Versus among new additions to London Fashion Week line-up

Versus Versace is joining the official London Fashion Week schedule, the British Fashion Council confirmed in its provisional schedule for the September edition, with the Italian brand planning to hold a catwalk show for the first time during LFW.

The move follows the appointment of Anthony Vaccarello as creative director in January, and this catwalk will mark his first for the label, following a small pre-collection presentation the brand held in the capital in May. The Versus Versace catwalk will close the second day at London Fashion Week on September 19.

Other newcomers to the LFW schedule includes the first official look at former Mulberry creative director Emma Hill’s new accessories line, Hill & Friends, who will showcase on Sunday, September 20, while luxury knitwear brand John Smedley will launch its first womenswear collection, following on from six seasons showing its collections at London Collections Men.

BFC releases provisional LFW SS16 schedule

Peter Jensen and Amanda Wakeley return to the schedule after a hiatus, both are planning presentation formats, as will Zandra Rhodes, whose eponymous brand kicks off the five-day event on September 18. Other additions include Toga, Alexander Lewis, Edeline Lee, Natasha Zinko, and Manuel Faccini.

These sit alongside returning LFW designers including Burberry Prorsum, Jonathan Saunders, Mary Katrantzou, Erdem, Christopher Kane, Anya Hindmarch, and Roksanda, As well as the designers who have received Topshop’s NewGen sponsorship including 1205, Ashley Williams and Ryan Lo who will showcase their collections on the runway, while Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril, Faustine Steinmetz and Molly Goddard will host presentations and Marta Jakubowski and Sadie Williams will design installations.

The biggest change to the schedule however, is the new official BFC show space, which is moving from Somerset House to Brewer Street car park in Soho, where according to the provisional schedule only 17 of the 77 brands have chosen to show.

London Fashion Week spring/summer 2016 will take place from September 18 to 22.

Images: Donatella Versace and Anthony Vaccarello / BFC Show Space at Brewer Street car park