The One-Shoulder Trend Gets A Serious Makeover On The LFW Runways

Unless you’re glued to your screens and tuning into every runway show at London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023 right now, you’re likely to miss a few key fashion trends on the rise right. But luckily, TZR has kept one eye out for you. One of the most dominate design details that has walked the catwalks thus far? The one-shoulder trend, apparent in many of the city’s current collections. Designers, across the board, gave their own unique takes on this classic silhouette, which you can further explore and see ahead.

For one, Rejina Pyo sent a silky, ivory-colored dress down the runway that featured a cold-shoulder moment. The design cut sharply into the model’s upper frame while the rest of the dress embodied a more modest feel, from the mock-neck design to the knee-length hemline. One can immediately imagine all the minimalist brides-to-be seeking out this number next season for their wedding fêtes. Additionally, this was the only one-shoulder style in Pyo’s entire collection, which made the look that much more special and standout. And while the designer opted for a less-is-more approach (see below), other creative directors took a stab at merging the one-shoulder design with other of-the-moment aesthetics like maximalist prints.

London-based fashion designer David Koma, for example, sent body contouring one-shoulder dresses down the runway that showcased the most vibrant of hues. Some might liken this pattern to light rays reflected on a soap bubble while others could find more clarity in it being a vaguely abstract, cool pattern. According to Vogue, Koma’s Spring 2023 collection was inspired by merging “aquatic elements with everyday city discoveries” — so with this in mind, you can feel free to draw your own conclusions about the look, too. Elsewhere in the same lineup, Koma presented various one-shoulder mini dresses in even more psychedelic colors that will speak to the bold and unfiltered dressers for next summer.

It’s paramount to note, however, that the one-shoulder design has been around for decades. Some fashion writers explain the historical significance of the asymmetrical style, namely that one-shoulder numbers were worn by everyone, from Amazon warriors of ancient Greece to Bianca Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor. (The latter two stars were partial to designer Roy Halston’s take on the one-shoulder dresses as he merged the one-armed jungle dress look with the silhouette of Grecian glamour gowns.) Other writers link today’s current obsession with one-shoulder outfits back to the fascination with early 2000s style, as this aesthetic has permeated throughout the fashion industry.

History lesson aside, it seems like many designers at LFW got the one-shoulder memo and gave their best takes on it for next season. Like his colleagues, Jonathan Anderson at his eponymous label JW Anderson debuted several of the most memorable asymmetrical pieces you might’ve seen this year. The Spring 2023 collection includes a fish print mini dress knotted at the shoulders (the image itself was lifted from stock digital pictures Anderson found and purchased on the internet for a dollar) as well as a more understated one-shoulder lace LBD.

For those who are now sold on test-driving this trend next summer, no matter what your style aesthetic might be — muted and classic or fiercely exuberant — rest assured you will find a one-shoulder piece that is just right for you. Clearly, the LFW designers made sure of this.