Victoria Beckham made a clarion call for a "gentle rebellion" at London Fashion Week on Sunday with a sophisticated but wearable collection.

"I wanted to explore how to honor tradition but challenge convention. To be subversive yet sophisticated," the designer said in her collection notes.

"The collection is about staying true to ourselves and our woman, but still surprising her, and us. Twisting our codes," she added, "This is what I call my gentle rebellion."

The catwalk was lit up by fluid black dresses worn with platform boots that wouldn't have looked out of place on some of her former Spice Girls, a small-checked culotte skirt brightened up by a yellow sweater and a turtleneck sweater dress with diamonds cut out of the sleeves.

The pop star turned designer said her autumn/winter 2020/21 collection came from "thinking about the tension between refinement and rebellion."

"I was inspired by different women's ideas of women – different characters, different moments and different attitudes – but with no restrictions."

The models paraded on a reflective floor in Whitehall's lavish Banquet House, adorned with imposing chandeliers and a ceiling painted by Rubens in 1636.

Earlier on Saturday, different aspects of femininity lit up London Fashion Week, from the chic of Petar Petrov to the playful colors of Molly Goddard and the unabashed glamour of Halpern.

Petar Petrov presented his women's autumn/winter 2020/21 collection as his first London show. The designer, whose brand has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, unveiled the elegant and sober collection in the surroundings of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) listed headquarters located near Regent's Park.

The collection was marked by extra long flared sleeves and wide trouser suits held in place by thin belts.

Versatility was key, with coats worn as dresses and scarf necks and draped jackets that can be tied in different ways.

"I grew up without elegance, I grew up in a socialistic town and everyone had the same," said the designer, who grew up in Bulgaria and the Ukraine with his tailor mother.

He inherited her love of fabrics, a legacy that has become central to the company's ethos.

By contrast, Molly Goddard brought bright colors and fun to the catwalk, with candy-pink tulle dresses and frills on display.

The 31-year-old Briton said she was inspired by her childhood and visiting London's vintage markets.

"It was sort of the starting point for my collection, my childhood near Portobello market, it was such a fun area," she said after the show, explaining that as a child she dressed up especially to go to the bric-a-brac stalls.

Their spirit is reflected in her mix of styles, with dresses and petticoats worn with mohair sweaters in an explosive palette of canary yellow, royal blue, pink, red and fuchsia, the designer's favorite color.

Fuchsia and electric blue fabrics showered in sequins were the shimmering themes for Michael Halpern, a London-based New Yorker who has been called the "king of new glamour."

The London offering of Halpern, who worked at Oscar de la Renta and Versace before launching his eponymous collection, featured short, busty dresses adorned with giant bows, or flared trousers with multicolored sequins, resulting in an overall theme of unfettered female glamour.

(With input from AFP)

(Cover image: A model walks the runway at the Victoria Beckham show during London Fashion Week in London, Britain, February 16, 2020. /VCG Photo)