London Fashion Week How’d They Make That?

JW Anderson's collection of half circle skirts and bodices

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 mini-half circle skirt looks
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 on drafting a hard circle skirt and crew neckline 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 designs for London Fashion Week 2025

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 JW Anderson - Quarter Circle Bustier dirndl spaghetti straps

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 fashions for London Fashion WeekJW 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 on Draoing a Shift Dress  UoF lesson: Draping a Shift Dress

ERDEM

Erdem designs for London Fashion Week

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 on beading and embroideryUoF 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?

 

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Headshot of Francesca Sterlacci

Francesca Sterlacci is the CEO of University of Fashion (UoF) which she founded in 2008 as the first on-demand online fashion video library bringing the art and craft of fashion design and business to schools, libraries, organizations and the general public. As owner of her eponymous label for ten years, her collection sold in fine stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Barneys and Nordstrom. As a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology for 11 years, she became Chair of the Fashion Design Department where she initiated the complete revision of their AAS and BFA degree programs, as well as wrote three certificate programs: Leather Fashion Design, Outerwear and Haute Couture. Francesca has also taught graduate level fashion design at the Academy of Art University San Francisco for six years, both on site and online. Her publishing accomplishments include: Leather Apparel Design, the Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry (First and Second Editions), the A-Z of the Fashion Industry, Leather Fashion Design and a 3-volume beginner series on Draping, Pattern Making and Sewing designed to complement the UoF lessons. She has also made literary contributions to both the Encyclopedia of Clothing & Fashion and You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Women. Francesca holds an AAS, BA and an MSEd (master’s degree in higher education).