- Judith Akatugba
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As the showcase event celebrates its 40th birthday this year, fashionistas will be engaging in celebrations as new and veteran designers exhibit their autumn/winter lines on Friday, marking the start of London Fashion Week.
To commemorate the milestone and highlight the creative sector’s contribution to the British economy, representatives from the British Fashion Council (BFC) will open the London Stock Exchange on Thursday. Other notable London sites, such Covent Garden and the London Eye, will also be lighted up green.
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Men’s and women’s clothing sales in the UK were projected to have been worth a combined 47.5 billion pounds ($59.6 billion) last year, according to the BFC, which cited research from Mintel.
Following the council’s founding in 1983, London Fashion Week made its debut the following year.
Known for its up-and-coming talent and avant-garde trends, it is one of the four major catwalk fixtures, along with New York, Milan, and Paris. It is also the place where designers like Stella McCartney and the late Alexander McQueen began their careers.
The tremendous imagination of London is what makes it unique, according to Lydia Slater, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar UK, who made this statement to Reuters.
“Many of the biggest, most prosperous fashion houses are led by British creatives who began their careers here and gained recognition during London Fashion Week.”
London has produced numerous major fashion highlights throughout the years, such as models turning furniture into clothing at Hussein Chalayan’s autumn/winter 2000 presentation and robots spray painting model Shalom Harlow’s white outfit at McQueen’s Spring/Summer 1999 show.
“It’s really hard to kind of make your mark in that way if you’re trying to start out in Paris, say,” Slater said. “These brands are so big, so shiny, and so polished.”
On the other hand, in London, a modest designer might have a show that becomes a huge smash by attempting something wacky and unique. Therefore, I believe it’s the reason why London has seen so many amazing events over the years that are unimaginably amazing for other fashion weeks.
The late Queen Elizabeth made an unexpected appearance in the front rows of London’s event in 2018. Designer Richard Quinn was among those guests.
This season, London Fashion Week, which takes place from February 16–20, will feature over 150 events.
BFC Chief Executive Caroline Rush told Reuters that “the NEWGEN designers will definitely be front and centre,” alluding to a program that offers financial help and mentorship for aspiring designers.
“But equally, we are also very excited to see (designers) Simone Rocha, Roksanda, Emilia Wickstead, 16Arlington, and (the) Burberry show on Monday will definitely be one to watch.”
