Somerset House has been the home to London Fashion Week for the past six years, but now the biggest event on the fashion calendar is upping sticks to a new venue, a car park in Soho.
Brewer Street car park is to be main hub of activity this year. Situated in the bustling creative epicentre of Soho, the move marks more than a simple change in location. The new destination will see LFW move into the modern era.
Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of The British Fashion Council, said: “The long term growth of the UK’s designer fashion market is reflected geographically in this move that will see London Fashion Week designers showcasing collections in one of London’s most vibrant, diverse and creative hubs set within a mile of Bond Street, Dover Street, Mount Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street. The new and exciting venue has already been dubbed as Brewer Street’s ‘Fashion Park’ and will offer freedom and flexibility to designers who will be able to transform the show space to reflect their own aesthetics and identity.”
By moving to Brewer Street LFW will increase its footprint to different areas of the city. The move is also likely to prompt city-dwellers to interact with fashion and initiate further growth of an industry that already employs 800,000 people and is worth £26 billion to the UK.
Diverse and urban
The new art deco venue, designed by JJ Joass dates back to 1929, and marks the transition to a more culturally diverse and urban setting for catwalk shows and presentations. And it won’t be for the first time either. The likes of House of Holland and Richard Nicoll have already presented their collections in the space.
Perhaps the move will spark a drive towards more contemporary and innovative showcases in the future.
