London Fashion Week hopes to usher in new era with leadership change
London Fashion Week_ which is under new leadership after 16 years_ opens Thursday with hopes of reinvigorating its runway schedule and easing the financial woes of its young designers.
"This season marks... the beginning of a new era for British fashion_" said Laura Weir_ former creative director of luxury department store Selfridges_ who replaced Caroline Rush as the head of the British Fashion Council (BFC) in April.
Weir faces an uphill battle to allay concerns about the relevance and international standing of the fashion week_ with the departure in recent years of big fashion names to its star-studded counterparts in Milan_ Paris and New York.
"My main objective is to ensure London Fashion Week remains the ultimate platform to showcase and celebrate the very best of British creativity while continuing to support designers who have built the foundations of British fashion and forged paths internationally_" Weir told AFP ahead of LFW.
LFW's June edition_ initially launched to focus on menswear_ was cancelled this year and replaced by a simple commercial showroom in Paris.
After a lacklustre schedule in February_ marked by several absences as some designers opted to put on just one show a year due to the high costs_ the BFC is hoping for a more exciting programme this time.
To ease the financial burden_ "we have waived membership fees to make the platform more accessible to designers"_ said Weir.
The former Vogue journalist said the BFC had also "curated a schedule that speaks to London's cultural relevance" and "doubled our investment in our international guest programme to ensure heavyweight buyers_ media and cultural voices are here in London".
Since taking the helm_ Weir has increased scholarship funding and secured a three-year funding commitment for the NewGen programme for emerging young designers_ according to British Vogue.
Fabric scraps_ crinolines
Despite its recent woes_ LFW has remained a hub for discovering new and exciting fashion talent_ partly with the help of the NewGen incubator.
Several designers have launched successful fashion careers off its back_ like Irish designer Simone Rocha_ known for her Victorian-style dresses adorned with lace and crinoline_ or London-based Richard Quinn_ whose elegant designs received a nod from the late Queen Elizabeth II.
LFW kicks off Thursday with up and coming British designer Maximilian Raynor_ who has been recognised for his commitment to sustainable fashion with his designs often featuring fabric scraps.
That runway will be followed by Harris Reed_ the young British-American designer and creative director at Nina Ricci_ whose gender fluid designs have bewitched LFW attendees since he burst onto the scene five years ago.
In other good news for LFW_ JW Anderson will return to the schedule after skipping the February edition.
But the label will forego the runway in favour of a scaled-down dinner this year_ as this summer_ Dior entrusted the artistic direction of all its collections including men's_ women's and haute couture to the prodigal son Jonathan Anderson.
After stepping down earlier this year as creative director of Spanish brand Loewe_ the Northern Irish designer has refocused his own label on a "lifestyle" concept to include furniture_ tableware_ craft objects and even honey.
Also presenting their spring/summer collections will be British fashion icons such as Paul Costelloe and Burberry -- which weathered the storm of a difficult year for luxury fashion and US tariffs -- and London catwalk regulars Roksanda and Dilara Findikoglu.(AFP)