Ever since it was announced earlier this March that Riccardo Tisci would be replacing Christopher Bailey as Burberry’s creative head honcho, industry insiders and fans everywhere have been rabidly speculating what the designer, known for his darkly romantic-meets-street aesthetic, might bring to the British legacy house. The show, entitled “Kingdom”, took place in an enormous warehouse and I think it’s safe to say that it defied people’s expectations with its multi-faceted offerings of134 looks in total. There were certainly Givenchy-era Tisci-isms such as Bambi references but he opened the show with quietly elegant interpretations of Burberry’s signature trench coats that rewarded on closer inspection, including one that came edged in metal ringlets and the house’s signature checkered motif re-interpreted into sleek stripes.

If one had any reservations however, it was that at 134 looks, the collection could have been edited to be more concise. Tisci’s reasoning? He was designing for the “mother and the daughter, the father and the son”. In other words, he’s catering for all generations, not just the hype-minded Millennials so many other brands are obsessed with these days though for the latter, there was plenty of fare to keep them satisfied as well.

Irish native Simone Rocha has always been known for a sense of hyper-romantic, ethereal gauziness and while her latest work doesn’t deviate from that, it was a highly memorable collection. For one thing, it featured prints — something not typically associated with Rocha, who’s better known for her intricate embroidery. The prints were akin to antiquarian Chinese portraits and tied in with Rocha’s original inspiration, the Tang Dynasty, though other eagle-eyed observers have argued that the prints portray Qing Dynasty concubines. If it sounds like an unusual point of inspiration, the designer has Chinese connections through her father’s side of the family. Paired with the diaphanous tulle shrouds and veils, the effect was both funereal yet deeply moving.

Well. Who would have though the former Spice Girl’s eponymous label would have lasted 10 years?Yet it continues to go from strength to strength. Yes, industry folks do tend to gripe that Beckham’s pieces tend to be reminiscent of other designers, but if that’s true, she offers one of the most polished and desirable takes then. The look this season continues the label’s penchant for effortless tailoring with a sporty-luxe edge — though with a new and rather interesting proposition: extremely narrow trousers with a distinctive V-shaped split at the ankles that was worn under dresses, skirts and everything else — refer to the middle look.

This may only have been Richard Quinn‘s third collection but he’s showing that he has the ability to evolve beyond just his idiosyncratic digital prints. The Queen might not have attended this season but she’d surely have loved his nods to the great couture silhouettes of past decades that came decked out in yes, the brilliant floral prints that he’s known for but also festooned with glamorous marabou feathers. Touchingly, Quinn also invited students from his former schools to his front row to witness the action. Why? The designer says that too many students are opting out of arts-related subjects (he cited a 34% drop in GSCE-Arts entries), and that the subject is under threat due to government cuts in funding. All I can say is, that was a beautiful gesture and a great way to bring attention to what is often an overlooked issue.

From left to right: Mary Katranzou, Erdem and Simone Rocha

Let’s just say it: fashion folks love a dramatic moment and head accoutrements are one of the best ways to bring on the drama. With big floral headdresses making the September covers of both British and US Vogue (on Rihanna and Beyonce respectively), could this be the next step up?