Among fashion designers, friends, industry professionals, and McQueen fans, the Prime Minister’s wife, Sarah Brown opened London Fashion Week AW10 with a minute of silence in memory of the late Alexander McQueen. Chairman of the British Fashion Council, Harold Tilman, paid a warm tribute to the talented designer and referred to him as a “genius” and “one of London’s leading lights”. Despite the sad passing of McQueen, Mrs. Brown said: “I’ve no doubt this will be a creative and inspiring Fashion Week.”
For this season, the British Fashion Council is presenting over 200 labels at the exhibition and 68 catwalk shows. Highlights of the week include Fashion Fringe winner Jena.Theo, Topshop Unique, Mark Fast, Henry Holland, Matthew Williamson and Burberry Prosum to name but a few. Besides the shows several labels opt to present their new collection through presentations. As seen during Milan Fashion Week earlier this year, showroom presentations were a serious option to give buyers the opportunity to see the designs up close and view pieces that are actually taken in to production.
Crowned by Donatella Versace as the Fashion Fringe winners of 2009, designer duo Jena.Theo took its inspiration from silent movies, French Resistance, 50s glamour and used 3D effects for their AW10 collection. They played with silhouettes and negative space to create new forms. Topshop Unique’s show was one of the best received shows so far. Styled by Katie Grand of LOVE Magazine, the European wilderness theme was translated throughout the whole collection and captured an imaginatively story with covetable pieces. Multi layered outerwear pieces in camouflage colours formed the key designs from the collection.
Coinciding with its 115th anniversary, British luxury label Daks is next to Burberry Prosum another UK brand returning to the London Fashion Week schedule. Daks house check and Prince of Wales check decorated the tailored military-inspired designs. Working with layered draping and spider web knits, designer Mark Fast decided once again against size zero models preferring ‘real’ models wearing pastels and matching tights. Then it was bold and bright printed hosiery at House of Holland. It-girls Alexa Chung and Pixie Geldof, who also attended Topshop Unique, were sitting front row and seemingly enjoyed the hip-hop layered shapes and Bandanna prints.
Producing the world’s first digital fashion schedule, the British Fashion Council makes London Fashion Week accessible to all fashion affenciado’s across the globe. There are more the 40 designers live streaming their catwalk show and Burberry will stream its Prosum show in 3D worldwide on Tuesday. Being one of the most anticipated shows this season, it is said Anna Wintour, American Vogue editor-in-chief will attend the Burberry Prosum show. French Vogue editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld, who’s visiting LFW for the first time, and Angelica Chung, editor-in-chief of Vogue China are also among the expected guests.
Slowly but surely it seems the economic climate is getting back on track and London still generates a major boost from Fashion Week. The bi-annual event stimulates the capital’s economy with over £30 million, and receives more than £100 million in orders. Expected to attract over 5000 buyers and media worldwide, London Fashion Week is maintaining its importance on the international fashion calendar. It’s the place were budding designers like Alexander McQueen are given the opportunity to discover themselves and to experiment. His inspiring persona will be missed, but the legacy of Alexander McQueen will live on and breath what British fashion is all about.
It has been confirmed that Alexander McQueen’s autumn/winter 2010 collection will be unveiled during an intimate showcase during Paris Fashion Week.
Image: Topshop Unique