Meadham Kirchhoff V Simone Rocha

Two entirely different shows give a great sense of the breadth of London Fashion Week: the eclectic and out-there Meadham Kirchhoff and the elegantly refined Simone Rocha.

Meadham Kirchhoff were once again channeling their sexy brand of Victoriana with knee-high socks and stockings, gaudy reds, blues, and yellows; and, at the other end of the spectrum, Simone Rocha dazzled with her sophisticated and eminently wearable brand of party dress.

What Edward Meadham and his partner Benjamin Kirchhoff arguably share with Rocha, however, is a thrift-store inspiration. But whereas Rocha pares the color back, exploring texture with fauns and whites and creams, Meadham Kirchhoff seem to delight in saturating and turbo-charging the palette to an almost carnival intensity.

Good times.