The edgy, brooding aesthetic London has long been associated with was swapped for pressed-petals, rich floral brocade and ancient neon insignias, as London Fashion Week dished up a distinctly different flavour this year.
With a piquant whiff of spring in the air, our favourite beauty looks included reinvented flower-children, puffy but oh-so-cool perms and berry kissed lips.
Pretty Petals at Preen by Thornton BregazziÂ
This was the English Rose reimagined. Val Garland hand-pressed dried petals in a myriad of floral manifestations onto models cheeks, collarbones, ears and even lips, making for the most Insta-happy look of the week. A meticulous and artful injection of spring into a show which was otherwise punky and slightly perverse. Watering cans at the ready.
Berry Stains at Roksanda Ilincic
Roksanda Ilincic sent girls down the runway with a distinctly simple, but equally striking beauty look; a beautiful berry stain. A lady-like take on a pow-wow lip, a rich, cherry lip stain was painted on, offset by a minimal maquillage. Statement beauty sans the brassiness.
Modern Perms at Topshop Unique
Trust Topshop to take the dreaded ‘perm’ and make it cool again. Hairstylist Duffy dabbled in the ol’ (and often equally dreaded) 80’s favourite, mousse, and flounced and fluffed tight curls to loose, less-gaudy perfection. For that extra kick of cool, a super-side-swept part was flicked onwards and upwards for sexy gal vibes.
Punchy Lips at Mary Katrantzou
Just as the fashion was a fluorescent, rather psychedelic homage to her native Greece; the beauty too was a modern take on “Greek Goddesses”. Makeup artist, Lynsey Alexander, gave good lip service by painting pouts in neon orange, red and pink with an modernly matte finish.
Super-dooper Dewy Skin at Anya Hindmarch
Skin was so dewy at Anya Hindmarch, it was radiant from afar. Like it had been freshly misted and slathered in strobed goodness, it was all about a barely-there, but positively gleaming guise. Seems sweating really is good for your skin after all.
Holding image via Nars.
