It’s no secret that LFW has lost its mojo, losing great British talents like Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney to Paris Fashion Week for many years. Where once names like Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood drew international stars to their FROWs in the 90s, their continued absence has led top editors, buyers and celebs to skip over London Fashion Week –according to Anna Brennan, founder of AB Comms, the company that has traditionally staged shows for LFW mainstays like Bora Aksu, Mark Fast and Eudon Choi. Other PRs have lamented that ticket requests used to far outnumber available seats, and while celebs once clamoured to be front and centre, many now request to be paid to attend shows.
Meanwhile, New York Fashion Week, which went through a similar hype drought pre-pandemic, (several publications even proclaimed the ‘Death of NYFW’) has seemingly bounced back this season, drawing industry giants like Alaia and Off-White (who traditionally showed in Paris) to the Big Apple, with splashy front row attendees like Rihanna and Jade Thirlwall to match.
Backstage at the Charles & Keith and Chet Lo FW24 Runway Show, February 2024Dave Benett/Getty Images
The main challenge young British brands face today is funding. “Between the ever-rising cost of materials, the ever-lowering budgets of wholesalers, and the decrease in commercial consumerism from society, young designers are placed in a really hard spot,” says designer Chet Lo, a Central Saint Martin’s graduate who has become one of the most exciting names on the LFW calendar. “Funding is needed to fill that gap and keep companies stable until consumer attitudes and the current economy improves.” Echoing Chet’s call for greater financial support, fellow LFW mainstay Bora Aksu cites sustainability as another added pressure brands have to juggle: “I feel more challenged to balance my creativity and business, while striving to be more sustainable, using fewer resources, and producing less.”