London fashion week

London Fashion Week: Activism

Many designers used the platform during fashion week for social causes including brexit, climate change, women’s rights and justice for Grenfell tower.

Vivienne Westwood used her autumn/winter 2019 catwalk “Homo Loquax” with other activists including Rose McGowan to address the crowd on a number of issues like the consequences of consumerism, climate change, and Brexit. She also chose to honour her Punk anti-establishment roots with her collection, disheveled styles and bold tartan. A slogan on a T-shirt said “What is good for the planet is good for the economy,”

Justice4 Greenwell also took a stand at the fashion catwalk as the event took place 20 months after the tragedy which nobody has been held accountable for. 72 models including Emeli Sande, Adwoa Aboah and Clara Paget and activists walked the catwalk with T-shirt stating “No Death In Vain”. Designed by Grenwell Speaks and two young community members.

London fashion week: Edeline Lee

Edeline Lee used her platform to put a spotlight on Women’s voices inspired by Mary Beard’s manifesto Women and Power (2017) Lee herself explained that “Fashion itself is an area where women are always seen, seldom heard, As a response, this immersive presentation is conceived as a two-hour marathon of women’s voices. The presentation had more than 20 women sharing their personal experiences and expertise.

This included gold-medallist Sally Gunnell, Professor Dame Jane Francis, director of the British Antarctic Survey, CNN war correspondent Clarissa Ward, Meg Matthews, activist and founder of Meg's Menopause, UK beatbox champion Grace Savage and Brita Schmidt, executive director of Women for Women International

London Fashion Week: Mother of Pearl

The show transformed the Fitzrovia Chapel into a ball pit. The pearl balls were representing the "plethora of microplastics that are deposited into the oceans each day from the washing of synthetic fibres” Mother of Pearl declared to donate 10 percent of its sales for the rest of the month to a charity that clears up the ocean.

London Fashion Week: house of holland “global citizen”

The stage was covered with political posters and manifestos. “Global Citizen” protested against the building borders in the wake of Brexit. “Global Citizen is a love letter to outspoken and the rebellious. For those who cross borders, scale walls and show that creative inspiration cannot be confined.”

The British designer’s collection had an array of utilian uniform with Prince of Wales check. He calls for the generation who feel “increasingly unheard, misrepresented and angry at the way their world is being governed.”