London Fashion Week’s Sunday events began in the sophisticated surrounds of the Royal Opera House. Perhaps it was the light-flooded venue or the festive vacation-themed spirit, shows were all tinged with an air of optimistic fun.

Thanks to this venue, Nicole Farhi’s beautifully airy and fresh collection seemed even more drenched in sunshine. Classic but thoroughly modern, the playsuits, both long and short, were spot on. Dresses in a variety of cuts—from shift to t-shirt—were relaxed and grown-up but never fussy. A particular stand-out was a pair of pink and grey striped shorts teamed with a crisp white shirt, a look so boyishly pretty it’s sure to be a must have. A soft palette of pastels was teamed with brighter shades of turquoise, yellow and green—the feature print, a painterly affair, worked beautifully with just about everything. If the rapturous round of applause was anything to go by, Farhi’s got it right.

Mulberry’s Carnival collection, meanwhile, was a tasteful take on fairground fun. Getting dressed up to hit the fairground, playful skirt suits, girly biker jackets, head to toe denim, sleeves kept short and puffy—everything felt posh, perfectly tailored and pretty. The crazy horse head and carousel horses prints were beautiful and added a light, youthful element to everything. Bags as always played a starring role—it’s what Mulberry does best—with lots of hardware, soft leather and a variety of sizes from clutch to tote. The top-notch accessories were paired with beautifully crafted no-nonsense shoes from Jonathan Kelsey. The after party at Claridges continued the theme with cotton candy, fair games and the Friendly Fires on hand to get the crowd jumping.

—Lena Dystant