The time is upon us again: where the lights start flashing and all the cool kids come to show and strut. Don’t know what I’m going on about? That is probably because you have no sense of style. On Friday 14th September, London Fashion Week (LFW) begins again and for the second time this year, on its 35 year long run we will be well informed about what’s hot this season.
In the past decade the fashion industry has become a great success story. Over this period, the sector has grown at 5.5% (according to the Mckinsey Global Fashion Index) and is worth an estimated, colossal $2.4 trillion. In data collected by Fashion United; the luxury goods market is worth $339.4bn globally, but the industry most prized possession is the womenswear sector which brings in $621bn , followed by menswear ($402bn). Whilst in the UK, the fashion industry contributes an estimated £32.3bn and employs 890,000 people which has grown by 1.8% since 2016. The UK luxury fashion market attracts people from all walk of life, most of all the Chinese which are the biggest spenders in the market – fashion is a universal language.
Now that you have seen the importance of fashion; lets talk LFW and what to expect. One of the most anticipated occasion is the big Burberry debut for Riccardo Tisci after taking over from Christopher Bailey as artistic director in March. Also, Nicholas Kirkwood is gearing up to return to London. He revealed in an interview with Business of Fashion: “I felt that it was time to do something in London. It’s where my design studio is, where I live and what I’m exposed to for my inspirations, so it makes sense.” This week event brings an alumni list including JW Anderson, Simone Rocha and Roksanda Ilinicic, Fashion East is a must watch. This year Yuhan Wang joins existing recipients of the fund, Asai and Charlotte Knowles, who are returning for another year. Elsewhere, Clio Peppiatt known for their whimsical illustrated pieces plus British-Indian designer Supriya Lele host their first solo presentations.
If you are still thinking what is the point of LFW? The Guardian described the biannual event as a “big ol’ trade fair” designed for the insiders in the industry as well as the ‘die-hard fans.’ In a nutshell, for all fashion enthusiasts this is like the Royal Rumble (of the WWE) or more precisely the GBBO for all bakers and food watchers. Events for industry elites like this showcase the cutting edge of their categories, brands here are the brands trailblazing new ground; attitudes that trickle down to the everyday consumer through brand ambassadors and influencers.
Always remember style over comfort and never, ever be a fashion victim.
