London getting behind London Fashion Week
loading...
Fashion
This Friday, February 16, sees the start of London Fashion Week, and as we’ve seen over the years, fashion week is now much more than just designer catwalk shows and presentations, shops, cafe’s and hotels, as well as mainstream brands, want to get in on the action, and FashionUnited has all the details so you can get involved.
Mulberry Beyond Heritage
To celebrate the launch of the Mulberry’s spring/summer 2018 collection showing on Friday during London Fashion Week, the British fashion house is taking over eighteenth-century Spencer House in London to host 'Beyond Heritage’, which will showcase the new collection, alongside events including skilled leather artisans demonstrate their craftsmanship as they make some of the brand’s most iconic bags.
There are also workshops exploring the brand’s leathers and the intricate processes behind bringing a Mulberry bag to life, with a focus around key styles from this season’s new collections, as well as a talk with creative director Johnny Coca about the new season line, and seminars on how to style the new collection and a look at Mulberry’s collaboration with milliner Noel Steward.
Mulberry creative director, Johnny Coca, said: “Spencer House is a beautiful eighteenth century gem in the heart of London - a former private residence that artisans have painstakingly restored to its original splendour. We are looking forward to creating a different visual experience at the house by showcasing the collection and hosting talks with modern artisans.”
The Beyond Heritage event will be open from February 17-18 and will also include a Mulberry pop-up selling the brand’s spring/summer 2018 collection, as well as a Palm Room tea house.
Converse One Star Hotel
American trainers brand Converse is opening a two-day pop-up One Star Hotel in Shoreditch featuring rooms curated by music artists A$AP Nast, Yung Lean & MadeMe.
On the hotel’s website, it promises “loud neighbours and zero sleep”, as well as “staff with attitude, all nighters in shoebox rooms,” the “freshest sneakers as standard” and “queues around the block for the gift shop”.
Open from February 16 to 17, the pop-up will also showcase exclusive One Star merchandise from the spring 2018 collection, never-before-released and re-released versions of Converse’s most coveted One Stars collaborations and a schedule of music and fashion events, including hosting Mimi Wade's autumn/winter 2018 presentation, sets from the likes of A$AP Nast and Skinny Macho, or screen printing with Liam Hodges.
The One Star Hotel is located at 155 New N Rd Hoxton, London N1 6TA and will be open from 12 – 6pm and 8pm – Late.
Anya Hindmarch’s Love Letter to London
While Anya Hindmarch might not be showing on-schedule this season during London Fashion Week, the designer has instead sent a love letter to London in the form of giant chubby heart balloons, created in partnership with the Mayor of London, the City of Westminster and the British Fashion Council.
The balloons, inspired by the designer’s spring/summer 2018 collection, first appeared on Valentine’s Day in the city, and are being placed over and in London’s famous landmarks. They will appear in 29 different locations every day for a week, including 180 The Strand, Battersea Power Station, Covent Garden, Granary Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Serpentine Gallery, Somerset House, The Dorchester, The Ritz London and Westfield Shopping Centre.
Commenting on the installation, Anya Hindmarch said: "The idea for this project came to me whilst sitting in a packed Royal Festival Hall. I was in awe of the resilience of Londoners and its visitors.
"Tying giant helium-filled chubby hearts onto buildings all over the city is simply a 'surprise love letter to London' as a tribute to its strength and to celebrate our amazing creative city.”
For a map of the chubby heart locations visit chubbyhearts.com, the hearts will be displayed until February 20.
Café Belvedere
Belvedere will be hosting an intimate drop in Café during London Fashion Week, until Sunday, February 18, offering a punchy martini to perk up the fashion crowd, the Belvedere Espress, which is the fastest ever espresso martini served from a vintage-inspired syphon. Café Belvedere will also serve three beautiful interpretations created by Martin Hudak of The Savoy, all focusing on the power of coffee and Belvedere vodka.
Located at 15 Bateman St, London, W1D 3AQ, the Café is open from 1pm to 10:30pm, February 15-18.
Prêt-à-Portea
The Berkeley hotel offers a fashion-inspired afternoon tea, Prêt-à-Portea, where the cakes get a couture makeover every six months to reflect the latest catwalk trends, colours and designs created by its head pastry chef Mourad Khiat. For autumn/winter 2017, the hotel’s Prêt-à-Portea collection of biscuits, bakes and fancies includes an Anya Hindmarch inspired bag cake, a Bottega Veneta yellow outfit and a Gianvito Rossi red boot biscuit.
Fashion Space Gallery - Super Sharp
The Fashion Space Gallery at London College of Fashion is hosting an exhibition exploring the appropriation of Italian designer brands such as Versace, Moschino, Iceberg and D&G in the underground music scenes of Jungle and UK Garage in the nineties. The exhibition draws from an extensive archive amassed by DJ and producer Saul Milton, which also forms the core of the wider series of exhibitions Rtrn II Jungle. By combining the music, testimonials and the original garments, the exhibition reveals why high-end Italian labels were so important to the cultural and style history of both genres.
Super Sharp takes place at Fashion Space Gallery, London College of Fashion, 20 John Princes Street, W1G 0BJ until April 21.
Browns East: Pop Shop Balloons
Browns East is to host an eccentric installation featuring balloons, where shoppers will be able to purchase a helium-inflated balloon to take away with them, or place an order for delivery with the help of their in-store ambassadors.
He.She.They
London’s new enfant terrible, He.She.They., will be casting it's weird and wonderful control over all 4 rooms at Ministry of Sound on February 24 in an evening that will merge the worlds of fashion, music and art. The event will be headlined by Maya Jane Coles who recently released her award-winning sophomore album ‘Take Flight’. She will be joined by Dj turned designer Ellen Allien, Satoshi Tomiie, Wings/Warboy B2B, Scratcha DVA, Mickey Pearce, Maze and Masters, The Menendez Brothers and Barely Legal amongst others.
London Fashion Week runs from February 16 to February 20.
Main image: courtesy of London Fashion Week/British Fashion Council