London Fashion Showcase

The London Showrooms offers a unique experience for emerging British fashion designers to broadcast their collections to the International market. The Showrooms occupy the first week of October and are located in arguably London’s biggest rival in the fashion Industry, Paris. The event is a strategic way for the British Fashion Council to experiment with and support the rookie designers and maintain the worldwide trade stronghold.

After the recent successes of The London Fashion Week spring/summer ‘10 in September, The London showrooms is the next big event in the British fashion calender.

Whilst the Fashion Week displays the latest masterpieces of the royalty of British fashion, the Showrooms allows an opportunity to witness up and coming designers trying to break into the tough field of fashion design. It is these designers at the Showrooms who will someday hope to earn the right to display their works at the Fashion Week. These designers are the future of British Fashion.

The British Fashion Council, a non-profit trade group for British designers, established the London Showrooms out of a necessity to continue the popularity and prosperity of the biggest names in British fashion design. Designers such as House of Holland and Todd Lynn will one day, with the support of the fashion council, maintain and uphold the high standards set by Britain’s present design aristocracy.

The likes of Vivienne Westwood and Burberry of course spring to mind after another set of outstanding collections at the Fashion Week last month.

House of Holland, by designer Henry Holland, is an interesting new talent on the scene. As well as being a close friend to model Agyness Deyn, Holland has gained exposure from his collection of 80’s, bold print T-shirts incorporating festive, rhyming catchphrases, such as ‘Get your freak on, Giles Deacon’ and ‘I’ll tell you who’s boss, Kate Moss’.

House of Holland’s collection for the spring/summer season presents a combination of his boho designs with aspects of punk intertwined with a modern sophistication and preppy nature. This collaboration is striking and alluring and has already gained the designer an exclusive and unique style.

One example of this collection is the definitive male preppy look (tight formal shorts and shirt with sweater tied loosely around the neck) updated with vibrant colour and daringly short, upturned sleeves. Another example of the provocative collection is the seemingly standard business-woman outfit (tight skirt with well fitted, double breasted blazer) in a warm natural tone complete with a contrasting, uneven polka-square design. The thin lapels and pulled up sleeves again express Holland’s affinity with the 80’s era.

The latest collection by Canadian-born designer Erdem showcased an appreciation for the chic and hippy look. His summery dresses and playsuits, both formal and informal, are assembled with very detailed floral prints. The enchanting designs paired up with the seductive shapes and silhouettes give Erdem a sophisticated and flirtatious style, perfect for the sunny seasons.

The latest collection from designer Todd Lynn differs a great deal from the previous designers somewhat. His designs for woman express a fearless nature with a heart for rock’n'roll. There is also a strong feeling of heavenly and otherworldly inspirations.

His use of plain colours; whites and blacks, with extra detailing in both make up and clothing design suggests a blending of pure and unpure, good and evil or angelic vs demonic. One particular striking design is the tight silhouetted white suit with robe-like tight sarong around the waist, reminiscent of a toga, coupled with devilish, black horned shoulder pads and over exaggerated black eye shadow. Again, a very unique style has been formed here.

The main aim of the London Showrooms is to offer international audiences a chance to view the latest collections by up and coming designers from Britain and to strengthen trade and commerce between countries. The British Fashion Council seek to tutor the trainee designers and offer them as much aid as possible to break through into the evermore challenging field of fashion design.

However, most importantly for all concerned, the London Showrooms is a way of making a statement to the international market that Britain holds the highest competition and is seeking challengers.