PRADA SPRING 2016 READY TO WEAR

Modern retro-chic. Like many of the collections I've been posting about, the collection featured many conservative pieces including the power suit, boxy jackets and drop waist dresses, however they all had a modern take on them. Art-deco/space-age vibes were inserted in these clean everyday aesthetics. The models had robotic metallic lips and scooped back futuristic cosmic 'do's' with squared off and slicked down sides. Yokes and bibs on dresses were replaced by plastic fishnet disks, maximalism is back.

ALEXA CHUNG IT BOOK REVIEW

I've been looking forward to getting my hands on Alexa Chung's book IT for quite some time and shamefully, I choose books by their covers and the faded pink binding made it irresistible to me. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to IT. Me personally, I can't seem to relate to Alexa in any way but I adore her effortless chic ways and her IT girl status makes her probably one of the coolest fashion icons in history. The best way to describe this book is that it's an autobiography/diary with the occasional 'how to look effortless and it actually be effortless' makeup/styling tips that Alexa 'spontaneously' threw together into a book in one day. It's cool and also totally uncool. The book includes a lot of random drawings that represent that grungy/dark and dirty side to her. I read it overnight, but there's something strangely alluring about it that makes me want to read it again. I love the cover, but the content just isn't to my taste, but if I were to write a book it would most definitely be pink too.

BURBERRY PRORSUM SPRING 2016 READY TO WEAR

FUNCTIONREGALIA is the name of the Burberry prorsum show that took place in Hyde Park during London Fashion Week. Burberry upped their tech game this season by releasing almost the entirety of the collection by 7pm the previous night on an app no other than Snapchat. The nation was blessed with watching the beautiful collection from the comfort of their own home on one of the most popular social media platforms. Sephora streamed the first ever live beauty tutorial on YouTube. Feminine shapes took to the catwalk gliding past familiar front row faces, including Burberry girls, Kate Moss, Cara Delevigne, Suki Waterhouse and Jourdan Dunn. Modern urbanities will be craving those oyster silk slip dresses suspended by spindly spaghetti straps with the famous Burberry trench coats casually thrown over. The trench coat will take a girl anywhere, even through to autumn with a trusty knit underneath. The collection showcased an array of pretty dresses like the intricate and flirty sheer mini's in black, yellow and mint.

TOPSHOP UNIQUE SPRING 2016 READY TO WEAR

Topshop Unique is one of LFW main highlights and with the likes of Cara Delevigne, Bella Hadid and Zayn Malik in the frow, along with a live stream to Topshop.com, the show was sure to be a hit. Topshop proved that manish suits and crucial styling are key, a skinny belt tied around some trusty tailoring and big 80's hair will not go unnoticed. The show featured a palette of pastels, rich red and monochrome ensemble's. Frilly blouses and flowing tea dresses with thigh high splits advertised feisty leopard print and 60's polka dots. They were topped with bomber jackets and chunky knits, red leather skirts and a pink leather coat also made an appearance. Fluffy scarves and shoes, and even daytime pyjamas inspired by the Japanese were flaunted, although they are trends most likely to not be leaving the catwalk.

DKNY SPRING 2016 READY-TO-WEAR

Two words - monochrome and suits. Hosted in the Westfield World Trade Centre West Gallery, Donna Karan watched dependably from the audience, after giving up her role as founder of one of the greatest fashion houses in history to Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne. Aware of their need to fill the shoes of a woman with such great respect, the Public School graduates delivered with a certain level of sophistication. Tailoring was of the essence, the first look perfectly summed up the modern collection that would follow - a classy pin stripe suit jacket over a crisp white playsuit. The elegant legginess toned out the masculine vibe from the mens classic wardrobe staple. The pair said: "We wanted to explore the idea of the working woman, specifically in the setting of the city. Starting with a hyper contextualized idea of tailoring in the workplace but stripping it down and pairing it with the ease of classic American sportswear." And they couldn't have said it better. The focus was tailoring, but the construction and manipulation of the garments was what really made the collection what it was. The bottom half of a jacket or a pin-striped knit was sliced off to reveal beautiful a crisp white fabric. The collection was perfect for the modernised working woman in the city.

CAROLINA HERRERA SPRING 2016 READY TO WEAR

To my delight Carolina Herrera's Spring 2016 collection rightfully claimed it's place in the Frick museum's garden room on the Upper East Side - making it the first collection to ever be showcased among many artistic masterpieces. The modern minded designer has embraced high tech materials stitched onto transparent mesh, creating a whole new meaning of discreet, but other pieces sported a higher density mesh. CH claims to be in her 'rose period' she said backstage, which comes as no surprise after she recently launched her new fragrance 'born in rose'. Her palette of blush, lavender, lilac and white welcomes the invigorating season and the transparency of organza and chiffon was used sparingly, creating mystery within the sensuous collection. Shoulders were bare and flesh was exposed, and for a treat for the less tame, black pleated chiffon was carefully embroided with sequins - creating a racier collection for the youth. Surprisingly to many, CH was eager to avoid prints this season as she's featured them a lot in the past, modern minded, but the rose print slip dress was still beautiful.

RAG & BONE SPRING 2016 READY TO WEAR

Marcus Wainright and David Neville's Rag & Bone collection yesterday evening was showcased in St. Ann's warehouse in Brooklyn, which brought a personal aspect to the designers collection, and clearly the change of scenery had no impact in the material sense, as the pictures of the collection appear identical as of those in a professional New York showcase. The slip dresses, sneakers, and chunky black knits paired with hoop earrings are said to have been inspired by the Notting Hill carnival in 90's London. However, the collection also channelled army vibes with cargo pants and anoraks, bringing back the masculine/feminine trait that was created post world war two, when women would wear more masculine clothing for equality and practicality. For example, silk slip dresses with spindly straps and chunky knitted tube dresses are topped with masculine bomber jackets. Models donned flight suits with The Pilot tote and Flight satchel which were inspired by a parachute in the Rag & Bone office, along with the anoraks.

GIVENCHY RESORT 2016

The Givenchy Resort collection is a surprising innovation following Riccardo Tisci's Victorian-inspired fall 2015 collection, furthermore, denim has not been used by Tisci in his 10 years at Givenchy. While the colour palette focused on olive, tan, white and blue denim - the collection flounced ruffles, pleats and leopard prints to welcome the youthful season. Skirts with ruffled hemlines and coats with boxy shoulders prove this collection is not for the tame, however, his celebrity friend's can most definitely be envisioned wearing his functional pieces in warmer climates. His evening pieces were more body conscious, the shapes appreciate more rounded contours, with ruched shoulder lines, thigh-high splits and carefully placed pleats.