London Fashion Week day one: Mithridate by Daniel W Fletcher

London Fashion Week kicked off on Thursday with what promises to be an interesting five days due to Mulberry’s runway comeback, McQueen’s London return and M&S’s LFW catwalk debut.

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But it’s also interesting for the strong line-up of British and international names, emerging labels, low-key stalwarts and stars. Daniel W Fletcher perhaps sums up all of those descriptors and his collection for China’s Mithridate was one of the stronger names that introduced LFW’s SS27 season to the world.

The combined women’s and men’s collection offered us plenty of Fletcher codes (especially the tailoring) and there was a strong nod to the 1980’s too as well as military styling. But don’t think Dynasty dressing or full-on camo.

Yes there were some exaggerated (read that as hard to wear) shoulderlines, but slouchy knee-length pencil skirts, mini bubble skirts, epaulette shirts with a military edge, slim-cut jackets with brass buttons, roomy blousons (the casual jacket of the moment), ubiquitous classic men’s shirting, and cummerbunds (high-waisted or hip-slung), all looked eminently commercial. 

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There was a feel of the New Romantics too, yet again, this wasn’t about costume but about clothing — the kind of pieces you can buy and wear from day to evening.

This being a runway show though, there was a touch of theatricality — think an 80’s-style Madonna influence with corset tops complete with dangling suspenders. A playful corset vest combined with a Madonna-meets-Carrie Bradshaw tutu sent the flashbulbs popping.

Yet given that this was Mithridate rather than Mugler the focus was on comfortable wearability and layering over masculine shirting rather than in-your-face sexiness. 

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And on the subject of the classic men’s shirt, it’s a foundation piece for both men’s and womenswear for the label this season, as are preppy striped rugby tops and fine-gauge cable-knit sweaters.

The collection also confirmed that the roomy double-breasted is the way forward for men’s suiting.

As for the palette, this may have been a spring collection but in some ways it was surprisingly autumnal. The sunshine yellows and pinks came along with all-seasons scarlet, cool-weather greens, browns, low-key blues and greys. Don’t forget, spring collections start to drop while the weather outside is still distinctly chilly. Fletcher clearly likes to keep it practical, whatever the season.

See the show here.