London Fashion Week Festival is a city-wide celebration

London Fashion Week Festival (LFWF) is a bi-annual city-wide celebration of fashion, including London Fashion Week, the International Fashion Showcase and the main LFWF ticketed event at The Store Studios. This February there are a number of ways the public can get involved with fashion, from digital engagement to events across the city. All the below activities and events are open to both the public.

INTERNATIONAL FASHION SHOWCASE: Somerset House
Friday 17th - Monday 21st February
The British Council, British Fashion Council (BFC) and Mercedes-Benz will collectively present work by emerging fashion designers from 26 countries at the sixth annual International Fashion Showcase (IFS) this February. The IFS is a series of specially-commissioned and curated fashion installations featuring work by emerging designers from all over the world. This year’s exhibiting countries are:

Austria | Canada | Chile | China | Czech Republic | Egypt | Germany | Guatemala | India
Indonesia | Kazakhstan | Korea | Netherlands | Panama | Peru | Poland | Portugal | Romania
 Russia | Slovakia | South Africa | Switzerland | Taiwan | Ukraine | Uruguay | Zimbabwe

For the first time, the IFS will be supported and presented by Mercedes-Benz. Prizes will be awarded for Country, Designer and Curator; Mercedes-Benz will present the winner of the Designer category with a unique opportunity to showcase their collection at one of Mercedes-Benz’ global fashion platforms. In addition Mercedes-Benz will showcase five emerging designers who the brand supports through its International Designer Exchange Program in a dedicated area. There will also be one group installation, Next in Line, curated by Shonagh Marshall and featuring designers from nine nations. 

The theme of this year’s exhibition is Local/Global. Countries have been invited to explore the ways
personal landscapes influence fashion and to examine how emerging designers can transform their local culture into a global language. Fashion is shaped by its surroundings: the rhythms of nature, climate, cultural memory, social change and historical shifts are reflected in silhouettes, techniques and materials. The peculiarities of ‘place’ give rise to different ways of designing, making and wearing fashion. By considering fashion within their own landscape, the countries taking part in IFS will highlight the similarities and differences of our complex and connected world.

IFS is free but ticketed, please visit design.britishcouncil.org/projects/ifs/ifs2017
For more information please download the following press pack:
Part 1
Part 2

LONDON FASHION WEEK FESTIVAL: The Store Studios, 180 Strand
Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th February
London Fashion Week Festival at The Store Studios is the ultimate fashion experience giving consumers exclusive access to catwalk shows, a curated talks schedule, designer shopping from over 150 British and international brands and trend presentations from Avenue 32. 

This season London Fashion Week designers Huishan Zhang, Mother of Pearl and Teatum Jones will present their SS17 collection on the catwalk at LFWF. The BFC have also curated a series of educational and exclusive talks from industry insiders hosted by stylist and fashion expert Martha Ward. Speakers include: the catwalk designers; stylist and journalist Pandora Sykes; curators from the V&A, Kensington Palace and the Museum of Modern Art NYC and a careers masterclass by lecturers from the London College of Fashion, Central Saint Martins, The Fashion Retail Academy and Westminster University.

This season’s limited edition LFWF tote bag has been designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood. Inspired by Vivienne’s recent AW17 show Ecotricity the organic cotton bag will be available to purchase at the event for £20 with 50% of the profit going to charity.

Tickets are now available online - for full details visit londonfashionweekfestival.com

OCEAN OUTDOOR SCREENS: Nationwide
Wednesday 15th – Tuesday 21st February
The BFC will be taking London Fashion Week content nationwide, screening highlights to outdoor screens across Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle. This is made possible thanks to a partnership with Ocean Outdoor.

LONDON FASHION WEEK LIVESTREAMING
Friday 17th – Tuesday 21st February
LFW was the first fashion week to create a digital schedule and this season will once again live stream every catwalk show on the schedule. 
Watch them online at londonfashionweek.com/live or facebook.com/londonfashionweek

THE MAY FAIR x ROLAND MOURET: Stratton Street windows
To celebrate LFW, The May Fair Hotel - Official LFW Hotel Sponsor - has created an installation in its windows to showcase a piece of artwork designed by internationally renowned designer, Roland Mouret. This season, Roland Mouret returns to London to celebrate his 20th anniversary as a designer. themayfairhotel.co.uk/lfw

SUNGLASS HUT OFFICIAL LFW TOTE BAG: Stores nationwide
Friday 17th – Tuesday 21st February
Sunglass Hut is offering the official London Fashion Week tote bag, designed by Charlotte Olympia, free with every purchase in Sunglass Hut UK stores and online during LFW. They are also running exclusive competitions online for consumers to win more than 80 tickets to attend LFW. sunglasshut.com/uk

MOLLY GODDARD ‘WHAT I LIKE’: NOW Gallery
On now – Wednesday 22nd February
NOW Gallery’s second fashion commission is by the bright star of the London fashion scene Molly Goddard. Goddard has created an interactive exhibition with oversized tulle dresses hung from the ceiling of NOW Gallery. Each dress is on a pulley and can be raised or lowered to a height at which visitors can sit and embroider directly onto the dresses. On the gallery wall are posters with graphic embroidery instructions of for all abilities to follow and interpret. Sew what you like. nowgallery.co.uk/exhibitions/whatilike

HAIR BY SAM MCKNIGHT: Somerset House
On now – Sunday 12th March
Over the last four decades hair stylist Sam McKnight has been instrumental in creating some of the most iconic images in contemporary culture, creating defining looks for Kate Moss, Tilda Swinton, Princess Diana, Chanel and Vivienne Westwood, amongst many others. Hair by Sam McKnight: Transforming Fashion’s Greatest Icons is a major exhibition which re-contextualises the role of hair in fashion, with photography, couture gowns, wigs, films and previously unseen memorabilia from Sam’s remarkable archive. somersethouse.org.uk

YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION: Victoria & Albert Museum
On now – Sunday 26th February
How have the finished and unfinished revolutions of the late 1960s changed the way we live today and think about the future? This major exhibition will explore the era-defining significance and impact of the late 1960s, expressed through some of the greatest music and performances of the 20th century alongside fashion, film, design and political activism. Highlights include the uniforms The Beatles wore on the cover of Sergeant Pepper, a Biba minidress, a Mary Quant skirt suit, an array of Twiggy’s sixties wardrobe highlights and an Ossie Clark costume worn by Mick Jagger.
vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/you-say-you-want-a-revolution-records-and-rebels-1966-70

HUNTSMAN FAMILY FRIENDLY DAY: Saville Row store
Saturday 18th February
Huntsman welcome you to celebrate London Fashion Week by hosting a family friendly day with the renowned Sharky & George. Entertainment will be provided in their Savile Row store, where children will be cared for while adults are welcome to take a well-earned break over a glass of champagne.

Sharky and George will provide splendid games touching on the Huntsman style and heritage engaging ; they’ll also be running a t-shirt decorating workshop and Huntsman tweed competition so for all you budding junior fashionistas out there, come and join them for some fun and games.

RSVP to events@huntsmansavilerow.com

The generosity and commitment of our sponsors is more vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging their support for London Fashion Week February 2017:  Principal Sponsor Sunglass Hut; Official Sponsors Etihad Airways, LAVAZZA, London Evening Standard, Maybelline New York, The May Fair Hotel, Mercedes-Benz, The Store Studios and TONI&GUY; Official Suppliers DHL, evian, Fashion and Beauty Monitor, LAUNCHMETRICS, Mainetti, PROPERCORN, Scavi & Ray, Triumph and Verve and Official Funders The Department of International Trade, The European Regional Development Fund and The Mayor of London. In addition for London Fashion Week Festival February 2017: Official Sponsors LAVAZZA, Like to know it, Maybelline New York , Sunglass Hut , The May Fair Hotel and TONI&GUY and Official Suppliers evian, Verve and Instax.