The British Fashion Council has unveiled a new concept for the June edition of London Fashion Week with a range of events alongside the main shows and the aim to “ignite a cultural moment”.
The June event was originally established as London Fashion Week: Men's just over a decade ago. But after initial success, it suffered from the rise of dual-genre and watch-now-buy-now shows, as well as the underlying season-neutral trend and, of course, the pandemic.
Therefore, rethinking the fundamental concept clearly makes sense. Men's fashion remains the key category. But it comes along with “a platform for diverse British designers and brands focusing on the depth and breadth of the menswear business in the UK.”
In line with the year-long celebrations of LFW's 40th anniversary (known as LFW40), the new concept will “highlight London's position as the world's leading cultural capital and amplify its creative community”.
And the ambition of the June event going forward “is to provide a platform for designer businesses and the different cultures and communities that have made a rich and significant contribution to the British fashion industry.”
Running from June 7-9, the Friday-Sunday event will begin with the BFC taking over the Institute of Contemporary Art to host a curated program that will include an exhibition, panel discussions and cultural events “informed by the top three.” cultures that the BFC has chosen to highlight this season.”
In collaboration with three guest curators, she will explore “black culture centered on self-love; South Asian culture focused on patterns, textiles and crafts; and queer culture, with special attention to young creative voices from the trans community.
And to celebrate LFW40, there will be a “retrospective installation celebrating the success of LFW and the important role it plays globally at the intersection of culture.”
Meanwhile, the The “40 for 40” program will include a lineup of 40 “activations” hosted by “leading British brands and designers across the city.”
This means, of course, runway shows and presentations, but also events like the BFC taking over the Groucho Club on Sunday “to offer designers and brands a dynamic activation space.”
BFC chief executive Caroline Rush said the changes will “amplify our designers and promote the diverse menswear businesses, from streetwear to Savile Row, as well as retail in the city. We will celebrate and pay tribute to some of the cultures that contribute so much to the UK fashion industry; The goal is to take advantage of this with different cultures each year.”
He added that the new format “is a direct result of the conversations we continually have with the BFC community (designers, media, UK and international retailers). We want to ensure we recognize the business needs of our designers and provide them with a global exhibition platform which is relevant and beneficial. This iteration of LFW is a truly exciting opportunity to future-proof and innovate the UK's fashion exhibition capabilities and highlight the city's point of difference during men's fashion month.”
Sponsors and partners of the event include official sponsor. 1664 Blanc and his partners Diet Coke, The Londoner and Toni & Guy.
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