BIG TIME glitz is out — but a little bit is still good fun.
That’s the prediction for London Fashion Week, which opens today as Britain is struggling with its worst recession in decades.
Fashionistas will still celebrate London Fashion Week’s 25th year with catwalk shows and late night parties, but observers expect the mood to be toned down.
"Designers will be cautious not to look too over the top," said Alice Olins, fashion writer for The Times of London. "We will see a slight move away from the big celebrity glitzy front row. London Fashion Week will be a bit more pared down, no one wants to be seen splashing money around. But it doesn’t need to lose its spirit."
London’s fashion shows are not seen as influential as those in New York, Paris and Milan, but with a mix of big names and up-and-coming, edgy designers, they have put London on the must-see fashion map.
Vivienne Westwood, Betty Jackson, Nicole Farhi, Christopher Kane, Paul Smith and Luella Bartley are among the most highly anticipated catwalk shows.
Westwood, the high priestess of British fashion for decades, usually draws a star-studded crowd that last year included actress Pamela Anderson and model Kate Moss.
Bartley, a former journalist who takes her street chic inspiration from London’s music scene, won the coveted 2008 British Designer of the Year award, raising high expectations for her Monday morning show. She is also known for cool handbags and other accessories.
And the search is on for the next talent ready to take a giant step up the ultra-competitive fashion ladder. In the past, London Fashion Week has jump-started the career of top designers like Stella McCartney, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen.
Olins is eager to see Saturday morning’s show by Kinder Aggugini, who has developed a cult following for his work with Versace and Calvin Klein, and Sunday’s show by Richard Nicoll.
Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, said the economic crunch may make designers more imaginative.
"I am looking forward to seeing how our designers cope with the current mood," she said. "Often, times of economic difficulty for some reason encourage interesting ideas and creativity."
Fashion Week will also include the designing debut of actress Sienna Miller and her sister Savannah, who will present their Twenty8Twelve collection Sunday night. The name is a reference to Sienna Miller’s birth date of December 28.
London Fashion Week used to begin on Sunday, but it has been moved up to Friday to accommodate changes in the New York fashion schedule — a compromise that involved tough negotiations with the Americans, as well as with French and Italian officials.
As Fashion Week has grown — this year it will include 51 womenswear shows, with another 170 exhibitors showing ready-to-wear and accessories — it has spilled over to London’s hipper restaurants, clubs and bars.
Dozens of parties scheduled. Some are open to anyone with cool-looking clothes, others are invitation-only, and some are so exclusive only a handful hear about them in advance.
The fashion-forward patrons are particularly welcome this year, as many British establishments are struggling because of the economic downturn, said David Serlui, owner of Ghost, Inc., a trendy subterranean bar in South Kensington near Fashion Week headquarters at the Museum of Natural History.
Westwood already held a small party at his place last week.
"In the current market, any gathering is important. It’s great for London," said Serlui.
