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The five-day trade event, the second leg of the
month-long spring/summer 2019 catwalk season, has fewer big
names than New York, Milan and Paris but draws buyers,
journalists and bloggers from around the world for its emerging
talent and established brands such as Burberry, Christopher Kane
and Erdem.
According to a survey by the British Fashion Council (BFC), no
animal fur will feature on the London catwalks or in designer
presentations this season.
"We ask every season whether fur will be represented on the
catwalk or in presentations...This is the first time that
designers have said that there will be 100 percent no fur on the
catwalk," BFC Chief Executive Caroline Rush told Reuters.
"I think it just reflects a change in their creative choices and
the power of the consumer and really thinking about the images
that they're putting out through fashion week."
Burberry last week said it would no longer use real fur, the
latest fashion house to ditch animal skin amid growing pressure
from animal rights groups and younger clients' changing tastes.
Other labels turning their back on fur include Italian luxury
labels Versace and Gucci.
"Of the big four (fashion capitals), (London) is certainly the
first that can say that we'll be 100 percent fur free this
time," Rush added.
Getting the ball rolling with a bold and colorful show, designer
Richard Malone chose hot pink, mustard yellow and sharp blues
and greens for his edgy collection which appeared to draw on
1960s-1980s influences.
Models strutted in light jackets with exaggerated shoulders,
tasseled mini-skirts and narrow over-the-knee biker shorts worn
with chunky platform boots. Printed tops featured the face of a
stranger in a crowd, according to show notes.
Asked to describe the line, Malone said it was "bossy and fun
... like fun for a women to wear, and also quite powerful for a
women to wear."
The women's clothing market grew by 3.2 percent to 28.4 billion
pounds ($37.26 billion) last year in Britain, according to
market research firm Mintel, and sales are forecast to increase
to 33.5 billion pounds in 2022.
Among the highlights this season is Victoria Beckham who is
celebrating 10 years in fashion by bringing her catwalk show to
London from New York, and the first collection by Burberry's new
chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci. ($1 = 0.7623 pounds)
Graphic on UK womenswear sales: https://tmsnrt.rs/2NIg9Lk
(Reporting By Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Jayson Mansaray;
Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
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