British style icon Vivienne Westwood unveiled
her latest offerings and American actress Lena Dunham made a catwalk debut as
London Fashion Week got underway Friday under the shadow of the novel
coronavirus epidemic.
The five-day showcase in the British capital will feature more than 60
shows, including Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger, but with participation dented by
the deadly outbreak spreading around the world.
The COVID-19 epidemic — as the World Health Organization has formally
named it — has so far claimed around 1,400 lives and infected nearly 64,000
people.
The vast majority have been in China, the source of the outbreak, but as it
has spread there have also been nine cases identified in Britain.
The British Fashion Council (BFC), which organises the event, said it
expected attendance from Chinese media and buyers “to be significantly
reduced” due to the travel restrictions imposed as a result of the outbreak.
Chief Executive Caroline Rush announced a partnership with the Business of
Fashion China media platform “to ensure that our two audiences remain
incredibly connected”.
But BFC chairwoman Stephanie Phair tried to downplay the obvious concerns
encroaching on one of the global fashion industry’s key gatherings.
“It is absolutely a topic but the fashion industry has always faced
challenges and is a resilient industry,” she told AFP.
Sustainability focus
US acting star and “Girls” creator Dunham made her surprise runway debut
for London-based brand 16Arlington, sporting wet hair, a gold leaf dress and a
leather jacket.
“Lena is amazing,” Marco Capaldo, its co-founder along with Kikka Cavenati,
told AFP. “Apart from being a dear friend, she stands for such positivity and
she is a real force for change and we love that.”
Meanwhile Westwood presented her autumn/winter 2020/21 collection, inspired
by British and Italian traditions, at the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park with
an overtly political message of support for jailed Wikileaks founder Julian
Assange.
“I’m taking the opportunity of London Fashion Week to defend human rights
and free speech,” she said in a statement calling for protests when the
whistleblower’s trial over extradition to the United States begins later this
month in Britain.
Some of the models at her show wore black and white masks to represent a
decapitated man’s face while a pillory was on display.
London’s turn in the fashion spotlight opened Friday with the debut show by
Yuhan Wang, a London-based designer originally from Weihai in northeast China.
She showed long and light floral dresses, dominated by lace with a
bohemian, melancholic feel.
Also showing in London this week are queen of punk rock culture Pam Hogg,
along with big British names such as Chalayan, JW Anderson and Victoria
Beckham.
Meanwhile Vienna-based designer Petar Petrov will be among the newcomers
showcasing at Fashion East, London’s pioneering non-profit initiative
championing emerging talent.
After largely deserting New York Fashion Week in recent years, Tommy
Hilfiger returns to London to unveil his fourth “TommyxLewis” collection,
which has a strong focus on sustainability.
‘Creative disruptions’
With climate change concerns paramount, an increasing number of designers
are choosing to use renewable materials and support local crafts.
That trend is set to feature in the collections of Mulberry, Phoebe
English, and Johnstons of Elgin — all with a strong production presence in
England.
Under pressure from environmental activists, London organisers are trying
to improve the image of the event and promote good practices.
They include a “switch to blue” campaign to bring the industry together “to
lead in ambitious environmental action”, as well as a collaboration with
designer Richard Malone for a reusable canvas bag.
On Tuesday, young designer Rosh Mahtani, founder of the jewellery brand
Alighieri, will receive the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, for
her “ethical approach and commitment to local manufacturing”.
However, activist group Extinction Rebellion has called for next season’s
event in September to be scrapped, denouncing the fashion industry’s
“exploitation of (the) planet, people and animals”.
It has previously protested at London Fashion Week and plans further
“creative disruptions” on Saturday.
Meanwhile the perceived threat of COVID-19 looms large in the background.
Organisers said they would carry out “deep cleans” every evening at the
event’s central London hub, while anti-bacterial hand sanitisers will be made
available throughout the venue.
But concerns about the outbreak go well beyond the immediate threat to
those attending.
British fashion house Burberry warned last week of a “material negative
effect on luxury demand”, as Chinese consumers stayed at home.(AFP)
