The A-Z Of Fashion Month

Undoubtedly the key print of autumn/winter 2018 was all about animal inspiration. Leopard, snakeskin and zebra prints ruled on every catwalk from Tom Ford to Victoria Beckham, Max Mara to Givenchy (pictured).

Probably one of the more surprising accessories to have come out of the season was put forward by Calvin Klein (pictured), Preen, Alexander Wang, Gucci and Dior. Although they were all done slightly differently, a knitted high-end balaclava of some form is definitely going to be key for the new season.

There was a Wild West feeling across the collections this season and particularly when it came to footwear. Look to Dolce & Gabbana, Emporio Armani, Isabel Marant but particularly Fendi (pictured) for the chicest of cowboy-boot inspiration.

A truly modern move in the world of fashion shows came from Dolce & Gabbana in Milan, who chose to showcase its new-season handbags not on models, but on drones. The future is here.

Hollywood favourite Elle Fanning made her catwalk debut on the final day of fashion month, walking alongside the likes of Kaia Gerber for Miu Miu in Paris. Fanning opened and closed the show, proving that she could easily trade in the big screen for the catwalk, if she ever wanted to.

Autumn/winter 2018 marked the end of an era for a number of notable fashion houses. Carolina Herrera presented her final designs for her eponymous label (pictured), Jason Wu showed his last collection for Hugo Boss, Christopher Bailey took his final bow at Burberry, Guillaume Henry departed Nina Ricci and there was a Phoebe Philo-shaped hole at Céline for the first time in a decade.

Perhaps the most headline-grabbing show of fashion month came from Gucci. In an unexpected turn, Alessandro Michele sent models down the catwalk carrying replicas of their own heads, resulting in a somewhat hilarious copycat trend on Instagram.

Apparently it is no longer acceptable to simply hang your handbag on your shoulder. According to the styling of the Rejina Pyo (pictured), Tory Burch, Tibi, Chanel and Acne catwalks, the new trend is to fold your big tote in half and hold it close to your body. Hey, no one said that fashion had to be practical.

One of the most iconic 'It' bags of the noughties, the Dior Saddle bag, was revived on the brand's autumn/winter 2018 catwalk. After experiencing somewhat of a resurrection on Instagram – via the likes of Bella Hadid and Elsa Hosk – creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri very cleverly tapped into demand and recreated the bag in four statement styles.

Solidifying itself as one of the coolest labels on the planet, Jacquemus was one of the most talked-about shows of Paris Fashion Week, due not only because of the Instagram-friendly designs, but also because of the speculation that surrounded its namesake designer. Simon Porte Jacquemus teased fans with news of a #NewJob and rumours quickly circulated that he would be going to Versace. It was a very clever (if a little sneaky) trick of bringing attention to the fact that he would be launching menswear at his own house.

Once the most talked-about model on the planet, Kendall Jenner, was noticeably absent, choosing to skip fashion month altogether for the first time since she hit the big time. Although the model didn't comment on her decision to avoid the catwalk this season, she has been open about the anxiety it gives her and her desire to pull back from her career a bit.

If animal inspiration dominated the prints this season, there was one that was far more prominent than any other, particularly when it came to outerwear – leopard-print coats. Seen on major catwalks in every single city, there is no doubt that they will be all over the front row next season.

(Pictured: Victoria Beckham)

Central Saint Martins graduate and Fashion East alum Matty Bovan held his very first solo show at London Fashion Week this season, unofficially kicking off the week in style. The designer – who runs his studio from York – is very vocal about his negative views on mass production and is considered to be one of British fashion's brightest young stars.

Budapest-born label Nanushka might have been around for almost 13 years, but the brand is currently making headlines bigger than it ever has before. Loved by stylish fashion influencers and editors the world over, this Instagram-friendly label showed at New York Fashion Week for the first time this season. Now, prepare to see it everywhere.

If you're into subtle accessorising, autumn/winter 2018 is not going to be kind to you. From extra-long dangly tassel earrings at Zadig & Voltaire (pictured) to extreme hoops at Tom Ford, colourful chunky designs at Balenciaga and extraordinary embellishment at Dolce & Gabbana, prepare to dress your ears up to the nines next season.

Far better than any designer handbag were the accessories at Tod's, which saw models take to the catwalk carrying adorable puppies. Slightly less cuddly however were the dragon puppies on the Gucci catwalk.

Topping pretty much every front row of all time was the Richard Quinn show on the final day of London Fashion Week which saw real-life royalty in attendance to take in the new collection. The Queen was there to present the first inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for Fashion Design.

Christopher Bailey's swansong for Burberry was dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ communities around the world. For the show, the trademark check was turned into rainbow colours and model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne returned to the catwalk for a triumphant finale, dressed in a floor-length rainbow cape.

Slick white boots might have ruled the feet of the street-style set this season, but come September, it is going to be all about snakeskin. Zimmermann (pictured), Rochas, Proenza, Rejina Pyo and Coach were just a few brands to make a case for them – and we need no more convincing to wear them.

Next season, if you're not folding your huge handbag in half and carrying it like a clutch, you'll be toting around a teeny, tiny handbag instead. Also completely impractical but incredibly covetable were the mini bags seen on the catwalks of Jacquemus, Giambattista Valli (pictured), Chanel and Altuzurra.