25 Years of London Fashion Week

I like to imagine – because being born two years shy of the inauguration of London Fashion Week ‘imagine’ is all I can really do – that 25 years ago the reality of the fashion industry was actually quite close to its (largely damning) stereotypes today.

And in the main part, it was. The mid Eightes were, after all, a time of ‘hi- octane’ living. People snorting cocaine for breakfast and spending large amounts of cash on fax machines and the like. It was a time that produced the sort of people that go beyond parody.

Take the infamous Lynn Franks, the 1980s fashion PR whose outlandish behaviour was the main source of inspiration for Ab Fab’s Edina. Apparently little embellishment was needed for the on screen persona, so great was the real thing.

Then there was fashion label Body Map, whose 1985 show Barbie Takes a Trip Around Nature’s Cosmic Curves shocked American buyers with its trippy lights and models dressing at the side of the catwalk. And let us not forget John Galliano, (whose first collection was bought in its entirety by Browns) and slogan queen Katherine Hamnett.

Ten years later came Cool Brittania, championed by the enfant terrible of British fashion Alexander McQueen (tampon string dresses anyone?) and consistently challenging designer Hussein Chalayan. Matthew Williamson’s first show in 1997 saw Kate Moss and Helena Chistensen strutting down the catwalk. Having no money, the designer paid them in clothes.

For all of London’s supposed unprofessionalism and amateurishness in comparison to the other three fashion capitals, the success and longevity of its designers speaks volumes. Of the names that showed in the ’80s and ’90s; Sir Paul Smith, Caroline Charles, Betty Jackson and Dame Vivienne Westwood, all are still firm favourites on the London schedule. Even Body Map, who despite thriving from London’s clubland culture eventually had to close shop, are now experiencing a revival.

Of course, many  designers fled the city in search of commercial success and financial gain across the pond or channel, but 25 years later and many of them are back.  This season Matthew Williamson, Stella McCartney for Adidas, and Burberry to name a few are back on home turf, in the depth of a recession no less, to show their S/S10 collections and support for the city.

Perhaps one reason why designers all eventually return – Vivienne Westwood still shows her Red Label here and Luella Bartley came back a few years ago – is the generous support that has always been afforded to new designers. Schemes such as Topshop’s NewGen and Fashion Forward allows emerging talent  – Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab, Erdem – that maintain London’s reputation as creative epicentre the chance to do just that.

Now in the wake of its 25th year, the British Fashion Council has put yet more schemes in place to further help the capital’s designers. And for those that are firmly of the belief that fashion is frivolous, perhaps the £20m it injected into the economy last year will change their minds.