Behind the shimmer, sequins, and elongated false lashes, the stark reality of London Fashion Week reveals an industry eclipsed by the opulence of Europe and the United States. Numerous designers have shuttered their studios, or lack the financial means to stage a showcase. With a mere four-day schedule, London Fashion Week has been reduced to just half the length of its Paris counterpart.
While funding is scarce, the spirit of ambition and innovation remains vibrant. SS Daley, a fashion label backed by Harry Styles, launched its collection with the iconic chimes of Big Ben, featuring “Stay Faithful to Marianne” sweaters as a nod to the recently deceased British style icon, and concluded with attendees clamoring for selfies with esteemed guest, Lucy Punch, known for her role in Amandaland. The show for jewelry brand Completedworks featured actress Debi Mazar portraying a frazzled television shopping host, energetically promoting “mermaid realness” pearl earrings while sipping a martini. Over at the Tate Modern, Florence Pugh began Harris Reed’s presentation with a heartfelt monologue celebrating “the art of dressing up.”
British fashion maintains its prominence on a global platform, recognized as a revered source of emerging exceptional designers. Accordingly, London Fashion Week embodies a robust sense of national pride, blended with a quintessentially British touch of humor and self-irony. Prominent recent appointments, such as Sarah Burton at Givenchy, Peter Copping at Lanvin, and Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta, underscore British creatives as a valued asset.
Steven Stokey-Daley, the mind behind SS Daley, made a swift decision to participate in this season after his Paris show plans fell through. “There’s a bit of a damp atmosphere and an emptiness to the London schedule right now,” he acknowledged before his show. “The statistics indicate that London does not receive the same level of attention [as other fashion hubs], leading to the feeling that designers are somewhat withdrawing. However, London has always shown us kindness, and we wanted to contribute to generating excitement.” Daley has future plans to showcase in Paris, stating, “Romantically, my heart belongs to London, and we are deeply intertwined with British culture. Yet, many of our key buyers do not attend London shows.”
According to a recent Lefty report, which measures the influence of influencer marketing on brands, the Earned Media Value for last September’s London Fashion Week was $20.9 million, in stark contrast to $132 million for New York, $250 million for Milan, and $437 million for Paris.
The most recent SS Daley collection celebrated quintessential British outerwear, showcasing duffle coats, donkey jackets, and trench coats. “I was intrigued by the political associations of the donkey jacket – the figures who wore it in Britain during the 1970s and 1980s,” noted the designer. The stylish trench coats paid homage to Burberry, London’s sole remaining luxury brand, where Daley’s name has been circulated in discussions for potential future design positions.
For Anna Jewsbury, creator of Completedworks jewellery, using a catwalk to feature jewelry rather than clothing is intentional. “People usually don’t anticipate seeing an accessories designer present on a fashion stage. It’s a means of demonstrating our unique perspective and sense of humor, which deviates from what many others in the industry are doing,” she shared. Jewsbury entered the ranks of London Fashion Week designers last year, “partly out of ignorance – I was unaware of how stressful a show could be or the resources required. Yet it’s incredibly exhilarating.”
Some designers are economizing by opting to skip alternate fashion weeks, choosing to present their collections just once a year. The fashion cycle of unveiling new collections every September and March, which once defined the industry, has diminished in favor of a more flexible approach characterized by trends and microtrends. Conner Ives is among those opting for an annual presentation format, returning this weekend with a show at the Savoy’s Beaufort Bar, inspired by the 1979 Bob Fosse musical All That Jazz.
