On Friday, 15 September, London Fashion Week (LFW) opened to welcome over 5,000 guests, from international press to buyers, broadcasters, influencers and industry insiders from over 70 countries. This is the 66th edition of London Fashion Week which runs from Friday 15 – Tuesday 19 September 2017 at The Store Studios, 180 Strand.
Featuring 85 catwalk shows and presentations and 33 events from emerging talent to global brands, the diversity of the LFW schedule is a testament to the inclusive and innovative British fashion industry on display in London.
What are the highlights?
This season, two international fashion giants have come to town. Over from Milan, Giorgio Armani has already presented his Emporio Armani collections in London for the first time on Sunday 17th September. New York favourite Tommy Hilfiger will present his latest collaboration with social media supermodel Gigi Hadid on Tuesday 19th September at 7pm GMT, showing on English soil for the first time.
British couture duo Ralph and Russo have launched their debut ready-to-wear offering on Friday 15th September and on Tuesday 19th September, Emilio de la Morena will mark a decade of tactile, embellished wow dresses with his anniversary show.
The see-now-buy-now era continues
Burberry leads the pack of British brands whose collections are already available for us to buy because they hit the runway with its men’s and womenswear show on Saturday 16th September. Mother of Pearl (16th), Topshop (17th) and more are also in on the shopping revolution – because who wants to wait six whole months to buy what they can see on Instagram?
The parties will be big!
High street hero COS has celebrated 10 years of business with a huge party on Sunday 17th September, and LOVE Magazine editor Katie Grand is set to host another of her epic fashion week soirees on Monday 18th. You can bet the new British Vogue staff crowd will be out in full force, too.
Tuesday Is Your Day For New Designers
It wouldn’t be London Fashion Week without the buzz of the next big thing. And this year they’ve made it easy for you: we-need-to-know fashion stars have been scheduled on the same day.
First up is Ukrainian designer Natasha Zinko, at 10am, whose irreverent ruffle-backed parkas and pompom shoes you will have spotted all over Instagram and street style pics. Think diamond-encrusted cherries and a curiously eccentric aesthetic.
A.W.A.K.E. (All Wonderful Adventures Kindle Enthusiasm) brings the tailoring at 2pm, while Korean-born Rejina Pyo – which describes its aesthetic as ‘graphic and playful yet effortlessly elegant’ – struts its stuff an hour later. All three designers will be showing on the catwalk for the very first time.
In addition, Matty Bovan, Asai and Supriya Lele, plus Charlotte Knowles and Harry Evans (in separate presentations on Monday, mind, so you can catch both) will also all be hosting shows on the Fashion East platform. The show is organised each year by Lulu Kennedy to allow emerging names to get a place on the schedule.
AUTHOR || LOUISE COLET
Photo: https://londonfashionweek.co.uk, Wikipedia Commons