The Rundown on the Catwalk Shows You Just Can’t Miss from London Fashion Week 2022

Fashion fans, London’s calling! Friday saw the commencement of London’s February 2022 digital-physical Fashion Week, showcasing some of the most iconic and creative AW22 collections. Whether you had a front-row seat for the shows from the comfort of your sofa, or you were keeping up to date with the latest fashion headlines in the news… FROW presents you with the ultimate London Fashion Week rundown fresh from the catwalk!

Osman Yousefzada:

Starting with a much-loved designer among the A-listers – Osman Yousefzada. Osman debuted his newest collection ‘DIASPORIC LOVE’ on the London catwalk with the collection celebrating ‘community, culture, frolic, and forgiveness’ designed with LAST_YARDS, upcycled materials and South Asian artisanal craftsmanship. The garments are each created to honour but also juxtapose different marginalized cultures, with each piece beautifully complemented by the dark and light contrasting colour palette tactically applied to tell the community’s story.

I want to use my cultural production to share stories of the marginalized and put forward voices that aren’t always easily heard. - Osman Yousefzada

The University of Salford:

The University of Salford’s MA fashion design graduates made their London Fashion Week debut over a live show in February! The catwalk saw multiple MA graduate students show off their distinctive pieces ranging from contemporary designs to extravagant collections; including swimwear, streetwear, high fashion formal and vintage-inspired garments bursting onto the LFW scene in an explosion of different colours!

Slovak Fashion Council:

In partnership with Fashion Scout and Lone Design Club, Slovak Fashion Council presented ‘WHO AM I? The quest for authentic self.’ at LFW. The campaign was created in collaboration with two promising young talents from Slovakia and aimed to provide “Gen Z” with the ability to define their own identity despite the impact of social media and never-ending career opportunities.

Designers FAMALE and Sofia Turekova created individual AW22 collections, each one boasting distinct abstract designs in muted tones and an array of textures. Turekova drew on her affection for contemporary craftsmanship and developed a combination of garments using innovative 3D draping, experimental sculpting and new narrative design! Her unique designs and silhouettes draw inspiration from and pay tribute to Slovakian folklore.

FAMALE founder, Petra Famlerova, used her collection to send a message out to the world – homing in on using her designs to express opinions on the various social, political and environmental problems in the world – Famlerova’s LFW collection included stand-out pieces using knitwear and subtle prints to make a statement.

Ray Chu:

In keeping with the accelerated digitalization of the pandemic era, Ray Chu presented his newest AW22 collection ‘CHAPTER ıııı TOUCH ME’ in digital form. The collection presents 20 equally unique sets with a distinctive contemporary aesthetic. ‘TOUCH ME’ was designed to pay homage to sexuality through its bold silhouettes and subtle colour palette. Chu’s collection also implemented intricate designs consisting of three key colours; Sage green, Warm Ivory and Glossy Noir. Additionally, and very impressively, all of Chu’s pieces that graced the catwalk at London Fashion Week were created consciously with a vegan fabric developed by Ray Chu and Taiwanese LAB 808! Aligned perfectly with Ray Chu’s mission to create sustainable and conscious collections.

Abigail Ajobi:

Designer Abigail Ajobi launched her third ready to wear collection at London Fashion Week called ‘The Love Story Continues…’, which showcases the love story of Ajobi’s parents. Not only was the collection designed as a celebration of love, but also as a celebration of cultural identity represented in a contemporary way.

The two main prints, one being a love note from Ajobi’s father scribed onto Nigerian denim and the other being a digital print of Ajobi’s father’s face on an Ajobi banknote, pay homage to romance and shows a fusion between traditional Nigerian culture and urban London culture. Abigail Ajobi, as a brand, aims to be the most sustainable, so the London Fashion Week collection featured ‘convertible clothing’ carried over from previous collections, as well as being debuted on the catwalk in 2022.

As well as showcasing their sustainable side, Abigail Ajobi also highlighted that her LFW’22 collection will also be supporting Nigerian Children’s charity ‘The Keeping it Real Foundation’ so Ajobi can continue to pass the love created by her parents down to vulnerable children in need of aid.

RIXO:

RIXO is using London Fashion Week to pay a tribute to the Golden age of glamour by launching an Autumn/Winter collection inspired by the 1930s entitled ‘The Golden Age’. The collection celebrated the 30’s opulence and splendour, as well as the rise of Hollywood movies! Designer Orlagh McCloskey claimed working on the collection has brought her ‘so much joy’ as she played with geometric patterns, sequins and velvets, as well as reworking vintage 1930’s prints and featuring sustainably sourced feathers and glitters. The collection is size-inclusive and ranges from sizes ‘6-24’ and was paired with the brand’s most recent shoe collection, comprising of leather and suede boots as well as sandals with feather trims. RIXO’s AW22 collection is available to shop from September 2022.

This collection is our first extended sizing range…it’s such a proud moment for us to be able to offer this. - Henrietta Rix, Founder of RIXO

Hip Curve:

Bringing an unorthodox approach to the London Fashion Week catwalk is Hip Curve’s newest collection ‘Fairy Dust’. Created and designed by Bulgarian creative Pepi Semerdzhieva. Semerdzhieva combined uncommon textures and fabrics to bring the Fairy Dust collection to life, blending a variety of denim and silk, embroidering wool and incorporating lace and taffeta to create an enchanting display for London Fashion Week. Refusing to be confined by today’s trends; the Fairy Dust collection displayed an exhibition of colour, with the palette ranging from muted beige to bright red and emerald green, each piece adorned with fabric flowers and bouquets. The captivating collection is available to shop now on Hip Curve’s website and selected London stores!