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Review: Latest hot trends from London Fashion Week Festival (Includes interview and first-hand account)

London Fashion Weekend Festival aims to bring the best from London Fashion Week and to fuse this with the designers that will be appearing in high-end stores over the next few months.

Two wannabee fashion models pose by the London Fashion Weekend Festival logo.

Two wannabee fashion models pose by the London Fashion Weekend Festival logo.

The London Fashion Weekend Festival (last year, as a slightly smaller event it was simply ‘London Fashion Weekend’) has been taking place at its new venue, The Store Studios, located at 180 Strand in London.

A young woman waits by a neon display  outside of photo studio at the London Fashion Weekend Festiva...

A young woman waits by a neon display, outside of photo studio at the London Fashion Weekend Festival.

The event showcases the latest trends as well as some hotly-tipped new designers like Osman, Mother of Pearl, Teatum Jones and Huishan Zhang (Digital Journal has profiled Zhnag’s impressive new collection on the catwalk in the first of our exclusive two-part review).

Two women pose for photographers at London Fashion Weekend Festival.

Two women pose for photographers at London Fashion Weekend Festival.

London Fashion Weekend Festival aims to provide “an insider’s view of the latest fashion trends.” The event is held twice per year at different venues, in London. This year it moved from Chelsea to central London, providing a bigger opportunity for pop-up stores to display their latest merchandise.

The tools for a fashion show? Water and champagne.

The tools for a fashion show? Water and champagne.

While the opportunity to shop, gossip or quaff champagne are plentiful most people attend London Fashion Weekend Festival to take in the cat walks, where very thin models (at times, too thin) glide past wearing this coming season’s latest creations.

People waiting for one of the catwalk fashion shows to begin  at London Fashion Weekend Festival  Fe...

People waiting for one of the catwalk fashion shows to begin, at London Fashion Weekend Festival, February 2017.

This year saw the hot-tips for spring and summer 2017 on show. Florals featured strongly.

Light  summery dresses with a floral theme are tipped for this year.

Light, summery dresses with a floral theme are tipped for this year.

A model wearing a hotly tipped fashion for 2017 - a floral one-suit.

A model wearing a hotly tipped fashion for 2017 – a floral one-suit.

Some more colorful than others.

The Avenue 32 Trend catwalk show at London Fashion Week Festival provided visitors with the inspirat...

The Avenue 32 Trend catwalk show at London Fashion Week Festival provided visitors with the inspiration they needed to master the key looks of the season.

Some ten different models show the range of clothes on offer, going through two or three changes of clothes in remarkably quick time. Moving from floral, a far east theme was also notable.

Designs ranged from novel necklines and languid silhouettes to refresh printed midi dresses fit for ...

Designs ranged from novel necklines and languid silhouettes to refresh printed midi dresses fit for any occasion.

Some of this year s trends had a Chinese-theme  and with plenty of color.

Some of this year’s trends had a Chinese-theme, and with plenty of color.

Plus vibrant prints.

A burst of vibrant color on show  showing the spring and summer trends for 2017.

A burst of vibrant color on show, showing the spring and summer trends for 2017.

Ruffles were also noticeable, adding a vintage touch to some of the dresses.

Ruffles seem popular with many of the dresses on show this season.

Ruffles seem popular with many of the dresses on show this season.

Ruffles don't have to be romantic and this season sees the ultra- feminine feature deployed to coo...

Ruffles don’t have to be romantic and this season sees the ultra- feminine feature deployed to cooler, more street-wise effect.

One plus point with the trends on show is that, for the most part, they appear wearable (at least to this non-fashion orientated journalist’s eyes), with nothing too outlandish in sight. From the more simple:

A more practical looking dress for the summer  with a Scottish tartan theme.

A more practical looking dress for the summer, with a Scottish tartan theme.

To elegant evening ware:

An elegant dress for a summer s evening? Latest trends on show.

An elegant dress for a summer’s evening? Latest trends on show.

Shoulders are still in the spotlight but experimentation with straps and sleeves has been increasing...

Shoulders are still in the spotlight but experimentation with straps and sleeves has been increasingly ingenious this season.

Certainly the energetic electronica, color and the glitz wins through.

From off-the-shoulder to strapless  clean or decorative  a range of different dresses were highlight...

From off-the-shoulder to strapless, clean or decorative, a range of different dresses were highlighted.

It remains that the prices charged by the top designers are beyond the reach of the typical shopper, the general styles swiftly become copied by high street stores.

File photo: The type of style on the catwalk which might find its way into a store near you this sea...

File photo: The type of style on the catwalk which might find its way into a store near you this season, from the London Fashion Weekend Festival.

Disappointingly, given the coverage that Digital Journal has afforded to the subject this year, there was no sign or mention of wearable technology and how electronics and clothes can fuse together. The connected wearable garment made from graphene, which debuted at a Manchester fashion event, was sadly no where in sight.

The London Fashion Weekend Festival provides a range of different styles and trends for the largely female audience. It presents a good opportunity for those with an interest in fashion to see what’s likely to be “in” this coming season.

London Fashion Weekend Festival has many stalls selling a variety of clothes and related items.

London Fashion Weekend Festival has many stalls selling a variety of clothes and related items.

For those interested in looking back at 2016, Digital Journal has previously profiled London Fashion Weekend, taking in the Fall collection and last spring’s memorable designs.

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Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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