London Fashion Week How’d They Make That?

JW Anderson’s London Spring/Summer 2025 Collection – minimal mini-silhouettes (Image credit: Vogue.com)

Do you ever watch a runway show and ask yourself “I wonder how they made that?”

This blogpost is a continuation of our fashion month coverage, this time London! In this post, I single out the work of two London designers, JW Anderson and Erdem and then point to specific lessons on the University of Fashion website where you can learn how a particular look or design detail was either draped, drafted or sewn.

JW ANDERSON

 Half Circle Mini Skirt & Tank Top

JW Anderson’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection was an homage to his sister. In his post-show debrief, Anderson talked about “girly independence”. His clothes clearly focused on young people’s attitudes and how the young  generation want to dress. His collection is a study in shape, simplicity, minimal mini-silhouettes and sexual fluidity. (see above and below images).
JW Anderson’s crewneck tank and half circle mini-skirt look (Image credit: Vogue.com)

To learn how to draft the above crewneck tank and half circle mini-skirt look, check out these UoF lessons:UoF lessons: Drafting a Crew Neckline for Knits and Drafting a Half Circle Skirt

Quarter Circle Dresses, Dirndl Sundresses, Bustier Bodices & Spaghetti Straps

JW Anderson’s quarter circle dresses, drop waist dirndl bustier sundresses with spaghetti straps (Image credit: Vogue.com)

JW Anderson continued to play with shape and circles by designing flirty dropped waist quarter-circle dresses and pretty dropped waist dirndl bustier sundresses with spaghetti straps.

To learn how to draft the above looks check out these UoF lessons:

UoF lessons: Drafting a Quarter Circle Skirt, Draping a Bustier Bodice, Draping a Yoke Dirndl Skirt and Sewing Spaghetti Straps

Minimal Min-dress ShiftsJW Anderson’s minimalist shift dresses (Image credit: Vogue.com)

Learn how to drape a classic shift dress. Then feel free to cinch it at the waist, shorten it or even add a hood!  UoF lesson: Draping a Shift Dress

ERDEM

Erdem ‘s London Spring/Summer 2025-Spring Summer 2025 collection of beaded looks (Image credit: Vogue.com)

Designer Erdem Moralioglu was inspired by novelist Radclyffe Hall, whose book The Well of Loneliness (a kind LGBTQIA+ bible) was banned by the British government in 1928 for its portrayal of a female character called Stephen and her lover Mary. In fact, the title page of the book was sewn onto the cuff of every suit as badge of honor (see image top right).

Erdem’s extraordinarily bedazzling and sparkling crystal embroideries appeared throughout the collection on dresses, tunics, the bottom of capes, and strategically placed on coat shoulders and sleeves (see above images).

Whether you choose hand-beading or the use of a Tambour frame, we have several lessons that will inspire you to add embellishments to your designs:UoF lessons: Beading Needle Embroidery, Tambour Beading and Tambour Embroidery 

So, tell us, is there a look that you are going to want to try your hand at? Draping, drafting, sewing or beading?