With the next London Fashion Week originally due to take place in September this year, in light of the pandemic, it would have been understandable if organisers chose to delay or even cancel the biannual event altogether.
Instead, the British Fashion Council decided the show must go on. The SS21 edition has been brought forward, and is now taking place entirely online for the first time in its 46-year history.
From June 12-14, a digital-only platform, accessible to the public via the London Fashion Week website, will host exclusive content from designers and retailers, bringing together menswear and womenswear – another first.
So what can you expect to see this weekend? Here’s our pick of the highlights from the LFW digital schedule…
Friday, June 12
Three of the biggest names in British fashion are coming together in a film created in collaboration with London retail destination, Mount Street.
Erdem Moralioglu will showcase the craftsmanship behind his Pre-Fall 2020 collection, Roksanda Ilincic gives us a glimpse into her creative process, and Roland Mouret reveals how he manipulates fabric to create his famous frocks.
Fans of Netflix competition show Next In Fashion will want to tune in to see London-based designer Daniel W Fletcher being interviewed live at 3.30pm, chatting to Vogue’s Naomi Pike about his new collection.
The Marques Almeida show is always a highlight of the LFW calendar. On Friday at 6pm, denim-obsessed duo Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida will unveil a documentary that goes behind the scenes of the making of their new capsule collection, created under a sustainable sub-brand.
Saturday, June 13
At 4pm, backstage stalwart Toni & Guy celebrates 15 years of LFW partnership with a retrospective film, looking back at some of the hair styles created for the catwalks, from the elegant to the outrageous.
Charles Jeffrey’s catwalk shows for his brand Loverboy, are always a riot of colour and creativity, so when the London wunderkind says he’s livestreaming a ‘party 2.0’ to showcase a new capsule collection, you don’t want to miss it. Join the celebration at 7pm.
Sunday, June 14
Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, the design duo behind much-loved British brand Preen, have taken this opportunity to have “a pause in time, a reset” and will be presenting a “seasonless” campaign film at 3pm on Sunday.
Right after Preen, at 3.10pm, master milliner Stephen Jones – who has created hats for fashion week designers, royals and Hollywood A-listers for more than four decades – will unveil a film about the making of his SS21 collection.
In another fashion week first, John Lewis is offering members of the public the chance to strut their stuff like a supermodel with the #LFWCatwalkChallenge. To get involved, post a video on Instagram wearing an outfit that brings you joy, include the hashtag and tag @johnlewisandpartners.
The retailer will choose highlights to feature in a video shown on Sunday at 7.55pm, but even if you don’t make it into the final cut, for every video posted the brand will donate £5 to the BFC Fashion Fund for the Covid Crisis.
To round off the LFW online experience, British heritage brand Mulberry will host a live music performance at 8pm – artist to be confirmed – as part of its ‘My Local’ series.
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