London Fashion Week, as per, has provided us with plenty of sartorial food for thought this season. And, having waxed lyrical over the power-dressing prowess of the killer skirt suit, we’re now adding to our AW19 Hall of Fame with a quintet of the best checks, plaids and tartans, all hot off the runway. 

Here’s looking at the fab five...



Preen by Thornton Bregazzi 
Because… Hacienda meets highland? Sign us up.

What do rave culture and maypole dancing have in common? And no, this isn’t the beginning of a bad joke.

Community was the thread that united a kick-ass Preen by Thornton Bregazzi AW19 show: Staged in an echoey Southbank warehouse, and paying homage to the world of dance. 

Amongst an eclectic mix of bright florals and darkly ethereal dresses, our heads were turned by the show-stopping kilts. Slashed down the middle and embellished with frilly petticoats, the Scottish emblem was mashed with the edgy underground streak of Hacienda parties and, conversely, the ornate theatricality of ballroom. 

It sounds like it shouldn’t work. But, boy, did it…



Emilia Wickstead
Because… Subtle sophistication wins out.

Summoning the dark yet alluring vision of Francis Ford Coppola, Emilia Wickstead paid homage to the Godfather Trilogy in her AW19 outing, taking in several decades of iconic fashion inspiration from the seminal cinematic moment.

Creating ‘a wardrobe for life’, Wickstead focused on sharp tailoring and innocuous glamour, helping women to dress for an array of occasions – minus the usual, accompanying headache. Leading the way was a monochrome checkered jumpsuit, which with graceful oval sleeves and a streamlined bodice, proved a lesson in balancing proportions.



ASAI Takeaway
Because… Standing out is better than fitting in.

Although this was his premiere solo runway at London Fashion Week, A Sai Ta is no stranger to the Capital’s style scene: A favourite, for his bombastic designs and riotous use of colour and tie-dye

And, while giving more of the same, his latest unveiling took a step back: His statement, more personal and contemplative than all-out audacious. 

Layering was the talk of the show. Cream belted trenches with netted detailing; soft-as-air, camel-coloured puffers; and, at its best, a caramel-like woollen overcoat (checked, natch) with a quietly confident houndstooth lining… It was the perfect something for those who wish to dress for no one other than themselves.



A.W.A.K.E Mode
Because… A chinoiserie silhouette and tartan is the combination we never knew we needed.

It was during the latter portion of her theatrical, tripartite London Fashion Week show that Natalia Alaverdian staged her most poignant battle cry.

A two-in-one like no other, a tartan chinoiserie jacket – poppered to trace the silhouette of the body – was quilted against the elements, capable of withstanding whatever may come its way. Punkish… Rebellious… A hybrid that encapsulated the strength and self-assurance of the collection as a whole, this jacket (and Alaverdian) did it all, and then some.



Molly Goddard 
Because… British heritage packs a punch.

Fuelled by wind machines and no-nonsense layering, Molly Goddard’s “Dressing For The Storm” runway referenced militant preparation for the fierce climates that lay ahead… And so, mixing practical with pretty – as she does so well – Goddard teamed her Villanelle tulle dresses with smokey grey overcoats, pin-stripe tailored trousers, and chunky boots to toughen the romance. Think Emily Brontë’s Kathy, but ready for the apocalypse.

As to her Argylls (which were doused in a delicious palette of earthy yellows and verdant stitching), Molly spoke to the precarious English forecasts further with a truly heritage stalwart – and, in an instant, made us all think to team our cocktail numbers with a cardigan from here on out…



Also on Because Magazine:

+
 This quintessential guise of power dressing was the first trend that caught our eye this season.

+ Just in time for Paris Fashion Week, Caroline Issa waxes lyrical about Left-Bank tailoring.

+
 Cast your mind back to London Fashion Week with our stylish syllables