Thoughts of classic paintings, decades gone by and even houses' own heritages inspire London's fall season. Here's a look at what some designers are thinking.


“I was attracted by the mystery and ethereal quality of Claude Monet’s series of paintings when he was in London. I was particularly inspired by the mood, atmosphere and dark, veiled colors of the paintings.”
— Julien Macdonald

Ice skaters are inspiring Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs

“I am inspired by clothes and the body, rather than themes. Juxtaposition of shape, techniques, drapes and volumes. The urge for simplicity combined with nostalgic textures used diversely, both in cut and context.”
— Marios Schwab

“This coat is very cozy, like being wrapped in a blanket. Let’s hope for a cold winter!”
— Nicole Farhi

“Noir will always be about contrast. Luxurious fabrics developed in the Third World, masculine complementing femininity, slim versus oversized. It’s a tribute to Berlin in the Thirties, celebrating intellect and free-thinking people set against austerity — glamorous cabaret life meeting a uniform-inspired look.”
— Peter Ingwersen, Noir

“The collection takes its influence from the birth of the modern women who danced, drank, wore makeup and voted. It’s also influenced by lazy weekends spent in grand country houses borrowing from grandfather’s wardrobe, mixing tweed with regimental and his old smoking suit.”
— Paul Smith

“Joyful athleticism in the spirit of Seventies Mr. Freedom, while focusing on developing signature pieces.”
— Richard Nicoll

“This collection continues to draw its inspiration from old Parisian haute-couture salons, this time incorporating elements of oversized folds, waves and motion. It’s also inspired with plastic and man-made fibers and trims, usually used inside a garment to provide support or structure. In this collection, they became an essential part of the dress outside, providing it with a modern feel.”
— Roksanda Ilincic

“I wanted the collection to be really sketchy, spontaneous, raw and unfinished, not precious. It’s something I started working on while at St. Martins, and I felt I wanted to go back and explore this more. When you don’t know where you’ll end up, you don’t present a solution. You ask a question with the clothes.”
— Ann Sofie Back

“The collection is inspired by Twenties slinkiness and some Seventies rock ’n’ roll grunge. Colors are deep and dark: aubergine angora, black cherry or mauve crepe. Original Biba prints are reworked: The shot heart is rose-gray or murky rose. The collection is a mixture of well-bred and uninhibited, for the girl on the edge of the party, thoughtfully watching.”
— Bella Freud, Biba

“This season explores the military heritage of Aquascutum, looking at structure and fabric from our archives, adopting a modern approach to proportion and fabrications. The tailored pieces have been inspired by the brand’s connection with men’s tailoring and Savile Row.”
—Michael Hertz, Aquascutum


“I found the postcard of this Delaroche painting a couple of weeks ago. It’s similar to how I’m feeling at the moment. The whole idea behind the collection is this mysterious backdrop of colors. I love the colors and the fabrics. In my collection it’s shown because I am moving away from the body-conscious idea, too. There’s more draping.”
— Christopher Kane




“Asprey is renowned for traditional jewelry designs, silver-making and the use of precious materials for all product categories — it was a natural starting point to look at couture silhouettes and glamour for inspiration. In doing this, I have combined classic shapes with unexpected fabrics to convey a richness and optimism for these new collections.”
— Hakan Rosenius, Asprey

“A return to feminine yet bold fits and flared silhouettes. A smart yet playful feeling — smart but not stuffy.”
— Nick Passmore, Unique, for Topshop