London Fashion Week AW20 is here, so let’s take a look back at LFW SS20…

What an amazing season it was, with another year of incredible designs – this time heavily influenced by the 1970s with gorgeous floral and floaty dresses – and, to my delight, many designers more clearly highlighting their sustainability efforts.

Extinction Rebellion wanted to cancel LFW because fashion is one of the most polluting industries and no meaningful change has been done. And while I support the second part of that statement, high end and couture designers are not the issue: fast fashion is. 

Fast fashion takes inspiration from the styles seen on the runway to make cheap imitations quickly to sell at huge scale. And we’ve been lead to view these clothes as a disposable item thanks to cheap prices and clever brand positioning.

The designs and craft of the garments by LFW designers are not intended to be thrown away. These pieces are designed to last and be treasured – particually with prices typically ranging from three to four figures – and production at a scale and frequency significantly lower than what fast fashion provides, at roughly 2-4 collections per year vs 52 collections. Not to mention, standards of production and supply chain for designers is often (not always) more ethical.

And now these LFW designers are highlighting their sustainability efforts: @katieannmcguigan manufactures as locally to London as possible to reduce carbon footprint. NEWGENs @alighieri_jewellery use recycled bronze; @richardquinn uses made in England fabric and a special Epson printing technology that uses 80% less water; @richardmalone makes luxury, limited edition clothes from recycled and sustainably sourced fabrics; @bethany_williams_london makes garments with recycled tents and dead stock yarns; @isosceleslingerie has a zero waste approach to fabrics and minimising waste. (see more in my Instagram Story LFWSS20 highlight)

Fashion didn’t always cost us the earth. But now that we shop in the volumes and frequency we do, it is. I don’t believe that not shopping is an option for most of us; how we dress is an extension of our personality and how we want society to “read” us. But we can each make efforts to slow down, buy less, buy better, love what we already have for longer and provide responsible end of garment life care. And hopefully the government will bring in regulations to help minimise the damage fast fashion is doing – because that responsibility shouldn’t be on us as individuals.  

Dress: past season from 2019 sample sale 
Jacket: 2017
Shoes: 2018
Bag: 2017

Much love, Katie xo