Everything
The British Fashion Council and its biannual circuit of London Fashion Week has long been known for its niche lineup of designers as well as its progressive outlook on change within the industry. Amid the current health crisis, both London and Paris had announced the cancellation of its hotly-anticipated Men’s Fashion Week to be held in June. But following the likes of Shanghai and Moscow, the UK equivalent will see a major shakeup.
As lockdowns press on, the British Fashion Council has revealed on June 12, London Fashion Week will “relaunch as a digital only platform, open to all and merging womenswear and menswear.” Unlike past seasons which saw industry and celebrity-only invitations, the week will be open to all audiences for designers to share their “stories through collections, creative collaborations, podcasts and videos.”
The gender neutral format suggests that the normally scheduled Women’s London Fashion Week in September will most likely be disrupted too. Any LFW events are reported to follow this platform for the next 12 months.
Announcing the news, BFC Chief Executive Caroline Rush explained that, “The other side of this crisis, we hope will be about sustainability, creativity and product that you value, respect, cherish. By creating a cultural fashion week platform, we are adapting digital innovation to best fit our needs today and something to build on as a global showcase for the future. Designers will be able to share their stories, and for those that have them, their collections, with a wider global community; we hope that as well as personal perspectives on this difficult time, there will be inspiration in bucketloads.”
