The last couple of weeks have been an exciting time for British fashion. After London was once again crowned the fashion capital of the world and Net-a-Porter’s Natalie Massenet was reported to become the British Fashion Council’s new chairman, everyone was looking forward to even more excitement. London Fashion Week did indeed deliver!

Highlights included Maria Grachvogel, Bora Aksu, Sass&Bide and Todd Lynn, four brands that presented collections with very different philosophies behind them.

Grachvogel’s creations for 2013’s Spring/Summer season featured a mix of sophisticated tailoring, playful summer outfits and a consistent colour palette of mostly grey and nude tones with only a dash of yellow, green or red here and there. What made the collection stand out were the very fresh yet grown-up approach, the very light materials and the clever use of blurry prints and sheer fabrics.

Aksu went into a completely different direction with equally silky and light fabrics, a number of knee-length pencil skirts and A-line dresses and very girly floral designs. The collection was proof of attention to detail and a great deal of craftsmanship.

Designer duo Sass&Bide presented an incredibly modern mix of sophistication and femininity in a location that seemed exceptionally intimate compared to the buzzing Somerset House. Their designs ranged from mini-skirts to floor-length dresses and trousers and every look made a clear statement without ever being tacky or over-decorated.

Todd Lynn mixed silky fabrics with velvet-like materials and leather to complete a collection of very sculptural and well-constructed outfits with great attention to detail, sticking to mainly black, neutral tones, red and pale colours.

What these four labels have in common is a very mature approach to fashion and design, even when it comes to looks that are created for a young wearer. The collections are the product of imagination and craftsmanship and – depending on the occasion – always wearable. The over-the-top playfulness that some of London’s young designers make use of to compensate for a lack of technical skills is something you won’t find here, which makes these brands the ones to keep an eye on in the future!

Another highlight was Chinese designer Ji Cheng, who has created a collection based on the subject of tea and the tradition of tea-making. With a mix of unusual fabrics, olive green and lots of cream and white, she managed to stay true to Chinese tradition, without getting lost in clichés or a too European view on Asian cultures.

Craig Lawrence shaped a whole knitwear collection consisting of dresses, shorts, tops and skirts in all shapes and sizes out of very fine and silvery, almost wire-like threats. Some of the designs had a very cheeky touch to them, leaving little to the imagination, while others were very chic and elegant, but all of them were quite original.

Edeline Lee’s presentation was without a doubt one of the most heart-warming ones. The rooms of the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington were the setting for a theatre-like performance of models working with maps, globes and all kinds of instruments, dressed in very wearable 1940’s-inspired dresses with geometrical cuts, jackets and jumpsuits.

London’s colour palette for next summer will definitely be a more toned-down one, with lots of black and white, nude tones and pastel colours. Skirts and dresses will come in all shapes and lengths and sheer fabrics will move on from being a show-stopper to being used like any other fabric, no matter what part of the body they (don’t) cover.

A full round-up of FAULT’s favourite Spring 2013 looks, chosen by chief stylist Tallulah Harlech, will be included in our Spring issue (Issue #14)