Burberry has canceled its London Fashion week show following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. In a statement released to the press, the fashion house said, “It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. As a mark of respect, we have taken the decision to cancel our Spring/Summer 2023 runway show due to take place on 17 September in London.” It is not yet known whether they will reschedule the presentation for a later date.
The label, which is currently under the creative supervision of fashion designer Ricardo Tisci, has also paid tribute to the queen on its social media channels and website and joined a host of British brands including Stella McCartney and Paul Smith in mourning for the late monarch. Burberry had a longstanding relationship with Her Majesty: the heritage brand, which was founded in 1856, was first awarded a Royal Warrant by the late monarch in 1955 and was one of her preferred “weatherproofers” of choice.
Meanwhile, Belgian fashion luminary Raf Simons has confirmed he is also canceling his brand’s show, which was scheduled for September 16th. “As the country enters a period of official mourning, we will pause during this time of great sadness. We will take this time to respect the legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her 70 years on the throne. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family and the people of the Commonwealth,” the brand said in a statement.
The announcements come after the British Fashion Council confirmed that it will go ahead with London Fashion next week as scheduled. “It is an important moment for designers to show their collections at a specific moment in the fashion calendar, we recognise the work that goes into this moment,” they shared in a statement with the Financial Times. However, they requested that designers postpone “non-essential” events such as parties following the Queen’s passing, and urged those with retail stores to close their outlets for 24 hours on the day of her funeral, which is yet to be announced by the Palace.
This story originally ran on British GQ with the title ‘Burberry and Raf Simons cancel London Fashion Week shows as a “mark of respect” for Queen Elizabeth II’