“London’s Always Where You See The Future Coming”: Sarah Mower Looks Back On 40 Years Of Capital Style | ...

London Fashion Week has a rich history, with its origins dating back to 1984 when a mysterious tent appeared outside the Commonwealth Institute on Kensington High Street. Sarah Mower, a fashion journalist and author, was lucky enough to witness this pivotal moment in fashion history, describing it as a "take-off moment" that marked the beginning of London's fashion week.

Mower recounts the excitement of watching designers such as Katharine Hamnett, Martine Rose, Supriya Lele, and Simone Rocha showcase their collections on the catwalk, describing the energy and interconnectedness of youth, music, and creative radicalism that defined this era.

As London Fashion Week continued to grow and evolve over the years, Mower notes the emergence of new talent, including Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, and Hussein Chalayan.

She describes these designers as "visceral spectacles" that pushed the boundaries of fashion and left a lasting impact on the industry.

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London Fashion Week never existed until 1984, when a mysterious tent went up outside the Commonwealth Institute on Kensington High Street. I remember it because I'd been walking past, heard music pumping, gone around the back, waited for a security guard to look in the other direction and snuck in through a gap in the tent. There I stood, a mind-boggled English and history of art graduate (who had zero to do with fashion), watching a Katharine Hamnett riot taking place – a great gang of people charging the catwalk in parachute-silk shirts with flying tails, cotton-drill utility trousers and, as I remember it, Dunlop plimsolls.

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The Best Street Style From London Fashion Week AW24 | British Vogue

It's only in the 21st century, though, that Street Style with two capital Ss was born – the phrase no longer loosely referring to fashion tribes associated with different parts of a city (in London's case, think Mary Quant's mods on Carnaby Street, or Vivienne Westwood's punks on the Kings Road)

Publisher: British Vogue

Author: Cond Nast

Twitter: @BritishVogue

Excerpt: The Best Street Style From London Fashion Week AW24 | British Vogue

The Best Front-Row Style At London Fashion Week | British Vogue

If New York Fashion Week is glossy, polished – Tommy Hilfiger taking over Grand Central Station's Oyster Bar with models who look like they summer in Cape Cod and winter in Aspen – London is more provocative, a touch grittier (and not just because of the February weather).

And while London is perhaps the least starry of fashion's Big 4, what its front rows lack in TikTok Discover Page favourites, they make up for in unpredictability and – quite frankly – fun (think of the Queen, perched next to Anna Wintour at Richard Quinn in 2018)

Publisher: British Vogue

Author: Cond Nast

Twitter: @BritishVogue

Reference: See here

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Remarks on: "London's Always Where You See The Future Coming": Sarah Mower Looks Back On 40 Years Of Capital Style | ...

London Fashion Week has been a significant event in the fashion industry for decades, providing a platform for designers to showcase their creations and gain recognition. Sarah Mower, a fashion journalist and critic, has been covering London Fashion Week for over 40 years and has witnessed firsthand the evolution of the event and the city's influence on the fashion world.

In an interview with Vogue, Mower reflects on the history of London Fashion Week and the impact it has had on the industry.

Mower recalls the early days of London Fashion Week, which began in 1984 as a small event held in a tent outside the Commonwealth Institute. She describes the excitement of witnessing the take-off moment of London Fashion Week, with designers such as Katharine Hamnett and her riotous collection of parachute-silk shirts and cotton-drill utility trousers.

Mower notes that she was not aware of the significance of the event at the time, but she knew that she had to have a pair of Dunlop plimsolls after witnessing the show.

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