Only one more sleep to go until the 62nd London Fashion Week! This week’s FTL post features ones to watch for the London Spring/Summer 2016 collections and gives a summary of New York Fashion Week’s highlights. Which do you think will come out on top? LFW or NYFW?!

Dig the new breed

London effortlessly challenges its rival global counterparts during fashion week, showing some of the most commanding creative flair in the world. Amongst its staple brands treading the boards, like Burberry and Christopher Kane, there is a new breed of designers, so fresh they only recently showed their graduate collections. Those that have attracted the talent-scouts graduated from Central Saint Martins just last year, such as South London-based Caitlin Price, who also won the Armani scholarship and Richard Malone (featured below).

NYFW highlights

But who can argue with the feat of NYFW, closing today, which has generated 900 million dollars in revenue, drawing in over 200,000 people. Highlight of the week was the Oscar de la Renta timeless elegance show, which was the fashion power house’s second collection following the death of its founder. Pieces included Spanish-inspired suits, ball-gowns and cocktail dresses from its creative director, British-born Peter Copping. The designer used bold floral prints, crimson palettes, lavish lace and abundant ruffles to create a truly classic de la Renta collection. Lowlight, personally, was Kanye West for Adidas idly named “Yeezy Season 2”. The military-inspired assortment was made up of nude and neutral-coloured hoodies, bodysuits and loose-fitting trousers, which drew many parallels with his last collection. Not only has this all been done before, it was done last season by the man himself! Time to give up the game Kanye!

Topshop partners with Pintrest

This week in London we will see Topshop team up with Pintrest to launch “Pintrest Palettes”. The savvy high street store is renown for its social media campaigns. The partnership will enable UK and US Pintrest users to create a custom colour palette based on Spring/Summer 2016 key colours via Topshop.com.

LFW ones to watch

There’s so much jaw-dropping talent showcased during LFW, but for me it’s the new kids on the block that can be the most inspiring. FTL’s “ones to watch” are:

Richard Malone, graduating from Central Saint Martins last year with a Bachelor of Arts degree in fashion, he has already attracted attention from the fashion industry’s big-wigs. In 2013 his graduate collection was supported by the Grand Prix LVMH scholarship and he will show his collection as part of the Topshop-sponsored Fashion East collective this week. The label’s aesthetic has to date stemmed from structured silhouettes with contrasting hound’s-tooth fabrics and bold stripes. Pieces in Malone’s graduate collection invoked a 70s vibe with both cropped and bell-bottom flares on show. I’m excited to see what delights the upcoming collection will bring this week.

This is the Uniform’s Jenna Young is a fine arts textiles graduate of London’s Goldsmiths University. She worked in the luxury textiles industry for three years before launching her own label in 2013. Young also worked in fashion styling, and it was via this experience that her designs came to the attention of British Vogue fashion director Lucinda Chambers. The designer will also début as part of Fashion East this week. Young’s signature style is luxurious fabrics, no doubt stemming from her background. I predict plentiful silk organza and natural fabrics.

Marta Jakubowski completed the Masters of Arts program at the Royal College of Art and has already worked with the likes of Alexander Wang, Bruno Pieters, Hussein Chalayan, and Jonathan Saunders before embarking on her own label last year. In December 2014, the designer was chosen to show her Autumn 2015 collection for the British Fashion Council’s NewGen scheme. Wide velvet and cotton trousers in bold colours have played a key theme in Jakubowski’s collections to date. I’m hoping for a clever use of fabric and texture in her Spring/Summer 2016 collection.

The veteran luxury British brand, John Smedley, and a long-time love of mine, is finally launching an out-and-out women’s wear collection. This I have to say, I am very excited about! Pip Jenkins, head designer of the John Smedley women’s range, said the collection will include “a lot of lighter, sheer fabrics designed for layering, and cuts that feature wrap and split detailing designed to drape and flatter the female form.” A new direction for the staple knitwear brand, which I’m sure to be raiding the Brook Street store for post show!

FTL verdict

For me, London always comes out on top, perhaps I’m biased, perhaps I just think the standard is higher. If NYFW dropped the dead-wood and focused more on emerging innovative talent, rather than Kanye and his entourage I might have a different opinion.

One thing’s for sure, London’s collective of burgeoning talent, both veterans and newcomers, are guaranteed to bring something new and exciting to the trends of Spring/Summer 2016. Let the count-down begin!