Osman is one of the labels that will be showing at London Fashion Week: Insiders. Image credit: London Fashion Week Festival
London Fashion Week is becoming more consumer-centric with the launch of a new event format.
The British Fashion Council is working with BBC Earth and fashion designer Amy Powney to put on London Fashion Week: Insiders, which will give consumers access to see-now, buy-now shows, talks and other experiences. In recent years, fashion week has evolved from an event primarily geared towards trade to a spectacle for all fans, leading to new types of experiences.
Talks and shows
London Fashion Week: Insiders will be held on Feb. 16 and 17 at The Store X.
On Feb. 16, the space will host a series of talks centered on sustainability. Along with in-person attendees, a global audience will be able to tune in via digital and social media content published by BBC Earth.
The following day, labels including Fyodor Golan and Osman will stage their runway shows.
In addition to events, the space will retail merchandise, including the exclusive London Fashion Week tote bag designed by Richard Quinn.
Instagram post from London Fashion Week Festival
Tickets begin at 135 pounds, or about $177. Consumers can also purchase more perks with a pass priced at 245 pounds, or around $321.
Fashion shows are becoming more open to the public through events and technology.
For instance, French fashion house Balmain is making its brand more accessible and inclusive with the launch of a mobile application that will offer augmented reality experiences and live-streamed runway shows.
Debuting ahead of the brand’s couture runway presentation on Jan. 23, the app will allow consumers to watch the show in real-time. In recent years the luxury fashion experience has been opened to more consumers via social media, but Balmain is looking to take democratization to a new level (see story).