Twice a year, once in February and once in September, London Fashion Week brings in some of the most talented designers the fashion world has to offer as well as models of the most unearthly slenderness. A direct attempt to show us mere mortals why we should rush out to buy their latest pieces, only to realise we’re 16 sizes too big to carry them off. But God, do we still love the fashion buzz.
This year, there are over 60 catwalk shows scheduled over six days of the event. Unmissables for me this year include Nicole Farhi, Burberry Prorsum and Sass & Bide. Obviously by unmissable I mean HIGHLY missable. My flashbulb firepower has yet to reach fashion photographer standard.
LFW is organised and run by the British Fashion Council and is held in Somerset House in London. The event was first held in 1984 and was held in Kensington’s Commonwealth Institute.
Topshop was the first ever high street store to show at LFW. Their first showing was in 2005.
LFW is strictly a trade event, with approximately 5,000 buyers, journalists and photographers making up most of the guests to the catwalk shows. There are exceptions for certain celebs, of course. But sure famous people are above the law anyway, it makes sense that they be above the laws of the BFC.
It was said that during the September 2009 LFW that in the region of £100 million worth of orders were placed.
Because LFW is closed to consumers (regular folk), London Fashion Weekend has been created to appease us. It’s basically a huge designer shopping event where over 100 designers, some of whom will have just finished showing at LFW proper, showcase their ready-to-wear pieces and *joy* the public are allowed to attend. It uses the same catwalk and venue as the Fashion Week, so you’ll feel like you joined the elite club that is the fashion world for real. For more information on either, go to www.londonfashionweek.co.uk and www.londonfashionweekend.co.uk.
