London Fashion Week spring-summer 2016: patriotism with a twist

Location, location, location is what real estate agents constantly drum into prospective buyers and the same is true of fashion. London Fashion Week finds a new home in Soho, the once gritty, slightly sleazy area north of theatreland that is a centre for nightlife and edgy fashion. For spring-summer 2016, London runways seemed to look close to home for inspiration. Tradition, patriotism and craft were big news on catwalks this season, done with a rebellious British streak.

One minute we are watching Topshop Unique from a building that overlooks Westminster Abbey; then we are in City Hall where mayor Boris Johnson meets his council, watching the Preen show - when we are not distracted by the sunny views of the Tower of London. Simone Rocha takes us into the gilded palace of Lancaster House more used to entertaining heads of state. On another day we are up in the Sky Garden (of the so-called Walkie-Talkie) with Christopher Kane, the views regrettably obscured by drizzle.

Designers are clearly proud of their city and a sense of patriotism filters through their collections for next spring. Burberry Prorsum offers us sweet thigh-grazing lace dresses, with every inch of the intricate patterns made in Britain. Similarly, all the military gold embroidery on the peacoats, jackets and capes was made by the same embroiderers that decorate the coats of the Queen's Guard.

British pennies were not only heaped onto Gareth Pugh's catwalk but also stitched in their thousands like brassy paillettes on shorts, vests and shifts. Pugh's red and white colour palette meanwhile is the same as his favourite team - Sunderland FC.

Anya Hindmarch's kaleidoscopic presentation of shoulder bags, clutches and backpacks cleverly made the most of the abstract branding patterns from famous names of the British high street such as John Lewis, Mothercare and WHSmith.