Hail, Britannia

British fall fashions have arrived, embracing an eccentric look that combines prints, patterns and eras

By Nadine Kam

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 04, 2012

~~<p>If you thought you'd heard the last of London with the finale of the Olympic games, think again. The allure of the city's street fashion and the rise of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, as a fashion icon left their impact on designers. You don't have to look far for signs of British influence on fall trends, from ladylike frocks to the opulence of brocades and beading, and crisp, tailored jackets.</p>
<p>All I can say is, it's about time. If your only idea of British fashion is the queen's mumsy look, think again. The late, revered "bad boy of British fashion," designer Alexander McQueen, was only one of the latest in a long lineage of fashion originals, from 19th-century bohemians like Oscar Wilde, to 1960s mods and 1980s punks, whose artistic and musical influences drove their distinctive sartorial choices. Throw in a dash of imperial style, Savile Row tailoring, the anything-goes Carnaby Street ethos and soggy-weather Wellies, trench coats and scarves, and you've got the mad, eclectic London Look.</p>
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If you thought you'd heard the last of London with the finale of the Olympic games, think again. The allure of the city's street fashion and the rise of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, as a fashion icon left their impact on designers. You don't have to look far for signs of British influence on fall trends, from ladylike frocks to the opulence of brocades and beading, and crisp, tailored jackets.

All I can say is, it's about time. If your only idea of British fashion is the queen's mumsy look, think again. The late, revered "bad boy of British fashion," designer Alexander McQueen, was only one of the latest in a long lineage of fashion originals, from 19th-century bohemians like Oscar Wilde, to 1960s mods and 1980s punks, whose artistic and musical influences drove their distinctive sartorial choices. Throw in a dash of imperial style, Savile Row tailoring, the anything-goes Carnaby Street ethos and soggy-weather Wellies, trench coats and scarves, and you've got the mad, eclectic London Look. Login for more...