Accessories Were Cutely Quirky at London Fashion Week for Spring 2025
At London Fashion Week, luxury labels and emerging brands seem to agree: eclectic is in for spring.
Ludicrously capacious bags — the best kind — were slung around models’ shoulders at Burberry’s spring 2025 show. Hobos, buckets and saddlebags, oh my, came unlined and lightweight, stamped with and without Burberry’s signature check.
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Strappy sandals, sneakers and loafers came down the runway, too, but the real standouts were the enticingly offbeat studded loafers with clasp detailing, which came in white, blush, violet and hunter green.
At JW Anderson, models were shod in low-slung, zipper-flecked leather boots, coquettishly unzipped in the back. Toying with trompe l’oeil, the coin-holding part of a penny-loafer became the main detail on handbags, giving them a sense of humor.
Simone Rocha’s collaboration with Crocs, which entered its third installment this season, shared that same sense of light-heartedness. Alongside the collaborators’ existing bejeweled platform clog was a new silhouette: a fun platform fisherman sandal, jazzed up with the designer’s signature crystal embellishments.
Ancuta Sarca is another Croc collaborator this season, her cutely quirky range a natural fit for Crocs. The collaboration was born when brands connected post-Sarca’s Emerging Talent Award win at the 2023 Footwear News Awards. Footwear News is a sister publication of WWD.
“Their bold approach to design and comfort perfectly aligns with my vision of merging practicality with unconventional style,” explained Sarca, their collaboration resulting in a flocked trainer-loafer-Croc hybrid platform.
Other whimsical shoe offerings came in leopard print, some duck-like with boxy toes, and others with their very own pointed collars.
In a bid to showcase high performance durability and affinity to queer club culture, Untitlab introduced its mega statement inflatable latex boots with sweaty dancing and a model hanging mid-air wearing the new style.
Aaron Esh brought back rocker-chic in a big way at his recent runway. But what’s a rock star without their uber oversized black-out shades? Enter Fiona Hartley, System Magazine’s digital director, who masterminded the collection’s boxy eyewear, coolly completing the collection’s gritty vibe.
Miles Davis, the American jazz trumpeter and bandleader, was the starting point for the eyewear range. In the ’60s and ’70s he was rarely seen without a pair of oversized sunglasses.
“This era’s particularly interesting to me because it’s shortly after when the eyewear industry really boomed, as well as eyewear for fashion itself for the first time,” said Hartley.
“Similarly for Aaron Esh they play a certain role in Aaron creating these characters for his shows. We were also drawing comparisons between the socio-economic climate of that era in comparison to now,” she added.
Hartley’s sunglasses almost cover the whole face, almost as a shield of protection for the face. “I want to leave the house for a coffee and have half of my face covered,” she said.
Similarly edgy was Newgen accessories brand The Winter House, which made its debut at London Fashion Week this season. Founded in 2022 by creative director Liam Winter, the brand specializes in chunky silver jewelry.
At the other end of the spectrum was Malone Souliers, which embraced Old Hollywood and 1950s pin-ups. Kitten heels were pointed and open-toed, coming in poppy bursts of red, polka-dotted, and printed with sweet florals. All-black pairs were encrusted with crystal embellishments.
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