The Best Runway Looks From London Fashion Week Spring 2017

History has been full of forward-thinking English eccentrics, from Queen Elizabeth I to Virginia Woolf toBurberry's own Christopher Bailey, the guy who upturned the show and production schedule last season by fully embracing the see now/buy now set-up and distilling all of the storied house's lines into one runway. And it was precisely all of these inspirations and factors that culminated in an artistic, layered, seasonless and relevant Fall 2016 collection, all available right now.

Bailey pulled Elizabethan-era ruffles, mixed them with rich Renaissance brocades you might find in the Royal V&A and threw in a smidgeon of the gender-bending, androgynous look of Orlando, the main character in Woolf's classic tale by the same name. And by jove, the melting pot of a collection looked louche, elegant and cool all in one. 

Fluid, striped pajama pants were worn under matching tops or silky robes and belted blazer in complementary colors. Sweatshirts with painted landscape prints topped lacy skirts while military jackets, striped PJ tops and ruffled skirts made up other looks. 

Two cream sweaters, both layered over printed blouses and pants, had the structure of Elizabethan boned bodices but without the corsetry—a feat of Burberry's looms and inhouse team. Elsewhere, army green trenches had the softness of house robes and men's cravats peeked out of military jackets worn by women. And one slouchy-sleeved pale pink sweater was seen on both a man and a woman, and looked equally on point.

The collection epitomized the fearless eccentricity balanced with smart traditional tailoring that defines British fashion, especially since Bailey took over Burberry so long ago. Everything had a throw-on-and-go appeal—something that other designers work hard to achieve but where here, felt natural and effortless. 

It feels like Christopher Kane is still the brash, visionary upstart of London Fashion Week. And yet, spring celebrated his 10th anniversary; it's been a decade since his Central Saint Martin's student collection caught the eye of just about everyone in the industry for its inventiveness—a signature that Kane has carried through and pushed further. 

The first half of his Spring 2017 collection promoted the contrast of beauty and the beast—ladylike jackets and pencil skirts, cardigan combos and day dresses done in various mixes of animal prints, dyed fur and string-embroidered flora and fauna. It was a vibrant and heady mix; relatable but also stylishly out-there.

Kane likes to mine English dress codes and in some cases, stereotypes, for the runway. Rainy day chic was a past theme, while this season, there was a bit of the housewife to slipdresses paired with matching day bags, frumpy cardigans styled off one shoulder and in what will surely be the most talked about shoe of the season, Crocs gussied up with raw stones. 

Evening was pure granny glamour in the best possible way. Pleated silver or blue lamé were spun into draped dresses and party frocks. While safety pins kept the panels of a black silk dress together while showing a bit of skin. 

Kane's other major dichotomy was the play of lingerie against religious motifs. Lacy bras and slips walked out as if from straight from the boudoir while prints of saints and medallions were worked into asymmetric tops. Because every woman is a sinner and a saint. And as for Kane, his runway continues to be one of the most interesting every season.

For spring, Erdem Moralioglu took his damsels to sea and shipwrecked them. But even in the midst of nautical disaster, these women looked put together and elegant, like the feistiest of Austen or Bronte heroines. 

Erdem patterns and prints were crafted into ladylike silhouettes that recalled historic styles—trim jackets with matching long skirts or laced together with giant velvet bows or off-the-shoulder gowns and picnic dresses.

Silver on black florals stood out for glamour factor, especially when paired with high platform sandals wrapped up the ankle with ribbons. Ruched bodices, layered ruffle hems and high, covered-up necks accented with tiny frills will please the Mr. Darcy-lovers and ultra romantics. 

Moralioglu mixed in different influences—gothic, Georgian, Napoleonic—playing around with waist heights, volume and details. Black leather velvet was threaded through the models' hair or used to secure a flowing gown. 

As much as the runway read like a historical romance, Moralioglu added slits at the shoulder and waist for a little subtle peekaboo action. But the real ball will start when he translates these pretty prints into the fit-and-flare day dresses that his customers love.

Every season, Roksanda Ilincic finds a way to take her favorite vintage silhouettes and make them work for a modern woman through savvy color choices and stylish accessories. This season, she worked with Malone Souliers on those covetable flat shoes and Cutler and Gross on eyewear. 

While silhouettes were left long and flowing in a Seventies sportswear kind of way, Ilincic introduced a sporty element by way of athletic jersey trims on silky dresses or baseball jerseys reworked as long, color blocked look. 

Roksanda is known for its feminine m.o., and this worked even for masculine suiting —namely a terrific gray suit. The cropped waist and molded, exaggerated sleeves paired with a racer striped-roomy trouser looked polished and different.

Dresses had a relaxed, easy to wear vibe but didn't skimp on an elegant sexiness. Necklines dipped, shapes skimmed the body and bits of hairy fringe added eye-catching movement. She offered a surreal graphic print, one that matched the organic MDF cutouts lining her runway.

Colors included earthy tones mixed with dark contrasts and a punch of yellow. Yellow showed up for a canary kind of evening in silky t-shirt evening gowns and racer-back looks which were detailed with fluffs placement fringe. Fringe played big for all of Roksanda evening, with tufts of eyelash fringe detailing everything from white blouses and culottes to dramatic lacy gowns.