Does London Fashion Week Need to Change?
There's no doubting the talent, but the expression is not working. Time to ask if catwalk shows are the best use of the city's time, money and carbon.
In this issue I talk to designers, editors and CEOs. Fashion Week is a contentious subject, but there is broad consensus that the existing model is wasteful and ineffective. Time for a rethink?
London Fashion Week kicks off this Friday, and aren’t you excited. Can you name the designers you are excited for? Ok, can you name the designers on schedule? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In a survey by Lefty published by Business of Fashion last week, the EMV, (or ‘electronic media value’ ie how much online chat is generated), of each of the big four fashion weeks is clear:
It’s painful how far London has fallen. So what’s the alternative?
London is the city that produced Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, and still harbours Burberry, (back we hope, following a riveting and heartwarming ad campaign this year). London likes to position itself as the birthplace of creativity, a hotbed for talent bred by our fantastic fashion schools, from Central St Martins to London College of Fashion. But something has happened: either that pipeline of talent does not seem to be finding its platform, or the pipeline itself is drying up.
Last week, one of London’s creative stars, Patrick McDowell, took a different route. “It’s a tricky time for fashion at the moment, especially a small brand. Initially we were going to show, then it became clear there’s not the same support. The financial sponsorship from business we would have had in the past is not available right now,” they confide. But there’s something else going on too: “The way people engage with fashion has changed.”
The Patrick McDowell house is inspirational: built on circular design, the model is bespoke artisanal pieces made from recycled and responsibly manufactured materials, with a built in service to reimagine and upcycle those same pieces for customers. Commissioning a Patrick McDowell garment unlocks an entire experience. This experience has been reflected in previous shows: immersive performances that lean on music, theatre and dance. What’s more the clothing is highly desirable and wearable, embraced by a raft of celebrities and high end fashion editors. “We make customisable, made to order clothing, but a [catwalk] show is a passive experience that just shows the clothes. People are looking for more,” says Patrick. “At our previous shows it’s been the singing, the music or the dancing, those more artistic expressions of community, that have resonated the most. The collection of clothes has felt almost separate to that. I don’t feel they are the essential part of the show anymore.”
Radical. So instead this season Patrick threw a chic dinner, a week ahead of schedule, for just the right people: activist Munro Bergdorf, ballet dancer Anna Rose O Sullivan, artist Xin Liu, It Girl Isabella Charlotta Poppius, hairstylist Patrick Wilson, Emily in Paris actress Elizabeth Tan, trans writer Shon Faye, actress Corinna Brown, musician Douglas Dare - there was more creative talent sharing a table that night than most could hope for. Also there were Lacey Davidson from Ecovative, the progressive mycellium materials company that works with Patrick on development, and journalists and writers from Vogue, Tatler and the Evening Standard.