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London Fashion Week ignites with a spectacular opening by H&M featuring the summer star, Charli XCX. The event shakes up the schedule for the Spring-Summer 2025 fashion week, which includes forty-eight shows running until Tuesday.
Often overshadowed by its prestigious counterparts in Paris and Milan, London Fashion Week steps into the limelight this year. Breaking away from traditional luxury runway shows, the highlight of this week is undeniably the H&M event. Described by The Standard as the week’s most coveted event and echoed by The Times, the evening in East London stands out. Charli XCX, who fronts H&M’s Autumn-Winter 2024 collection, is set to perform, launching into the prelude of her worldwide tour. Her hyper-pop album, Brat, known for its neon green cover, resonated throughout the summer, influencing everything from fashion campaigns to political ads.
This gathering marks a pivotal moment for fashion. Just before the H&M event, collaborations between eBay and Oxfam with Vinted showcased collections entirely of second-hand clothing, proving that sustainability can be both chic and affordable. Marianne Gybels of Vinted emphasized this message.
Fashion activist Katharine Hamnett closed the Oxfam show with her iconic “No more fashion victims” T-shirt, echoing her debut at London’s first fashion week in 1984. The moment highlighted the tepid commitment of the British Fashion Council affiliated brands to cut down their carbon emissions, spotlighted by the NGO Collective Fashion Justice.
Despite criticisms of H&M’s fast fashion model and its heavy use of polyester, there’s an evident effort to adopt more sustainable practices. However, some critics on TikTok remain skeptical about the depth of these advancements.
While the H&M celebration might have momentarily diverted attention, London Fashion Week presses on with industry veterans like Paul Costelloe and popular new designers like Di Petsa and Bora Aksu. In total, seventy-two designers will unveil their collections, celebrating the event’s fortieth anniversary with great fanfare.
This launch sets a promising stage for London Fashion Week, poised to unveil a series of discoveries and innovations, beautifully merging tradition with modernity, all while casting light on the fashion industry’s ongoing challenges and potentials.
With AFP
