For us, fashion weeks are a goldmine of data, data which helps us guide brands and retailers to the right decisions about what their consumers want next season. Across London Fashion Week, we analysed 13.3 million tweets and updates to determine what consumers loved and loathed, and most importantly, where they’ll be placing their money come AW 13/14. Here’s 10 of our top insights:
1. Most talked-about Brands
Topshop Unique’s gargantuan digital performance last season, with their customisable catwalk, cemented them as one of London’s thought leaders. This season they did it again; their YouTube and Google+ collab saw them shine. Burberry came out trumps for another season with their announcement of RFID chips embedded in each garment – unlocking content when the consumer bought straight from the catwalk. These brands are two tough acts to follow!
2. Fabric: Patent Leather
London’s designers are sharing a kinky moment; with rubberised textures and patent leathers marching along catwalks across the city. Worked into outwear at Antipodium and in midi-skirts at Unique, the brave should go all guns blazing for brights. Tone the impact down in neutrals, using high shine as a textural contrast in trims and panels.
3. Tracking brand growth
It would have been hard to beat Rebecca Minkoff’s mammoth increase of followers during New York Fashion Week, and it’s true that there are still many London brands not up to speed with their digital communications. Coming out top however, were Felder Felder, who added 9.7% to their online fanbase in the week. Their collection tapped into several of the season’s key themes (patent leathers, fur, boozy tones and metallics) which will always appeal to fresh eyeballs.
4. Colour
Preen, Clements Ribeiro, Holly Fulton, Jonathan Saunders: red, black and white was so well-backed that it’s sure to be a mainstream hit come AW 13/14. Filtering through every collection with our colour recognition software shows us that dreamy tones of lavender, blush and nudes were well liked too. Deep navies and electric blues are well liked by consumers, sell well at retail and have been reworked for the new season.
5. Theme: New Heritage
A renewed respect for traditional craftmanship and a restored faith in local industry has seen the heritage trend go from strength to strength in the UK. It serves designers well, because it’s a trend which captivates the overseas market, summing up British eccentricity. For AW 13/14, heritage gets a contemporary update, with tartans interpreted on sporty shapes at Christopher Raeburn, and merged with cropped shapes and metallic fabrics at Daks.
6. Theme: Mod Punk
London’s anarchism is never too far from the fore, and this season designers let loose. At Holly Fulton, the theme was applied with a kitsch hand; a touch of leather, a smattering of insignia badges and some boyish suits. Clements Ribeiro packed more attitude; tartan, zips and black lace collided to good effect. The key here is to keep shapes mod-ish and clean, going strong with fabrics, prints and trims.
7. Key shape: Bomber
The bomber jacket lives on. And a good job, because 48% of consumer chatter is overwhelmingly positive towards the trend, while sentiment runs so high, they’ll sell like hot cakes. Update the style with contrast leather sleeves as at Antipodium or through an unexpected texture, like at House of Holland.
8. Theme: Pretty Dark
London can so often be regarded as fashion’s playful sibling, churning out the brash, experimental and challenging. For AW 13/14, that kid grew up. Now well-established brands, Mary Katrantzou, Erdem and Christopher Kane, weren’t afraid to visit the underworld with ghoulish creations. Renaissance cuts, sophisticated fabrics and an eerie seriousness marked their collections. This is grunge for grown-ups. Take a trip to the dark-side.
9. Key shape: Drop waist
New to the shape scene, is the dropped waist dress. It’s feminine yet louche, nods to the peplum and can be interpreted for daywear or evening. Moschino Cheap & Chic trotted out the cutest of options, whilst Michael van der Ham‘s navy and black creation was at once feminine and moody.
10. Prints charming
It’s a print-rich season, with stories for every level of the market to pursue. Tartans and plaids work with the New Heritage theme, whether that’s in traditional palettes or given a witty twist with brighter shades. Wintery florals always look appealing after a summer of ditsy brights, so Mulberry and Erdem‘s dark patterns will be winners. And lastly, as in New York, leopard print prowled onto the London catwalks, with a nod of approval from trend-setting Burberry.
Katie Smith
