New York, Milan, Paris, and London. The fashion capitals of the world, each known for their high-end designers and biannual fashion shows. With luxury fashion brands like Burberry and Gucci walking down the runaway, cameras flash as models show off the latest trends for the upcoming season. Underneath the low murmur of approval as each model struts down the catwalk is the inner fashionista in all of us, wondering if we too could pull off that outfit. Simply soaking in the styles, colors, and new designs, guests watch in amazement with never-ending glasses of champagne resting in their hands. As the premier fashion event in the world, London Fashion Week displays what is in and out, offering an essential guide to contemporary fashion.

London Fashion Week displays two collections each year, the Spring/Summer Collection and the Fall/Winter collection. Setting the trends for the season to come, these runway shows are influential in determining what is in style. Everyone hears about London Fashion Week, but these fashion shows are invite-only, offering tickets to only the most exclusive guests. Celebrities, fashion photographers, and the affluent make up the audience. Through the pictures they take, these events are broadcasted to the world, showing off the latest luxury designs about to hit the market.

Traditionally fashion shows are held on catwalks, long strips of a stage with a set number of chairs on each side. Fashion models strut down the runway, pose at the end before they walk back to change into their next outfit. But recent designers started a new approach to fashion. Many designers display their clothing as a presentation, a more theatrical approach to fashion. Instead of walking down the runway, models are posed against backdrops, in chairs, or walking around a room that has been designed to complement the collection. This primarily visual event strives to create the best experience for its guests, offering drinks, appetizers, and high-end designs that guests will never forget.

But attending a show during Fashion Week is more than just being an observer of the newest trends by designers in London. This social gathering is synonymous with looking your best. While some guests may choose to wear something straight off the runway itself, most attendees go for a more unique look. During Fashion Week, almost anything goes – as long as you have the confidence to wear it. From flowy pantsuits to mesh tops to faux leather dresses, guests show off their personal sense of style, one that they might not be able to express regularly.

Before the fashion shows begin, guests are often seen mingling with their friends in a reception room. Sipping on champagne and gushing over what their friends are wearing, guests are faced with an aura of sophistication and excitement, a combination only experienced at Fashion Week. The low chattering buzzes through the room as everyone waits in anticipation for the doors to open, allowing guests and photographers into the show. Between the coat check and VIP wristbands to the wide-eyed amazement of watching models like Gigi Hadid and Winnie Harlow strut down the catwalk in the newest styles, guests are sure to experience the thrills of London Fashion Week.

Although associated today with high class and luxury fashion brands, the first London Fashion Week took place at the Commonwealth Institute’s Car Park in Kensington in 1984. Despite this unusual venue for the first show, modern designers have utilized the most beautiful locations in London to work as their catwalks. The grand atriums of Lancaster Home, held up by golden and white columns, provided the perfect background for the elegant designs of Julien MacDonald. Yet other designers, such as Burberry, use the stage of Troubadour Theater to show off their styles to a larger crowd. As Burberry models walked past white instruments, cased in floating glass on all sides, guests experienced a modernist approach to high-end fashion, one that left them feeling whimsical through the new designs and futuristic music.

As most events take place in different venues, London Fashion Week provides the perfect opportunity to learn more about one of the fashion capitals of the world. Traveling through the historic city, from venue to venue, is a freeing experience, a feeling almost as adventurous as the styles seen on the runway. Almost everyone on the streets of London are living in this same, dream-like state, basking in the excitement of Fashion Week, as they try new restaurants and cafes before heading off to the next show.

 

A show guests can’t miss is the Burberry Fashion Show. Previously held at Olympia London and the US Embassy in Vauxhall, this fashion show mixes classic styles with modern designs. Pairing their iconic brown trench coat with a plaid patterned suit from the men’s Fall/Winter 2020 collection, Burberry appeals to different generations of fashion-lovers. While holding traditional values close to their heart, this London-based company shows the new version of luxury: comfort, but never compromising style. Incorporating models such as Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid as their frontrunners places a fresh twist on this outdoor attire.

The geometric designs of Christopher Kane’s women’s Fall/Winter 2020 collection also make for a truly remarkable show. Featuring dresses with cut-outs, blocky suits, and bodices with ring details, Kane represents the new direction of luxury fashion. One design, a caramel-colored flair dress features black lace underneath a top which has been mostly removed. Although daring, his unique designs are nothing other than chic. Previously worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, fashion icon Kate Middleton, Kane’s designs embody the new wave of femininity.

Edeline Lee’s women’s Fall/Winter 2020 presentation took place at the Apollo Theatre, where the models posed on stage as narrators readout literary descriptions. Her theatrical approach to fashion paired nicely with the elegant and show-stopping gowns in the collection. As elegant music played throughout the theatre, one model sipped tea while wearing a blue button-down dress. Staring into the camera, the model showed both power and grace before she disappeared behind the curtain.

For more wearable styles, Victoria Beckham’s designs offer suitable clothing for everyday events. This English-born designer created chic black dresses perfect for any occasion in her Fall/Winter 2020 collection. Alongside plaid and fitted trench coats, these styles are perfect for the rainy London winter. Almost every outfit styled with over-the-knee boots, Beckham displays the bold shoes that will take over shops later this year.

After a long day of fashion shows, guests may find themselves at some of the most exclusive after parties. At The Standard Hotel, London, Love Magazine hosts a star-studded annual bash. On the tenth floor of this futuristic-style hotel, models Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid unwind after one of the biggest fashion events of the year. Looking out in the crowd, there is no consistency with what guests are wearing; in the world of fashion, all clothing is fair game. Jeans and a t-shirt may be sported on some, yet others wear cocktail dresses, suits or jean jackets. The indoor trees and stone covered flooring bring nature into a day of couture, a flourishing quality that also captures the atmosphere of the party. Mingling with Luka Sabbat and Tyler, the Creator, guests can expect to wine and dine with the most influential figures in fashion, all while receiving top of the line service. This woodland inspired space creates a coziness in this luxury hotel, a certain comfort welcomed by guests after being out all day. But with this afterparty at The Standard Hotel, London, it’s almost a guarantee that they’ll be out all night as well.

Whether you live in London or are visiting, London Fashion Week is the place to go. Displaying the newest collections by designers in London, Fashion Week bridges the gap between high-fashion and the masses. Whether it is the classic designs from Burberry, the geometric patterns from Christopher Kane, or the elegant gowns designed by Edeline Lee or Victoria Beckham, London Fashion Week will have certainly have new styles and a luxury experience that every guest will love.