London Fashion Week took place the third week of September in England’s hip and modern capital this year. The clothes—and models who wore them—took center stage this year, of course, as did the elaborate sets, music, and choreography.
We, however, are going to focus on the boots—naturally! Let’s take a look at the highlights from the hottest Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear collections.
BURBERRY
We’ll begin with Burberry, a British luxury fashion house that’s headquartered in London. Its focus is ready-to-wear outerwear and accessories, and the Burberry plaid, with its signature tan, black, red and white pattern, is instantly recognizable.
Burberry’s 2016 fall show drew from Elizabethan times: frilly detailing on collars and tiny bags were infused into modern-day favorites like oversized sweatshirts and shearling jackets.
In their boots, it was patterned upon patterns with more patterns as the leitmotif: more is definitely more this fall, according to Burberry.
This duo of ankle exotic leather boots in a multitude of delightful patterns features a blocky heel—an overall mainstay of 2016 fall footwear. The large silver buckle is a Victorian nod; Burberry paired these kaleidoscopes of color and pattern with geometrically striped tights.
Here’s a similar version but with a lower heel; note how the pants just skim the tops of the ankles so that the richness of the boot can be displayed in its full glory.
The devil (who may or may not wear Prada) is in the details on this classic silhouette; vertical lines of golden studs topped with a large gold buckle on the left; the matte leather of the right shoe is offset by the oversized shiny, patent leather buckle on the right. And tights lovers, take note! These V-patterns were all over the Burberry runway.
Rag & Bone’s founders are British and the brand is based in New York City; before they met, Nathan Bogle and Marcus Wainwright had no previous design/fashion experience. In 2001, Wainwright spent 18 months in a Kentucky factory working on the perfect pair of men’s jeans—that obsession with perfection and fit informs the brand’s philosophy, he says.
Today, the brand is known for their jeans, footwear, accessories, and both men and women’s ready-to-wear.
Their 2016 fall ready-to-wear collection was big on patchwork: patchwork denim, patchwork knits, sateen and leather pants. These were combined with military references and a bit of British tailoring.
Matte white leather on a low heel and a zipper down the front of the foot—paired with ankle-length pants or jeans, or a knee-length skirt, this is a great everyday boot with minimalistic styling.
The heel’s taller on this version but the matte white leather remains; the criss-cross lacing goes all the way up the boot to the front of the ankle. Rag & Bone paired this version with both jeans and pants that hit just above the ankle to show the footwear off in its entirety.
And in case white leather isn’t quite your thing—or the climate where you live isn’t conducive to it—Rag & Bone also offered these super shiny, sleek patent leather versions. Notice the detailing: the eyelets on the left boot are a matte gold while the boot on the right has white stitching around the top of the sole.
RALPH LAUREN
American fashion icon Ralph Lauren was first inspired to design in 1966 by a European-style necktie that actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. wore; his first store was a necktie store that opened in 1967, where he sold his own designs under the Polo label. Today, the Ralph Lauren brand reports billions of dollars in revenues and has stores in most major U.S. cities.
The 2016 ready-to-wear Ralph Lauren collection echoed the themes the brand’s been known for over the past five decades: a Western glamor combined with a stylized Art Deco flair. The show had plenty of Americana, from cowboy shirts to leather jackets, peppered with Southwestern motifs and details.
This classic silhouette has a tall heel and a geometric pattern made from gold, silver and bronze studs above the ankle—notice a pattern here with boots that hit just above the ankle?
One of the very few boots with a spiky heel—you’ll have, no doubt, noticed how many of this season’s boots have chunky and/or low heels. This elegant boot has two buckles on the side of the ankle; here it’s been paired with matte black tights.
Chocolatey suede knee-high boots have been paired with wide-legged checked pants—a perfectly cozy combo for a productive day at the office when you’re busy rushing from meeting to meeting and then to a late-night dinner to recover from all those meetings.
NINA RICCI
Maria “Nina” Ricci founded her fashion house in Paris in 1932 and was known for her sweeping, romantic, uber-feminine gowns. Her son and co-founder Robert created the fragrance L’Air du Temps in 1948; it’s still a best-seller today. The label pioneered the licensing of their designs in the 1960s before the ready-to-wear concept became a widespread notion. Today, the label is owned by Barcelona-based Puig.
Nina Ricci’s fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection had plenty of colors and lingerie details and a strong emphasis on skins.
As for their boots—compare these to the above Ralph Lauren classic silhouettes! What a delightful contrast.
Let’s all pause and take a moment to admire this Wicked Witch of the West pointy, curved toe. The combination of patent and distressed leathers is paired with a triangular heel for an effect that is nothing short of magical. (And the pairing with a pant that has a zipper on the back of the ankle is another fun touch.)
A shade of lavender; a deeper shade of lavender and then purple around the ankle. Another triangular heel—plus that contrasted V make for a head-turning boot. Here it’s nicely paired with a pair of matte khaki tights.
Showstoppers: What more can be said? Beautiful, luxurious exotic leather; shiny patent leather. Make sure—as above—that your pant cuffs don’t hide any of these amazing details.
KENZO
French luxury house Kenzo was founded by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada, who combined Asian influences with European high fashion’s detailed construction. Today, the brand’s self-proclaimed aim is to shake up the “jungle world” of fashion.
Kenzo’s fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection boots? Not for the faint of heart: Animal-print finishes in bold colors and blocky kitten heels. These are knee-high boots that will get you noticed, no matter what the fall weather brings.
And one more knee-high version from Kenzo, this time a bit more subdued (if you can call deep blue patent leather subdued!).
RACHEL COMEY
Relative newcomer Rachel Comey (she launched her line in 2001) is known for her prints, jumpsuits, and dresses. She’s based in NYC, and her 2016 fall ready-to-wear collection was a testament to her commitment to realness: Her models have varying shapes and sizes—and ages, which is quite rare.
The butterscotch leather on both these booties looks incredibly soft and comfortable; the more classic silhouettes are paired with cropped wide-leg jeans, and a feminine, patterned dress. Delicate white socks peek out the tops of the ankle-high boots on the right.
There’s that white leather again: White Victorian lace-ups with kitten heels and a pair of deep brown suede knee-high boots with block heels. And what’s happening with that pair of boots on the far right? Open-toe, exotic leather front; suede knee-high shaft and a big exotic-leather buckle. For fall days that are still warm and balmy but you’re in an autumn state of mind.
Slouchy brown boots with rounded toes, and a black leather version of the above booties—both paired with her signature printed, feminine dresses. Gorgeous!
One more tableau from Rachel Comey’s fall collection: Exotic leather ankle booties in red and pink, and a luxurious pair of pale beige round-toe booties with a slouchy front. Beauties.
MAISON MAYLE
NYC-based designer Jane Mayle launched her line in 1999 and closed just nine years later—she relaunched in 2014 as Maison Mayle, in no small part because of passionate pleas from her fiercely adoring fans. Her look is glammy with nods to by-gone eras and a fondness for lingerie. She’s all about details, from tiny buttons to cutouts and intricate jewelry.
These red leather boots from her fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection are among our favs. The red is a fantastic pop of color; the heel gives great length and a nice height, and look at the way they transform an outfit composed of neutrals! We’re definitely coveting these lovelies.
See what we mean about Maison Moyle details? A delicate slip just peeks out underneath the knee-length A-line skirt, and the boots go up just above the knees. The leather is speckled and mottled and there’s an extra cuff around the ankle. Elegant.
Very classic silhouette with round toes and blocky heels; the boot material is very black and very matte — the zipper is gold and you can just see it at the top of the inside ankle.
VANESSA SEWARD
French fashion designer Vanessa Seward is Argentina-born and worked for Chanel and Tom Ford at Yves Saint Laurent, and was also Azzaro’s artistic director. She launched her own line in 2001.
Her fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection was filled with 70s flair: belted jumpsuits, silk blouses, culottes, and raw denim jeans.
We only spotted one pair of boots in her fall collection, but we’ll forgive that since they’re insanely gorgeous! Blonde leather, knee-high. Absolutely lovely paired with various outfits, especially this long shearling leather coat; a flowing silk grey knee-length skirt; cuffed raw denim jeans (love that gold scarf there too!); and grey culottes topped with a belted sweater.
SONIA RYKIEL
French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel founded her label in 1968; known as the Queen of Knits, she created the incredibly popular Poor Boy Sweater. How popular? Audrey Hepburn is known to have had more than a dozen in various colors. Sonia died just this past August, but her label lives on and continues to be known for chic and charm.
The fall 2016 collection had a bit of everything: fur; stripes; lace; sequins; plaid; denim; and of course—boots.
Beautiful black leather; a hint of a pointy toe and especially when paired with a dramatic, sweeping red coat—that’s a graceful silhouette. The boots are also perfect when paired with a short coat, like here.
Sonia Rykiel was known for her love of stripes, so this fitted dress is a nice homage—and the deep red (magenta?) boots nicely offset the red stripes on top.
This yellow does not make us mellow! Patterns from head to toe—and unless we’re mistaken, the pattern is composed of a drawing of Sonia Rykiel herself, with her signature bob and heavy fringe bangs.
AKRIS
Swiss fashion label Akris has been around since the 1920s and began with dotted aprons made on one sewing machine. Their signature polka dot is still used today on gift boxes and tissue paper. Today the label is known for luxury goods for women.
We’ll close out this roundup with a duo of perfectly autumn-colored boots from the Akris fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection.
Beautiful orange leather with a high shine on a black heel—these boots come just below the knee. While here they’re paired with an orange dress, orange coat and orange bag, they’d do just as well with blue jeans and a white shirt. Make sure to cuff the jeans—or get a cropped pair—to show off this rich color.
Gorgeous deep chestnut leather—again paired with orange by Akris.
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That concludes our favorites from London’s ready-to-wear fall fashion collections.
Which are your favs? Which can you see yourself wearing? And which do you just roll your eyes at and say, no way?
