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As Fall/Winter Fashion Week is rapidly approaching, London fashion enthusiasts are gearing up for an exhibition of the best designers and new British talent the industry has to offer.
London Fashion Week (LFW), held on February 20-24, previously promoted the careers of fashion legends, including Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham and the late Alexander McQueen.
Many of these designers have presented at something like Paris Fashion Week and photographed their collections elsewhere, but fortunately, London still has many exciting British and international ones. The designers are still there.
New name
New class talent will be featured through Lulu Kennedy’s Talent Incubator, Fashion East and the latest edition of the annual Central Saint Martins MA Show.
Excitingly, Ashsh is unfamiliar with the schedule – dressed like Taylor Swift and Cate Blanchett, alongside Sarah Kreibi and Moroccan designer Maison Artuk. I’m here.
As for the new stars, all eyes are in Paolo Karzana. Paolo Karzana’s private showcase in her East London backyard was a standout moment from last season.
And while there are plenty of exciting new designers to watch out for, the event will return with established designers such as Burberry, Simone Rocha and Princess of Wales’ beloved brands Roxanda and Eldem.
In response to the challenges faced by new designers, the British Fashion Council (runs London Fashion Week) has been working with the government to support talent in the new industry.
“We will continue to engage closely with the government to highlight and address the concerns of designers and the broader industry,” says Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council.
“The Cultural, Media and Sports departments will help support the BFC Newgen initiative and will be able to showcase exceptional new talent in the official LFW show space.”
This comes after BFC secured an additional £1 million in funding 25/26.
Another focus of the BFC is to increase the number of audiences during London Fashion Week.
“This season we are strengthening our international guest programme, backed by funding from the Bureau of Business and Trade and the incredible Campaigns,” explains Rush. Payment for participation in LFW. ”
Sustainability Initiative
This season, London Fashion Week became the first of “Big Four” to introduce sustainability requirements to brands, part of the NewGen incubation scheme that employs the Copenhagen Fashion Week framework.
“This collaboration will deploy the sustainability requirements framework developed by Copenhagen Fashion Week across the BFC Newgen initiative, with minimum standards being incorporated into existing enforcement standards for admission,” says Rush.
This partnership introduces a framework for incoming designers with a clear focus on environmental initiatives, diversity and inclusion.
“By working with Copenhagen Fashion Week, we aim to set new global standards for sustainable innovation in fashion and strengthen London’s position as a leader in sustainable fashion,” Rush explained I will.
This is not the first time London Fashion Week has given a major move on sustainability. Last November, LFW became the first of the Big Four to ban the use of exotic skins such as crocodiles and snakes in its show collection.
Many designers are less established than the luxury powerhouses exhibited in Paris and Milan, and even small designers avoid using exotic skins in their collections.
Still, this decision is an important step.
“The partnership (with Copenhagen Fashion Week) reflects our shared belief that collective action is key to addressing industry challenges and fostering positive change,” Rush says .
No name
There are some notable names that are not found in the LFW schedule. Molly Goddard, Aaron Esh, Chopova Lowena, SS Daley and most notable JW Anderson (who recently wore Grammy Award singer Sabrina Carpenter).
Marco Capaldo’s acclaimed and award-winning brand 16Arlington also opted out of its main schedule, and instead presented its collection at an intimate dinner on January 22nd.
The streamlined schedule highlights the challenge of maintaining an independent label in London, with many designers using season-on off-season strategies to make the September edition a more vibrant event It may be.
“The British fashion scene is undeniably challenging,” admits Rush. “From the ongoing impact of Brexit to the challenging retail industry.
But despite the pressure, London designers are resilient and resourceful.
“We are working with the UK government to improve access to finance, ensuring designers and brands realize their growth potential.
“Bringing tax-free shopping back will instantly inject much needed trust into the industry, as there is a risk of sounding like a broken record, and that will have a positive impact on the designer fashion community.” Rush explains.
New pop-up shop
This season, LFW is opening its first pop-up shop to publicly support more than 20 designers at BFC.
People operating on Regent Street from February 22-24 will buy exclusive archive collections from some of LFW’s most iconic names, including 16Arlington, Ahluwalia, Conner Ives, Johanna Parv and Saul Nash. You can do it.
The new pop-up shop gives fashion lovers a one-off chance to bring back a bit of fashion history.
