London’s Menswear Fashion Week is Revitalized With a New Format Highlighting Cultural Leaders
The British Fashion Council has unveiled plans for a revamped format for this summer’s edition of London Fashion Week, aiming to “ignite a cultural moment.” Scheduled to run from June 7th to through 10th, the event will encompass exhibitions, panel discussions, cultural happenings, and catwalk presentations with a focus on menswear.
Kicking off with a special event at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the British Fashion Council will collaborate with three guest curators to delve into various cultural themes. These include explorations of Black culture centered on self-love, South Asian culture with an emphasis on pattern, textile, and craftsmanship, and queer culture highlighting emerging voices from the trans community.
In celebration of the week’s anniversary, the BFC has curated a “40 for 40” program featuring activations by prominent British brands and designers, encompassing shows, presentations, and other engagements. Further details regarding this schedule will be disclosed closer to the event date.
Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the BFC, said in a release, “The new format is a direct result of the conversations we are continuously having with the BFC community (designers, media, UK and international retailers). We want to ensure we are recognizing the business needs of our designers and providing them with a global showcasing platform, which is both relevant and beneficial.” Key sponsors for the event include French beer brand 1664 Blanc and Diet Coke.
London’s menswear season initially debuted in June 2012 under the moniker “London Collections: Men,” and enjoyed substantial success for several years with a diverse audience of global buyers and celebrity attendance, platforming significant names like Tom Ford, Wales Bonner, Craig Green, JW Anderson, and Alexander McQueen. However, it faced challenges with the rise of co-ed and see-now-buy-now shows, which many commercially influential brands opted to explore during womenswear weeks, as well as menswear designers shifting their focus to Paris or Milan. The event underwent rebranding as London Fashion Week Men’s in 2017 before transitioning to its current iteration as “London Fashion Week June.”
