In the days following the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death, the mood of the nation has been understandably sombre. Whether you are a royalist or not, public deaths trigger our own grief and can incite moments of private mourning as well as providing a release valve for public sentiment. But while the country at large was in reflective mood, the fashion industry was feeling the pressure.
London Fashion Week began on Friday, eight days after The Queen’s death, and was scheduled to fall during the designated mourning period. With Her Majesty’s funeral announced to take place on the day traditionally dubbed Mega Monday (when the biggest brands show) the capital’s designers had to pivot their plans. And fast.
If you've been caught off-guard by your sorrow, this is probably why.
Burberry was the first to pull out of the schedule (they hold a royal warrant), followed by Belgian designer and co-creative director of Prada, Raf Simons, who had planned a one-off London show. Roksanda cancelled, too… For some designers, this season was set to be a grand return post-pandemic, so postponing any exuberant celebrations was a respectful action. Others found their venues (in royal palaces or close to Buckingham Palace) no longer accessible, so took the practical decision to postpone.
The British Fashion Council, who support designer talent and run London Fashion Week - which was, of course, once attended by Her Majesty - held crisis meetings with brands, buyers and press. Questions remained: Would influential fashion buyers attend? Would the media report on fashion when there was a funeral to cover? Should the shows even go ahead?
The very concept of a catwalk show is, well, show-y. There were obvious concerns that champagne-swigging party-goers and peacocking street stylers would jar with the public feeling.
As day one of the toned-down event begun the queue to pay respects to HRH ran at an approximately eleven hour wait, but it was decided that London Fashion Week would still run (stiff upper lip and all that) with a truncated four-day schedule. All parties, openings and launches were to be shelved, events paused entirely on the day of the funeral and royal protocol adhered to throughout the week.
So what does it mean when London Fashion Week operates a stripped-back schedule?
It is, after all, a B2B event where, despite all the celebrity buzz surrounding the runway, designers present the collections they’ve created over the past six months to sell.
Before the catwalks kicked off, as part of their Positive Change initiative the British Fashion Council announced that this season LFW would be entirely free from fur and exotic-skins (although we have spotted a flurry of feathers…) but Friday’s shows focused on new talent.
Poster Girl has already become a favourite of Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion and the designer duo’s hyper-sexy shrunken bra tops, mini-skirts, bumsters and signature draped chainmail are hyped for good reason. The spray on knit unitards were a favourite of the frow…
Show-goers also fell for Chopova Lowena’s iconic kilts, we counted dozens before their show closed the first day of LFW in punkish mood. Another female design duo creating exactly what Gen Z women want to wear, the casting included an array of bigger bodies who appeared as more than mere tokens towards body positivity. We're here for it.
Helen Kirkum’s presentation was a stand-out, too. By creating new trainers from discarded ‘old’ ones, Kirkum brings attention to society’s appalling throwaway culture, focuses on the artisan skills required to rebuild them and reminds us to better look after our fashion buys to actually become sustainable shoppers.
Criss-crossing the city between venues we spotted the queue snaking apace, leaving the fashion pack in a thoughtful mood and wondering whether perhaps a moment of levity is, in fact, welcome during such sombre days. If so, London Fashion Week is surely the place to find it.
Read more from Glamour UK Fashion Director at large Alex Fullerton here or follow her on Instagram @alexandrafullerton
