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 Paul Smith, who has worked in the industry for more than 40
years, clothed models in silk-printed pajama tops and jackets,
loosely fitted trousers and metallic colored knitwear.
Inspired by an era before big brand clothing stores dominated
the high street, Smith drew on his recollections of the 1960s
when Britons made eccentric fashion statements.
Full-length dressing gown coats and fitted pencil skirts in
shades of grey, dusty pink, ochre and olive green also featured
in Smith's autumn/winter 2014 collection, alongside fluffy
gilets and printed scarves.
Retail clothing chain Topshop used traditional English materials
such as shearling wool for its gilets and jackets, alongside
organza and chiffons embellished with sequins to create a edgy
rebellious look.
Models wore long thick coats draped off the shoulder, in bright
blue and lemon yellow, as well as long flared skirts and cropped
knitted jumpers.
Earlier in the day, designer Richard Nicoll displayed models in
neatly tailored suits and dresses, long skirts with pleated
origami detailing and slouchy jumpers in a medley of
richly-colored shades.
Nicoll said he wanted to experiment with different colors this
season, using russet reds, bright fuchsia, ochre and pale greens
throughout his collection.
"I wanted to play with more opulent, quite traditional colors
but do them in a modern way in modern textures and modern
silhouettes," he said.
"It was important for me to develop textures and patterns and
a richness of feeling, without print and without overly
complicated patterns."
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 British designer Alice Temperley's richly-colored,
folkloric collection was inspired by an embroidered robe she had
seen on a recent trip to Lake Como in Italy.
Models glided down the runway in the ballroom of London's Savoy
hotel, dressed in navy jacquard coats, floor-length crocheted
dresses and sheer-paneled blouses as well Temperley's signature
intricately beaded, jewel-toned evening gowns.
She told Reuters her aim was to make "something
that's kind of exquisite, but very, very wearable".
British Fashion Week, a bi-annual event attended by more than 5,000
people each season, is estimated to bring in around 100 million
pounds ($170 million) in orders.
Ken Downing, fashion director at U.S. luxury retail store Neiman
Marcus, said demand for luxury goods was still strong, with fabric
and manufacturing quality playing a key role.
"Women who are very engaged in fashion and who are really
enthusiastic about brands want super special things," he said.
($1 = 0.5977 British pounds)
(Additional reporting by Brenda Goh;
editing by Alistair Lyon)
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