London Fashion Week: Is British style finally having its moment?

Of the ‘big four’ fashion weeks (New York, London, Milan, and Paris), London has always been the place the industry comes to seek out the freshest young talent and latest styles, but this year there’s particular focus on London as British style is, to coin a phrase, en vogue.

In the past, British fashion has often been viewed as less experimental than the Italians and lacking the showmanship of the French – our garments were often better quality, but more traditional, less flashy and less trendy. Now, the industry has gone full circle and can’t get enough of British style.

The durability and timelessness of British garments are now finally getting the admiration and respect from the industry which they deserve.

With every year, the pace of change is speeding up. Trends which would endure for a year or two now often last for a matter of weeks. The industry is finally beginning to realise that it can’t keep up, and is shunning trends altogether in favour of quality, timeless garments.

British designers have always shown that if you style an outfit well and wear it in an appropriate environment, then you will always look good. Fashion isn’t about trends, it’s about wearing something that makes a statement about who you are. The world is waking up to this most British of mantras.

There’s another factor behind this Great British fashion revival too: sustainability.

As trends sped up, and the fashion world tried to keep up, it became more and more wasteful, and garments became increasingly disposable. The industry grappled with this question for many years and has finally realised it needs to change its ways. Of course, it’s turned to Britain - the home of sustainable fashion - for solutions.

British designers have always made a point of shunning fast fashion and producing quality, sustainably produced garments. London’s latest generation of young designers are taking up this mantle with greater verve than ever, putting sustainability at the core of everything they do.

They’re more likely to experiment with new, more planet-friendly materials which others have never considered using before. Sustainability is the biggest challenge facing the fashion industry at the moment, and Britain is leading the world in taking it on.

Our time is now - the buzz around London Fashion Week proves it.

__________________

Olena Martynyuk is an associate lecturer in fashion at London Metropolitan University

LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.