In Pictures: Pure London Autumn/Winter 2017-2018

Pure London kicked off in high spirits on Sunday, as press, buyers and visitors flocked to Olympia London for the bi-annual fashion trade fair. Pure welcomed over 800 women’s wear and men’s wear exhibitors, ranging from up and coming designers to established fashion brands, who showcased their upcoming Autumn/Winter 2017-2018 women’s wear, men’s wear, footwear, accessories and handbags. 60 percent of the brand line-up for this season are international, with a number of brands opting to exhibit exclusively at Pure. Newness, exclusivity and relevance in the brands showing as well as the seminar line-up are just a few of the key factors that helped bring in buyers from Asos, House of Fraser and The Dressing Room.

Were you unable to attend Pure London in person this season, or are you curious to see what the show looks like? Fret not, as FashionUnited has rounded up a series of photographs and show highlights of Pure London AW 17 edition for you below.

Alexandra Shulman takes to the stage on Day 1

One of the key moments to take place during Pure this season saw current Editor-in-Chief at British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman, take to the main stage to share her industry insights. She began her keynote speech with a recount of her first interview for Vogue in 1992, before moving on to discuss other hot topics occurring within the industry, such as the bricks and clicks debate and increasing competition on the high street. Shulman encouraged independent retailers to constantly ask themselves ‘what is the extra thing you can do to make your customer attach to you’.

She then went on to discuss the changes to the fashion week calendars and timetables are affecting the industry, the ‘see now, buy now’ debate. Although Shulman believes the ‘jury is still out’ when it comes to which tactic is the most successful, she stressed the importance of digital channels, such as Instagram, as well as brands and retailers need to create excitement and deliver demanding customer expectations, whatever the product. Her two most important pieces of advice during her talk were: ‘Why me?’ and ‘What can I bring that is new to the party?’

“It was great to have Alexandra Shulman at Pure London, a fantastic opportunity to listen to someone who is so respected in the industry,” commented Deryane Tadd, Owner of The Dressing Room, St Albans. “She gave such a warm, engaging and insightful speech that was clearly in tune with and relevant to our business..”

Pure Man

This edition saw Pure London’s recently launched men division triple in size from its debut in 2016, with over 150 men’s wear brands from over 23 different countries, including France, Portugal and Hong Kong exhibiting exclusively at Pure Man. “I’m really excited to see the diversity of brands showcasing in Pure Man for AW17,” commented Adam Gough, Head of Menswear at Pure. “We have designers from over all over the world showcasing their latest offering, bringing together a great mix of different styles and trends. We have plenty of Pure Man exclusives that I’m sure will excite the buyers looking for something fresh.”

New and upcoming designers exhibiting in Pure Man’s Emerging Brands section, including Studio Mulder, 40 Colori and Suedebird. In addition, Pure Men new, inaugural sub-section, entitled Concept, is home to premium and bespoke men’s wear collections from 150 Yards Ahead, Arc Minute, Arstides Vanis, Night Addict, Telm London and The Tie Co. Other men’s wear brands showing include Berwich, Remus Uomo, Cheap Monday, Brave Soul, Bellfield, Dedicated Brand, Casual Friday and Original Penguin.

Pure London AW 17/18 Show Highlights

Other show highlights include Pure London catwalk shows, which were divided by theme this year, WSGN’s Sara Maggioni buyer briefings which explored future fashion trends and a seminar led by Sacha Wilkins, also known as Liberty London Girl on how brands should work with the right social media influencers. Pure London AW17-18 is set to run today and tomorrow from 9:30 am to 16:00 pm on Tuesday, February 14 at Olympia London.

Photos courtesy of Pure London