BFC rethinks June’s London Fashion Week with all-new cultural concept

The British Fashion Council has unveiled a new concept for the June edition of London Fashion Week with a variety of events in addition to the mainstay catwalk shows and an aim to “ignite a cultural moment”.

The June event was originally established as London Fashion Week: Men a little over a decade ago. But after initial success it suffered from the rise of dual gender and see-now-buy-now shows, as well as the underlying season-neutral trend and, of course, the pandemic. 

So rethinking the fundamental concept clearly makes sense. Menswear remains the key category. But it comes along with “a platform for diverse British designers and brands with a focus on the depth and breadth of menswear businesses in the UK”. 

In line with the year-long celebrations of the 40th anniversary of LFW (known as LFW40), the new concept “will spotlight London’s position as a world-leading cultural capital and amplify its creative community”.

And the ambition for the June event going forward “is to provide a platform for designer businesses and the different cultures and communities who have made a rich and significant contribution to the British fashion industry”.

Taking pace from 7-9 June, the Friday-to-Sunday event will kick off with the BFC taking over the Institute of Contemporary Arts to host a curated programme that will include an exhibition, panel discussions and cultural events “informed by the first three cultures the BFC has chosen to spotlight this season”. 

In collaboration with three guest curators, will explore “Black culture centred around self-love; South Asian culture with focus on pattern, textile and craftsmanship; and queer culture, with a spotlight on young creative voices from the trans community”. 

And in celebration of LFW40, there will be a “retrospective installation that celebrates the success of LFW and the important role it plays globally at the intersection of culture”.

Meanwhile, the “40 for 40” schedule, will include a line-up of 40 “activations” hosted by “leading British brands and designers across the city”.

That means catwalk shows and presentations, of course, but also events such as the BFC taking over the Groucho Club on the Sunday “to provide designers and brands with a dynamic activation space”.

BFC Chief Executive Caroline Rush said the changes “will amplify our designers and promote the diverse menswear businesses, from streetwear to Savile Row, as well as retail in the city. We will celebrate and pay homage to some of the cultures which contribute so much to the UK fashion industry, the aim is to build on this with different cultures each year”.

She added that 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 recognising the business needs of our designers and providing them with a global showcasing platform which is both relevant and beneficial. This iteration of LFW is a really exciting opportunity to future-proof and innovate the UK’s fashion showcasing capabilities and highlight the city’s point of difference during Men’s fashion month”.

Sponsors and partners of the event include official sponsor 1664 Blanc and partners Diet Coke, The Londoner and Toni & Guy.