – Dilara Findikoglu (tie)
6 – Nensi Dojaka
5 – Julien Macdonald
4 – S.S. Daley
3 – Erdem
2 – Christopher Kane
1 – JW Anderson (tie)
1 – Burberry (tie)
