Fashion

London Fashion Week: The Art Of Dressing Gracefully

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By Simbarashe Cha
New York Times
This season at London Fashion Week, outfits on and off the runway felt a bit more mature. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times

Photographer Simbarashe Cha captures the meeting of two distinct aesthetic worlds at London Fashion Week, as serious sophistication meets playful subversion.

London Fashion Week can often feel like a collision of two aesthetic worlds: a sophistication on the runways and a youthfulness in the streets. Seeing the rapport between them

Structural skirts brought a sense of refinement to the collections of brands like Erdem, Simone Rocha and Chopova Lowena. Refined could also describe the clothes at Edeline Lee’s debut show, which included a parade of dresses that evoked styles seen in travel ads and magazines from the 1950s. Even Jonathan Anderson, a designer known for his frog clogs and pigeon bags, seemed to dial up the seriousness of his playful approach: his new JW Anderson collection included frocks with sleek, flying-saucer-like silhouettes.

Quiet plaids and fancy-looking knits were some of the sartorial signs of maturity in the streets. Many of the best looks in the crowds felt elevated and had less of the DIY charm that the city’s fashion fans have been known to embrace. This was neither bad nor good; if anything, just a sign of how personalities can change with age.

A model presents a look at the Burberry, spring 2025 show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A model presents a look at the Burberry, spring 2025 show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Outfits reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix and "Alice in Wonderful" at London Fashion Week. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Outfits reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix and "Alice in Wonderful" at London Fashion Week. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Floral meets animal in the print of a coat shown at Burberry. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Floral meets animal in the print of a coat shown at Burberry. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A procession of smart shirtdresses on the runway at Edeline Lee. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A procession of smart shirtdresses on the runway at Edeline Lee. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A red-and-white-check piece on a street in London. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A red-and-white-check piece on a street in London. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
An unbuttoned look on a street in London. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
An unbuttoned look on a street in London. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times

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A model presents a look at the Erdem, spring 2025 show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A model presents a look at the Erdem, spring 2025 show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
The singer Normani (left), stylist Law Roach and actress Gabrielle Union attend the Burberry show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
The singer Normani (left), stylist Law Roach and actress Gabrielle Union attend the Burberry show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Models present a look at Burberry. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Models present a look at Burberry. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A heel held like a phone on the streets between shoes for London Fashion Week. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A heel held like a phone on the streets between shoes for London Fashion Week. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
An ensemble on the Simone Rocha runway with the colour and fluffiness of frosting. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
An ensemble on the Simone Rocha runway with the colour and fluffiness of frosting. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A sumptuous palette and silvery shoes at the Erdem show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A sumptuous palette and silvery shoes at the Erdem show. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Breathtaking beaded hair completes a look on the Ahluwalia runway. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
Breathtaking beaded hair completes a look on the Ahluwalia runway. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
An outfit features a mixture of fuzzy, furry and splattered textures. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
An outfit features a mixture of fuzzy, furry and splattered textures. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A plaid jacket on a street in London. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times
A plaid jacket on a street in London. Photo / Simbarashe Cha for The New York Times

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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