On Friday 17 February 2023, Britain’s brightest design talents will return to the capital for London Fashion Week. And, while the FROW action may be saved for industry insiders, the city’s fashion hot spots are offering up plenty of ways for the everyday fashion fan to mark the event in style.
Fashion awaits around every corner: satiate shopping cravings at a sample sale, devour couture-inspired cakes at The Berkeley’s Prêt-à-Portea, or pop into a pop-up to discover your new favourite designer. Read on for our guide to celebrating London Fashion Week AW23 in the capital.
The Berkeley Prêt-à-Portea
Take a break from the hubbub of shows with a bite to eat at the Berkeley’s popular Prêt-à-Portea. Changing seasonally to hail the arrival of LFW, the hotel’s pastry chefs serve up a bold array of catwalk-inspired cakes in this contemporary twist on afternoon tea. For its AW22 serving, the Berkeley’s head pastry chef, Mourad Khiat has looked to the collections of Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Lauren, Self-Portrait and Harris Reed to provide inspiration for a playful selection of stylish snacks and couture cakes. Afternoon tea never looked so good.
From £80 per person, the-berkeley.co.uk
British Fashion Council city wide celebration
The British Fashion Council’s (BFC) city wide celebration returns for AW23. Spearheaded by a drive for inclusivity and ethical and environmental consciousness, the celebration brings together over 200 stores, bars, restaurants and salons for events, previews, parties, designer Q&As, workshops, and live music performances across shopping hotspots including Marylebone Village, Seven Dials, Soho and Carnaby Street. This season, highlights include promotions at Galvan London and Rixo, an installation by artist Dawn Bendick at Browns, in-store events at Matches Fashion and free jewellery engraving at Astley Clarke.
17 – 21 February 2023, across London, londonfashionweek.co.uk
The Londoner, Leicester Square
The official hotel of LFW 2023, the Londoner is offering guests the opportunity to stay in style. Visitors will receive 10 per cent off fashion week stays with exclusive access to the hotel’s residents-only space, The Residence, and complimentary entry to its wellness centre, The Retreat. We can’t think of a better way to unwind after a packed day dashing between shows and appointments, can you?
16 – 21 February 2023, rooms from £449 per night, thelondoner.com
Canada Goose x Central Saint Martins: Keeping the Planet Cold
Launching on 17 February 2023, Keeping the Planet Cold, a collaboration between luxury outerwear brand Canada Goose and Central Saint Martins’ lauded fashion programmes, will shine the spotlight on the next generation of sustainable fashion design. Held at the fashion school’s Lethaby Gallery, the exhibition will feature work by students from CSM’s MA Fashion and BA Fashion & Communication courses (as well as set design by MA Architecture students), each of whom was invited by Canada Goose to create a sustainable capsule collection inspired by the research of non-profit Polar Bears International.
17-21 February 2023, arts.ac.uk
The Biltmore x Malone Souliers afternoon tea
Mayfair’s luxury Biltmore hotel has installed a new executive pastry chef in Norihito Muranaka and, in honour of London Fashion Week AW23, he’s breathing new life into its classic afternoon tea via a collaboration with shoe brand Malone Souliers. As well as the usual selection of finger sandwiches and scones, the patisserie offering will include recreations of four of Malone Souliers’ most popular accessories.
The Maureen will be rendered in strawberry, raspberry and rose compote held inside a caramel chocolate high heel while the Rita handbag will be an Earl Grey bavarois with lychee and raspberry confit. The Yasmin stiletto will be reimagined in passionfruit, mango and pineapple with coconut and white chocolate mousse and, finally, the Jule will feature flavours of almond, vanilla and caramel.
From £80 per person, hilton.com
Fashions Finest runway show
London Fashion Week’s runway shows are normally strictly reserved for press, buyers and other industry professionals but, for AW23, Fashions Finest will be opening up to the public with a showcase of some of the hottest young talent in the industry. Taking place on 18 February at St John’s Hyde Park, this season’s lineup features labels including British brand Megan Ismay, Alicja Prus, LA-based Underrated, CB Original and London College of Fashion graduate Precious Seronga.
18 February 2023, tickets from £30, fashionsfinest.com
London College of Fashion postgraduate exhibition
Image: Ana Blumenkron
Want to know who all the fashion insiders will be wearing next season? London College of Fashion will be giving the public a first glimpse at collections by its best and brightest postgraduate students during London Fashion Week. Part of the LFW City Wide Celebrations, the free event will be held over two days at east London’s Truman Brewery and, as well as showcasing garments created by LCF’s MA Fashion students, will immerse visitors in the world of their designers via film, photography, live performance and virtual reality.
18-19 February 2023, arts.ac.uk
Fiorucci x BFC
Another highlight in the City Wide Celebration calendar, Italian fashion brand Fiorucci will be hosting a day of exclusive events and entertainment at its Soho flagship on 18 February. Drop in to browse the racks to the sound of a special DJ set by Nae Wee So Bonnie Lasses while embroiderers from Embellished Talk will be on hand to personalise your chosen piece with initials, names, patterns and patches. Happy shopping!
18 February 2023, fiorucci.com
Read more: Your complete guide to fashion month AW23
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