Wimbledon, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. All distinguishable cultural markers of the UK’s bustling capital. However, what would they be without one of the year’s biggest events: London Fashion Week? The city is already stirring with the promise of sartorial excellence for London Fashion Week 2024. Discover the evolution of one Britain’s biggest events over 40 years, from its humble beginnings to its status as a global fashion powerhouse. Get the latest on designers, dates, and must-see moments.
Everything you need to know about the London Fashion Week
London fashion today has been intrinsically influenced by LFW. As one of the “Big 4”, the London fashion shows pave the way for upcoming trends that will dominate the next season. Four decades later, it is still a deciding force in an ever-evolving and dynamic industry.
What is the London Fashion Week?
London Fashion Week (LFW) is one of the most anticipated and acclaimed events in the global fashion calendar. The British Fashion Council holds it biannually in February and September in England’s largest metropolis, it showcases collections from over 250 burgeoning and established designers. The British Fashion Council organises this ultimate fashion event and plays host to a thrillingly evocative schedule of presentations, installations and cutting-edge digital showcases.
For more details, you can visit the official London Fashion Week website.
History of London Fashion Week - How Did It All Start?
London Fashion Week had a comparatively modest start in 1984, taking place in a car park in Kensington. Among the designers making their debut were Vivienne Westwood and David Fielden. 15 catwalk shows were featured in the first edition of LFW, shining a timely spotlight on the UK’s fashion talent.
When is London Fashion Week?
If you’re a fashion aficionado, your calendar will already be marked for London Fashion Week 2024. The key LFW dates are as follows:
- AW 2024 Collection: February 16-20 2024
- Menswear: June 7-9 2024
- SS 2025 Collection: September 13-17 2024
This year, the BFC has decided to put a spin on procedures. To celebrate 40 remarkable years, 40 activations and exhibitions will be hosted.
Where is London Fashion Week held?
London Fashion Week locations are sprawled across the city, leveraging the most iconic landmarks and cultural institutions. Somerset House, 180 at The Strand and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London are some of the primary and longstanding London Fashion Week venues. Burberry’s designer Daniel Lee showcased the AW collection at Victoria Park with a line that encompassed both British identity and “outdoorsy elegance”.
What is the 2024 London Fashion Week calendar?
The detailed schedule for the upcoming London Fashion Week in September 2024 can be foundhere. This SS25 edition promises a digital-physical fusion, with the majority of the digital shows taking place on Tuesday the 17th. The honour of opening the show has been bestowed upon Hu Bing Selects on Thursday the 12th of September.
Fashion Designers To Watch Out For
London Fashion Week offers an impressive roster of both fresh-faced designers and industry favourites. This February, Bora Aksu bowled attendees over with his whimsical and fanciful ready-to-wear line. Keep a keen eye on Burberry’s quintessentially British style that exudes luxury and class. Roksanda continues to captivate the imagination with her striking use of texture, colours and architectural silhouettes.
Discover the complete list of designers showcasing their work at London Fashion Week here.
Best-dressed celebrities at the 2024 London Fashion Week
A picture is worth a thousand words and London Fashion Week is no exception!! Here are some of our favourite front-row moments.
Cara Delavigne
Cara Delavigne opted for effortless chic as she paired a red and black chequered bomber jacket with matching tights ensemble for the Burberry AW launch.
Leomie Anderson
Leomie Anderson showed how to execute texture interplay at the Burberry AW launch. Anderson looked resplendent donning a daring fringed dress, offset perfectly by a vivid blue bag.
Barry Keoghan
Ireland’s current golden boy, Barry Keoghan, looked striking in an all-tan suit and white turtleneck combo at the Burberry AW 2024 launch.
How To Watch The London Fashion Week Highlights in the UAE
Haven’t received your invitation to LFW yet? No need to worry! You can watch replays of runways and collection exhibitions on The British Fashion Council YouTube channel. Houses will also upload their runway show to their own YouTube channels or compile the best moments so that you don’t miss a second.
How do you get invited to the London Fashion Week?
“Can anyone attend London’s Fashion Week?” is the burning question. Most shows are invite-only, though some allow you to pay a fee to attend.
Industry professionals including buyers, media, influencers and celebrities are extended invitations. However, networking with industry heavyweights or collaborating with PR agencies is a way to get one’s foot in the door.
If you haven’t yet broken into the fashion scene, fear not. The February edition saw LFW organise “City Wide Celebration”, which included activations, workshops and events shows by brands and designers. The best thing? It was open to the general public!
London Fashion Week highlights from the past editions
While many recenet setbacks could have signalled the end of the momentous event, it has bounced back with renewed vigour each time.
London Fashion Week 2023
In the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s passing in 2022, the 2023 edition of London Fashion Week saw a welcome resuming of its usual hectic schedule. Creative visionaries returned to parade innovative designs and timeless silhouettes.
Choosing the highlights of LFW 2023 is a tough act. Ever the visual treat, Erdem’s powerful AW23 line paid tribute to Georgian “fallen women”. Simone Rocha and JW Anderson both enchanted audiences with their vastly unique interpretations of contemporary fashion.
London Fashion Week Goes Virtual
Though the global pandemic raged, cancelling the festivities was never an option. Embracing a digital format, LFW connected the fashion community in a dire moment to create a virtual fashion week. A testament to the British fashion industry’s resilience and innovation, the BFC broke traditional boundaries to offer both public and trade audiences exclusive content.
The unexpected circumstance allowed designers to fully explore their creative genius by experimenting with digital showrooms, designer diaries and immersive and interactive experiences. LFW online shows provided twofold benefits for viewers: championing their safety and democratising an elite event for the masses.
