Hosted by British Fashion Council in partnership with Clearpay, London Fashion Week will be running its course from 16–21 September, 2021. The runway shows — showcasing menswear, womenswear and androgynous designs in a physical and digital format — will be streaming on the officialwebsite and we can also check out the schedule of showings there.

Kiko

RETURN TO THE CATWALK

As a consequence of the pandemic and social-distancing restrictions, the past two seasons were almost in their entirety on a digital platform. This season, however, it is making a partial return to the catwalk, with over a hundred designers showcasing their Spring Summer 2022 collections on catwalk shows and digital presentations although Burberry and Victoria Beckham, two of the strongest participants of London Fashion Week, are off the schedule. As the day finally dawns, the excitement is palpable.

British Fashion Council CEO Caroline Rush told L’Officel, “The initiative aims to drive footfall back into the capital while reminding consumers of the vibrancy and excitement of London. With involvement from over 100 brands, stores, hospitality venues, and cultural institutions we are looking forward to seeing the whole city come to life.”

SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR

A cornerstone of British fashion, Dame Vivienne Westwood will have all eyes on her showing. Per Elle, “As the queen of punk, Vivienne will undoubtedly bring her shock factor sensibility and Savile Row tailoring techniques to the runway, even at 80 years old.” And, of course, Simon Rocha. “I wanted it to be very signature and for me from the beginning it has always been that balance of hard and soft, masculine and feminine, natural and man made.” Richard Quinn, who is famous for Queen Elizabeth II gracing his Autumn Winter 2018 showing, will have fashion critics watching out for his trademark eccentric prints. Then there is RIXO with vintage inspired looks. There is quite a stir about Matty Bovan; Per Elle, “In the words of the iconic Carine Roitfeld, Matty resembles “a young Vivienne Westwood or a John Galliano.” With an eccentric spirit and unparalleled dedication to sustainability, Matty Bovan is a hallmark of modern British fashion.” And, Jonothan Anderson will hold our attention with his genderless perspective and discreet elegance.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

London Fashion Week is widely known as an incubator for new fashion talent. This season, watch out for Saul Nash who attended Central Saint Martins and undertook a Masters course in menswear at Royal College of Art; Chet Lo who studied knitwear at Central Saint Martins and worked at Maison Margiela and Proenza Schouler; Jawara Alleyne who undertook Masters in fashion at Central Saint Martins; Nensi Dojaka who won the LVMH Prize; Maximilian Davis who graduated from London College of Fashion;  Yuhan Wang who will be showing as part of British Fashion Council Newgen SS22.; and Labrum London whose foundation is to tell “the untold stories of West Africa to help bridge the gap between western and West African culture”.

CLEARPAY COLLECTIVE

Clearplay has partnered with Cult to bring the London Fashion Week runway to consumers this week with Clearpay Collective, which includes exclusive designs, unique shopping experiences and designer-led content. Cult will oversee the #ClearlyIAmFashion campaign throughout London Fashion Week, with content on TikTok and Instagram. The video platform will host unique videos, including interviews and behind-the-scenes with KNWLS and Halpern. Adam Conley, senior art director at Cult, explains in a statement: “London Fashion Week has always been about showcasing great British fashion, so we’ve worked with Clearpay to ensure we are making this accessible for all. TikTok is the ideal platform and content style to showcase live moments and inspire trends, and this neatly played into our goals with the campaign for #ClearlyIAmFashion.”

Molly Goddard