With London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016 approaching, we look at the sheer hysteria that surrounds the event every year. The proof is in the pudding.
House of Holland, A/W 15, Sam Wilson photography
Money Fashion makes the world go round
Little did you know that the fashion industry contributed £26billion directly to the UK economy (GDP) in 2014, and this was up from £21billion in 2009.
Fashion is now at our fingertips every second of the day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week thanks to the World Wide Web. Our spending online reached £10.7 billion in the UK in 2014, and those clever economists have predicted that this will nearly double by 2019 to reach £19billion a year.
Not only that, tastes are expensive , with luxury goods making up 2.2% of the UK’s GDP. £32.2billion contributed in sales from the British luxury goods industry in 2013, and this is set to go up to £51.1billion by 2019).
The hype of LFW leads people to put in £100 million worth of orders in on that one week each season.
We’re all about giving
There are 797,000 jobs supported by the UK fashion industry and 158,000 employees predicted to be hired by the luxury goods industry by 2019.
It’s an obsession
Every year £160million is spent on media coverage of London Fashion each season!
32,000 hours of London Fashion Week content is watched in the UK, and 28,000 hours of London Fashion Week content is watched in the US.
In the past two years there has been a 400% rise in consumers watching ‘fashion week’ content on YouTube (2012-2014)
During LFW SS15 196 countries watched the LFW live streams.
On Twitter, 94% of users aware of LFW and 74% have an interest in LFW
The #LFW tag was used on 121,000 images during London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter in February 2015.
The fun facts of fashion week
There were 15,000 Official LFW tote bags designed by Gareth Pugh in collaboration with Sunglass Hut this season.
An estimated 15,000 bottles of Evian Water are to be drunk at LFW SS16
…and 30,000 Lavazza espressos served with 200kg of Lavazza coffee beans used.
There are more than 3,000 Sunglass Hut stores in 45 countries globally celebrating London Fashion Week this year.
There will be 4 Sunglasses Hut ‘Punk it Up’ branded Official LFW buses to transport press, buyers and photographers between shows and presentations.
There will be a pop up ‘screening area’ in London’s Oxford Street Topshop dedicated to the live stream of Topshop Unique’s SS16 show
There will be 78 designers showing on schedule this season: 52 catwalk shows and 26 presentations.
Global brands include: Anya Hindmarch, Burberry Prorsum, Hunter Original, Paul Smith, Pringle of Scotland, Topshop Unique and Vivienne Westwood Red Label, Christopher Kane, David Koma, Emilia Wickstead, Jonathan Saunders, JW Anderson, Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto, Simone Rocha, Sophia Webster and Thomas Tait.
Designers Ashish, Erdem, Gareth Pugh, Nicholas Kirkwood and Roksanda are celebrating their LFW 10th Anniversary!
New features to LFW
Alexander Lewis, Edeline Lee Natasha Zinko and Versus.
Former creative direction at Mulberry, Emma Hill will showcase her new accessories collection Hill& Friends.
John Smedley’s first womenswear line.
Heikki Salonen’s diffusion line for Maison Margiela- MM6.
A new accessories collection by former Mulberry Creative Director (Emma Hill) -Hill & Friends.
Heikki Salonen’s diffusion line for Maison Margiela MM6.
Return of the prodigal sons Peter Jensen and Zandra Rhodes.
emerging designers Kilt, Marques’Almeida, Phoebe English and Marta Jakubowski.
Exciting extras
Georgia May Jagger will host the Minnie Mouse Style Icon Exhibition launch.
Hussein Chalayan MBE will celebrate 21 years in business.
The Louis Vuitton Series 3 Exhibition Opening Gala.
The Versus SS16 After-Party.
Topshop Unique AW15, Philip Trengrove photography
For full events listings click here.
Fashion Film sponsored by River Island has supported films from Mary Benson, Zandra Rhodes and Zoë Jordan.
This season LFW opens its doors to the public through London Fashion Week at Golden Square, for full details see Celebrate LFW.
Words: Abigail Southan