For a while now we've known that Kate Moss will take part in the closing ceremony alongside other big British models like Naomi Campbell and Stella Tennant but even now, it's still unclear what, or who, they will down the runway. The latest issue of Vogue might reveal a clue.
To mark the event and in collaboration with the British Fashion Council, Vogue commissioned Nick Knight to shoot all of the models involved wearing British designers, leading people to speculate that the girls will wear the same brands for the closing event as they wear in the shoot.
In the issue Moss appears wearing a gold encrusted dress by Sarah Burton, as does Campbell, while Stella Tennant appears in Christopher Kane, Lily Cole and Donaldson in Erdem and Vivienne Westwood respectively, Georgia May Jagger in Victoria Beckham and Jourdan Dunn in Jonathan Saunders. I think it's safe to assume that they won't wear the same things but I'm sure the brand choice will be the same.
Earlier on this week Peter Pilottospoke to the Wall Street Journal about how exciting London Fashion Week has become in recent years. 'London Fashion Week is becoming a stronger fashion week,' he said. 'I guess London has realized it has to support its new talent' and if there's someone that's supported young British talent and made that happen, it's Lulu Kennedy.
Yesterday her commitment to supporting fresh design talent through Fashion East was recognised as she was honoured with an MBE at Buckingham Palace. Big names on the London Fashion Week schedule like Jonathan Saunders, Michael van der Ham and Roksanda Ilincic all have Kennedy to thanks for helping kick start their careers. 'Today was such an honour for me and something I will never forget,' she told Telegraph Fashion. "I only wish I had been able to take each and every one of my dedigners with me. I can't wait to celebrate with them this evening.'
Earlier on this week the British Fashion Council played host to the third British Designer's Collective pop-up shop at Bicester Village and just about every journalist in London was there to celebrate. As we reported, Alexa Chung replaced Thandie Newton this year to open the shop in line with her new role as the BFC's Style Ambassador.
'I am proud to support Value Retail on their British Designers' Collective pop up store at Bicester Village,' she said. 'The initiative opens up a whole new market to the participating designers that they might not otherwise have access to at this stage in their career. I look forward to choosing some key pieces from their collections for myself.' Starting from this week, great British brands like Nicholas Kirkwood, Jonathan Saunders and Holly Fulton will be available for up to 60% percent off but for a limited time only so don't waste time. Get down there soon.
Last night ELLE hosted their 15th annual ELLE Style Awards. The event, which took place in London's Savoy Hotel, saw Alexa Chung brought back to serve as host and guests were treated to a performance over dinner by Critics Choice Award winner, Emeli Sandéwho was joined on the stage Professor Green in the after-party.
Red carpet looks were strong, particularly from Tali Lennox in Julien Macdonald, Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen, Chung in Stella McCartney and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Antonio Berardi.
But outfits aside, the one thing you can always count on at the event is a good speech or two and last night was no different. Last year everyone was talking about Vivienne Westwood's 'interesting' confession that she didn't know who Emma Watson but this year was even more memorable. Johnny Johannsson, Acne's creative director, had us all impressed as he sang a Swedish celebratory song to pick up the award for Best Contemporary Brand but it was Cuba Goodings Jr who stole the show. Before presenting the Style Icon award to Huntington-Whiteley, he had the crowd taking shots of their drinks after saying that, "this is the first party I've been to where I feel I need to loose weight."
This season's London Fashion Week is a special one for Topshop as it marks the tenth year that the retailer has been sponsoring NEWGEN, an intitative to fund the shows of London's best design talent. To celebrate the anniversary they have teamed up with twenty designers that they have worked with, past and present, - including Holly Fulton, Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou - to create a special line of t-shirts that will be available in strores and online from Friday February 17 to Tuesday February 22.
Last week was an interesting one for British menswear designers. Central Saint Martins alumni and former Dunhill creative director Kim Jones showed a stellar second collection in his role at Louis Vuitton and Jonathan Saunders made his menswear debut in Milan - and there lies the problem. Whilst London continues to be the breeding ground of great design talent, the city isn't seen as the most viable place to grow.
To tackle the problem the British Fashion Council have announced the launch of a new initiative aimed at promoting Britain's menswear talent. To help them with the task they have appointed British GQ editor Dylan Jones to serve as the chairman on the advisory board, which seems to make sense.
Jonathan Saunders has managed to charm the fashion press with his womenswear line and now, he hopes to have the same effect with the launch of a new menswear line. Yesterday Vogue UK confirmed that the designer will debut the new line at Milan Fashion Week next week alongside brands like Prada, Burberry and Gucci.
In the past London Fashion Week was the city that everyone felt like they could afford to miss but with the support of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, things have really turned around for London. The program, which provides all of the short listed designers with an industry mentor and £200,000 for the winner, has helped propel the businesses of previous winners Erdem Moraliglu and Christopher Kane. Both designers success in the UK and beyond is testament to the success of the program.
Yesterday the BFC announced that this year's short listed designers are: Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic, Mary Katrantzou, Richard Nicoll, Marios Schwab, Peter Pilotto, Meadham Kirchoff and Zoe Jordan, as well as Nicholas Kirkwood.
Jonathan Saunders is the British press' wonderboy. Just when you think he couldn't top his last collection, he goes and does just that and where many designers failed to excite the fashion press at London Fashion Week this season, Saunders' collection was praised as the show of the week.
"It's lovely to feel supported," he told Vogue.com today at the launch of his collection for Matches. "Probably like most designers, I'm my own worst critic, but now I try to look at how the season performed; what sold, rather than focus on press coverage. When I was younger, I'd design one collection and then look at the reaction, but as you get older you become more humble; you listen to your customer and get to know her and what she wants. You learn it's not all about how you're perceived." He continued: "There are elements that I hope are always there in my work: the use of colour and pattern; an easiness to the shapes; an innovativeness; a femininity without being sexy-sexy - but the brand is evolving, definitely. I'm an ambitious person and I'd love to create a global brand."
Yesterday saw the second opening of the British Designers Collective pop up shop in Bicester Village. The event marked the second time the British Fashion Council and the discount retail outlet have collaborated to bring the best of Britain's new designers under one roof. A/W2010 pieces were made available at the event for a select group of press and industry before the carefully selected pieces will be made available for the wider public today.
The collaboration is all in aid of pushing awareness of British brands to an international market. In the welcome speech, a representative from the shopping village explained that their loyal customers are usually from the Middle East and Russia, making the partnership the perfect idea to propel the designers brands globally. 21 designers have participated this year including Jonathan Saunders, Todd Lynn, Felder Felder, Marios Schwab and Fash Pack favourite, Holly Fulton. Accessories were also available from Georgina Goodman, Jane Carr, Fiona Paxton and Lara Bohnic.
