Fashion Forward | London Fashion Week

From Alexander McQueen to Vivienne Westwood, British fashion has always been at the forefront of the style world. Visiting London in September for London Fashion Week is the perfect excuse to take advantage of exclusive tours, personal styling sessions and behind-the-scenes access to the world of London fashion…

Running for almost 40 years, London Fashion Week is one of The Big Four global fashion weeks, and joins New York, Paris and Milan as a flagship event for the sartorial world.

Eudon Choi

London Fashion Week takes place twice a year, in February and September, and the September show welcomes over 250 designers to a global audience of more than 5000 press and retailers. Each year it is estimated that the show itself nets £100 million in orders.

“London truly is one of the great showcases for fashion,” says Dream Escape Client Relationship Manager Sally Strange. "The great advantage of the UK’s famously changeable weather is that we can totally justify a four-season wardrobe! And if any single occasion highlights this, then it is London Fashion Week coming to town twice a year. I have the greatest appreciation and pride in our creative heritage and genius. One only has to visit the fashion galleries of The V&A to see those famous names from recent times, from Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood through to the legendary Alexander McQueen, to see how the UK has put fashion on the map.”

The excitement around Fashion Week can be felt everywhere – from the restaurants and hotels to the shops and the streets. “London has long been known as the grittier, spirited, experimental home to fashion," says Emily Giffard-Taylor of personal stylists Bees and Taylor. “Of the four fashion weeks we might not have the polish and glamour, but what London has in bucketloads is diversity; a melting pot of cultures and creativity. Plus, we have the very best in street style, so just sit back and watch the world go by.”

Conner Ives by Charlie Wheeler

Press photos of the fashion elite striding into Somerset House on the Strand have come to epitomise an event that is characterised by its eclectic, striking and whimsical approach to fashion.

“I feel so proud when one of the ‘greatest shows’ on earth comes to town,” says Sally. “There is a buzz in the air, and a sense of anticipation in the streets and London unashamedly shows what it can do best.”

London itself is absolutely part of the ‘show’, too says Sally, who organises exclusive shopping days and private tours for Dream Escape clients. “Fashion in London is not just the extraordinary creations that grace the catwalk and break the boundaries of the imagination – it is also in the stunning buildings that lend themselves to this sense of theatre and bravura; the beautiful shops and the creative designers. Exploring the sartorial side of London is a journey of discovery in itself,” she says.

Start your discovery in Bond Street, the home of luxury shopping in London. It is revered throughout the world for its wealth of elegant stores, exclusive brands, designer fashion, luxury goods, fine jewels, art and antiques; and is home to some of the world’s most prestigious retailers, including Asprey, Bulgari, Burberry, Chanel, Cartier, Dolce Gabbana, Hermès, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, Ralph Lauren and Tiffany & Co.

Bora Aksu

From here, head to Savile Row, a tailoring destination par excellence, whose pedigree is undisputed. Gieves & Hawkes measured up Admiral Lord Nelson and The Duke of Wellington, Davies & Son shod Harry S Truman, and Henry Poole and Co invented the dinner suit.

And, for a real walk down the annals of fashion history, a visit to Burlington Arcade and a tour with the Head Beadle is absolutely essential. Burlington Arcade is the longest and most beautiful shopping arcade in London, and is guarded at either end by beadles in their distinctive Victorian-inspired uniform. The beadles have a unique insight into the history of Burlington Arcade and plenty of fascinating anecdotes they’re always happy to share too.

You can make an entire day of visiting Selfridges, often considered the greatest department store in the world. Visiting Selfridges is an experience that goes way beyond shopping, and is beloved by many of Dream Escape’s guests, especially those travelling with older children. Start off with an hour of private shopping, when Selfridges is opened early for you, followed by one-to-one make-up sessions, manicures at Nails Inc, and a blow-dry at Daniel Galvin.

Halpern

If you’re feeling almost spoilt for choice, then allow Dream Escape to organise a day with personal stylist Bees and Taylor, which includes shopping experiences and private sessions at the likes of Catherine Walker, Burberry, Temperley and Stewart Parvin. You can shop together on Bond Street for a new capsule wardrobe or find an item for a specific event, while also getting an opportunity to meet with a British designer and shop their collection privately or have a personal appointment to design a bespoke hat, piece of jewellery or a ready-to-wear item.

“I want every client to see the best of London's unique shopping scene, from behind the scenes at a couture atelier, to a meet-and-greet with a top designer and all the shopping you could ask for,” says Emily. “I create partnerships with each and every client, forging longlasting relationships and designing memories they will remember forever.”

During Fashion Week, Bees and Taylor can also incorporate visits to London Fashion Week hotspots, and catwalk shows, organise a tour of favourite royal brands or wander through some of London’s best vintage boutiques.

“Fashion Week is a great way to bring the industry together, to bond a community of fashion-loving people,” says Emily. “It's long been a hub of creativity, originality and new talent – done the London way. A breeding ground for rising stars, London Fashion Week has kickstarted some of the biggest names in fashion.”

Talking of renowned names, a not-to-miss experience is a VIP visit to Catherine Walker, Princess Diana’s favourite designer, and now a regular favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge. See the archives of Walker’s showstopping designs for Princess Diana until her death in 1997, and hear the story behind each of these unique pieces, before a private consultation and the opportunity to have an outfit designed. Follow this with a private visit to Rachel Trevor Morgan, milliner to the Queen, and keeper of a royal warrant. Rachel works from her 17th-century atelier in the heart of St James and can create a striking bespoke hat or headpiece that will be a talking point for years to come.

Dream Escape can also arrange exclusive jewellery tours, which include experiences at Garrard, one of the oldest jewellery houses in the world. Enjoy a private showing of the tiara collection while enjoying a traditional afternoon tea in The Queen Mary Salon above the showroom. At De Beers, which was founded by Cecil Rhodes and has been known as the ‘home of diamonds’ since 1888, enjoy a private diamond masterclass and try on some of their most high-end jewellery from the collection before also heading to Stephen Webster and Boodles.

You can also take some time out from shopping with a visit to the brilliantly conceived exhibition at The V&A, Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear, taking a look at the creativity of men's fashion, featuring designers, tailors and artists who have unpicked masculinity at the seams (on until Sunday, 6 November 2022).

Wherever your style sense takes you, the ultimate way to travel in London is in a luxurious chauffeured electric black cab, which is yours for the day and can take you from shop to shop while you discover everything that this extraordinary British fashion capital has to offer.

Meet the designer; Sarah Hollebon…

Soak up the fashion from independent boutiques and retailers, peppered with local art and history, on a tour around the Carnaby area with Sarah Hollebon, as part of Dream Escape's personal shopping experience.

The tour concludes at Sarah Hollebon's studio on Kingly Street, with an exclusive showcase of past, present, and future bespoke garments, all handmade in-house using traditional tailoring techniques and luxury British fabrics, and includes an opportunity to view the design, construction, and tools used to complete a garment.

During the showcasing, Sarah gives an in-depth talk about how these sculptured garments can be conversation starters that empower, connect, and strengthen through lived experiences, and how her work explores and raises awareness of social issues, including mental health.

Find out more

Sally Strange, Client Relationship Manager “Having been lucky enough to share some of the best of the English summer season with clients over the past months, I realise how fashion is such a strong part of our DNA. Whether it is wearing a beautiful evening dress for an opera at Glyndebourne, enjoying the opportunity to don a fabulous hat for Royal Ascot or bringing out the vintage for Glorious Goodwood. We take a delight in dressing up and finding the right outfit for the occasion, I make a point of always wearing British brands when looking after clients and love introducing them to these otherwise unknown and intrinsically unique collections. There truly is no limit to what London has to offer in the way of fabulous fashion.” ⬥

sally@dreamescape.co.uk

WORDS | EMMA JOHNSON