London Fashion Week: Here’s what to expect…
London Fashion Week officially kicks off on Friday for a whirlwind five days of fashion, parties, and front row looks (a welcome departure from the toned-down LFW from last year’s SS23 shows). With 104 physical displays and 41 digital showcases, AW23 will feature the likes of Molly Goddard, Richard Quinn, Simone Rocha, Roksanda, and many more. New names for this season include Sinead Gorey, Talia Byre, and Tove.
Alongside designer Q&A sessions and citywide celebrations, the British Fashion Council will host a number of workshops around zero-waste production and necessary developments in the fashion world. By utilising their digital presence in catwalks and ensuring their sustainability ethos is met, this LFW promises (ostensibly) another step towards a greener, more conscious industry.
Daniel Lee’s set to shake things up at Burberry
Easily the most anticipated show of the season, Daniel Lee is set to reinvent one of Britain’s most famous brands, Burberry. Under previous creative director Ricardo Tisci, the heritage brand seemed to have lost its path. Lee joined the brand in October from Italian luxury house Bottega Veneta, and is already utilising Burberry’s historic role in Cool Britannia, evident in his latest campaign adorned with fresh young talent and the stamp of the old logo – a move away from the minimalist wave that saw most luxury brands strip back their traditional branding flamboyance. Lee will debut his role on the catwalk on the 20th of February.
Fashion East
The non-profit talent incubator is back this to promote the best emerging designers in the business. Headed by designer and editor Lulu Kennedy, the group will unveil the collections of three upcoming designers: Standing Ground, Karoline Vitto, and newcomer Johanna Parv. Michael Stewart of Standing ground will bring sweeping gowns, whilst Vitto focuses on size-inclusive dresses and separates and Central Saint Martins alumni Parv is more about the athletic aesthetic. Fashion East’s previous alumni include Craig Green, Chet Lo, Matty Bovan, Stefan Cooke and more, so when the three new designers head down the catwalk on Friday, they’ll be riding on the buzz of both expectation and anticipation.
Fashion Fan Faves
If you’re a rigid fashion follower, you’re going to want to note these shows down in your diary. Each of these designers are high-profile in their own right, from Ahluwalia and JW Anderson who will show on the 18th and 19th of February respectively, to 2022 LVMH winner (and Harry Styles favourite) S.S.Daley. Another one to keep an eye out for is Saul Nash, who, with his 2022 Woolmark Prize, is sure to put on a display alongside his skills as a choreographer on Monday.
Moncler’s first LFW will be the ‘Art of Genius’
Moncler will make their first appearance at LFW at Olympia London on Monday, the same day as Burberry. The brand is planning to redefine their fashion direction and will lead with all new concepts and collections for 2023. In the grand physical display, the event line-up will include Palm Angels, Mercedes-Benz, Adidas Originals, and Roc Nation by Jay-Z. The Moncler + Rick Owens collection will also be displayed at the event.
Keep an eye out for these designers…
With a whopping 47 catwalks, it’s hard to keep track of the names we should be keeping an eye on at all times. Our shortlist of designers that are sure to impress includes Matty Bovan who will be presenting on Friday, as well Dilara Findikoglu on Saturday. Newcomer and London College of Fashion alumni Harri (who designed Sam Smith’s outfit for the Brits) will be at this LFW, as well as Connor Ives, whose approach to his own American identity captures the story of his move to London for school in 2014.
