The 40th-Anniversary London Fashion Week Is Looming – So What Can Attendees Expect?

[Liz Seyi]

If there is at least one development that ought to brighten spirits among many a style aficionado amid the January greyness and drizzle, it is surely the looming return of London Fashion Week (LFW) – not least as this won’t be “just another” Fall/Winter instalment of the iconic trade show.
We are, of course, referring to the fact that the upcoming LFW will mark the event’s 40th anniversary when it takes place in the UK capital from 16th to 20th February.
While LFW’s status as one of the world’s “Big Four” fashion weeks – alongside New York, Milan, and Paris – might not have altered over the years, certain other things have. One of those is the hybrid format the show now takes, with physical and digital presentations set to be held in celebration of both well-established designers and emerging fashion talents.
Then, there is the news that fur won’t feature, the British Fashion Council (BFC) – which organises the show – having banned it from the schedule as a requirement of its 2024 application process. But what else is set to distinguish LFW40 as the way to get the UK capital’s fashion year underway in ’24?
Once again, a formidable showcase of creative talent awaits
In its announcement just before Christmas of the provisional schedule for this milestone LFW, the organisers promised that the Fall/Winter 2024 edition of the legendary trade show would “spotlight London’s unique creative communities and its position as a world-leading cultural capital.”
Sure enough, the evidence so far is that this will be emphatically the case. The week is set to commence with maximum impact courtesy of Edward Crutchley’s captivating creations, with Sinéad O’Dwyer and Chet Lo subsequently putting on their own showcases.
That is before one accounts for the comeback of Dunhill in the form of its first live runway since 2020, helmed by creative director Simon Holloway.
As the week progresses, the capital’s ever-sharp fashionistas will inevitably be keeping their eyes out for the latest inventions of a stellar complement of both menswear and womenswear designers. Expect all manner of pioneering, bold, and… unexpected looks alike from such principal players as Burberry, 16Arlington, David Koma, Dilara Findikoglu, Emma Wickstead, Simone Rocha, Fashion East, ERDEM, Richard Quinn, Molly Goddard, and many more.
While Somerset House at 180 The Strand will serve as LFW40’s main venue, various shows will also take place in other locations around the capital. And of course, attendance of the shows will be by invitation only, with the mere mortals of the general public still restricted to looking from afar. Well, that’s sort-of correct; this season will also see the return of the LFW City Wide Celebration, a programme of more broadly accessible events and activations coinciding with LFW.
What should be your next steps in readiness for LFW40?
The latest details about this year’s showcases can, of course, be found at LFW’s usual online home.
In the meantime, if you are aiming high with your fashion, luxury, or lifestyle brand in 2024 and would appreciate the knowhow and assistance of a strategic digital agency in London with a consistent track record of excellence, you are very welcome to reach out to the Skywire London team.