Jonathan Saunders

It seems as though Jonathan Saunders was inspired by peacocks, butterfly wings, or the inside of a shell for his Spring 2013 collection — the Scottish designer, who was the winner of Vogue's Fashion Fund award this year, showed a bevy of iridescent separates like pencil skirts and vests, while also incorporating the shimmery stuff into stripes and sheer panels. Jonathan's ladylike collection had a little something for everyone — for the woman who wants to look work-appropriate but give a little nod to her high-fashion sensibilities, there were tailored shifts, pencil skirts, and crisp jackets featuring an intriguing (iridescent) print that mimicked falling raindrops. For the city-chic cool girl that just wants to get street style snapped, we saw exposed bra tops with high-waisted skirts and slouchy windbreakers — almost calling to mind an '80s-era Members Only look.

• Trends: Stripes, ombré, iridescence, colorblocking, sheer, sequins.
• Colors: Red, black, white, silver, teal.
• Key Piece: The iridescent pencil skirt with knit top, silver shift dress with iridescent vest.
• Accessories: Patent leather cutout heels, oversize mirrored sunglasses.
• Who Should Wear It: Sartorially brave stars like Kate Bosworth, Katy Perry, and Sienna Miller.

Jonathan Saunders was feeling highly iridescent for Spring 2013. He opened with a bevy of shiny pencil skirts, tanks, and sporty zip-up jackets that were blindingly original. Once the shine factor made its impact, Saunders shifted his focus to less in-your-face pieces: oversize trench coats, dotted dresses, blazers, wrap pencil skirts, colorblock dresses, and striped skirt suits. Coming full circle, at the end of the catwalk presentation, the designer finished strong with more shine in the form of sequined pencil skirts, cardigans, and '20s-style dresses.

>> The Wong Kar-wai film, In The Mood for Love, and the works of Charlotte Perriand, Vanessa Beecroft and David Hockney were the reference points for Jonathan Saunders Fall 2012 collection. The result? A tight selection of swing frocks, equestrian coats, and full-flared skirts in a romantic palette of metallic jewel tones and high-contrast brights. "After last season's whimsical I wanted to do something that was more buttoned-up. The drugged-up housewife has changed into a very wealthy, eccentric young lady." the recent BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund winner explained.

>> Wallpaper patterns — inspired by architect Charlotte Perriand's graphic interiors — and high-contrast colorblock in a robust palette made up Jonathan Saunders's first foray into Pre-Fall. Silhouettes were easy, youthful, and 60s-tinged — just perfect for showing off all those interesting textures and prints.

For Spring 2012, Jonathan Saunders took an extremely juicy trip to '50s ladylike dressing, giving us a collection of ultra-feminine dresses and separates in an array of colors that wasn't unlike the contents of a Starburst tropical fruit package. Add to that Indian-inspired prints and a curlicue print that reminded us of a Palm Beach grandmother's white wrought iron fence, and you have a bold collection that channels the ladylike dressing of the 1950s without any real primness, but a real sense of fun. There were more boyish options too, via slouchy bermuda shorts and silky pajama tops — intended for a platform shoe and boyfriend blazers.

• Trends: Bright color, bold print, '50s ladylike dressing, pajama dressing, bermuda shorts.
• Colors: Aqua, citrus — lemon, lime, orange, bright pink.
• Key Piece: The printed full-skirted dresses, slouchy bermuda shorts, but really anything in the curlicue print.
• Accessories: Bright, tropical-looking platform espadrilles.
• Who Would Wear It: It's a versatile collection that could be worn by England's current fashion leading ladies like Kate Middleton or Samantha Cameron, or style cuties like Olivia Palermo and Alexa Chung.

>> The sunset shades of Miami Beach met the undone ladies of Valley of the Dolls in Jonathan Saunders Spring 2012 collection. Pastel peachy and blue hues — punctuated by vivid brights like aqua, orange, and fuchsia — turned  up on updated '60s separates, while prints like a turquoise tile-print and a delicate polka dot were splashed across silky tops and full-skirted shifts. “I’ve been toying with the idea of ‘pretty’,” he explained.

Saunders spent the last year doing trunk shows in Boston, L.A. and New York — and his new-found understanding of his customer showed. With all the easy shapes and gorgeous color mixing, this season felt ladylike, elegant, wearable — and ultimately, super fresh.

>> Another season, another London Fashion Week down. But which six collections do we see sticking in our minds for the ages? Cue slideshow.