LONDON FASHION WEEK SS27: HERE’S THE BITS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
words by BEX WHITLEY
London Fashion Week may be over, but moments from the week are still on our minds. From a penthouse afternoon with JW Anderson and Wedgwood to Sir Paul Smith's celebrations on Oxford Street, the common thread was a passion for craftsmanship, heritage, and the people who are keeping both alive. Here's what we saw.
JW ANDERSON AND WEDGWOOD BRING VOLUME II TO ST CLEMENT'S PENTHOUSE
image courtesy of JW ANDERSON
Last week, JW Anderson and Wedgwood took over the penthouse suite at St Clement hotel in London to celebrate Volume II of their collaboration. Despite opening its doors less than a month ago, the hotel has already found itself hosting events with some of the city's leading brands and individuals.
Promising an afternoon of creativity, colour and contemporary British hospitality, the event unfolded against the penthouse's unrivalled view of London's skyline. Amid the rush of London Fashion Week, it offered a rare moment to pause and slow down. Guests were invited to experience the collection first-hand, with the subtle integration of the pieces throughout the suite likely to leave many reimagining their own shelves. Delicacies from Florence Knight, the chef behind the hotel's rooftop restaurant Lunette, circulated throughout.
Made from Wedgwood's Jasper stoneware, the limited-edition mugs come in paired sets, each shade designed as the counterpart to its partner, from Mercury Blue and Jasper Blue to Marsh Green and Sage Green. Inspired by fifth-century Greek mugs from Jonathan Anderson's own ceramics collection and handcrafted in Barlaston, Volume II proves a mug can be just as much a design statement as anything on the runway.
SIR PAUL SMITH CELEBRATES 40 YEARS WITH SELFRIDGES IN STYLE
image courtesy of PAUL SMITH
As London Fashion Week got underway, Paul Smith and the British Fashion Council hosted a party at 40 Duke, Selfridges' exclusive private members' club and personal shopping enclav, in honour of the designer's 40-year partnership with the department store. Tucked away on the fourth floor of the Oxford Street flagship with Gilles Peterson and CKtrl.drinks in control of the music, drinks flowed and (most importantly) there was an impressive cake. Guests were drawn from some of Britain's most celebrated creative circles, including the likes of Suzy Menkes, Tom Grennan and Charlie Casely-Hayford.
The evening marked the closing of the brand's cornershop takeover, which Sir Paul described as his "dream factory". Part shop and part working office, the space saw his own desk transplanted onto Oxford Street, alongside a limited-edition capsule collection drawn from its eclectic contents. Coinciding with his 80th birthday and the release of his memoir, Threads: My Life in Style, it was a celebration of a designer whose curiosity shows no sign of slowing down.
HU BING PUTS CHINESE CRAFTSMANSHIP CENTRE STAGE IN LONDON
image courtesy of HU BING
Back for their third season, Hu Bing’s URBAN GRACE: Leather & Light brought guests on a journey between Shanghai and London, past and present. Founded by Chinese actor, model and BFC Ambassador Hu Bing, HUBING SELECTS acts as a professional, philanthropic platform that curates and showcases emerging Asian design talent on the international stage. Rather than presenting a single collection from one designer, its runway events bring together a curated lineup of rising names.
Leather was the common thread, developed through the Haining supply chain in Zhejiang province. The collection unfolded in three chapters, beginning with matte white leather and delicate silk and gauze, moving into structured, armour-inspired tailoring, and ending in a vision of the future where leather became a metallic second skin. Accompanied by live piano from the award-winning pianist Yangyang Ruan, the show introduced Hu Bing's idea of "Finishing in China", placing craftsmanship at the heart of the creative process.
DOVER STREET MARKET’S LONDON FASHION WEEK TAKEOVER
image courtesy of DOVER STREET MARKET LONDON
Dover Street Market marked London Fashion Week with LFW AT DSM, a programme of launches, installations and special moments across the store. Saturday’s main event brought together live presentations and collaborative showcases spanning fashion, jewellery and publishing, with Ashley Williams, Kiko Kostadinov x Patcharavipa and the British Fashion Council’s first jewellery showcase at DSM among the highlights.
Elsewhere, the programme extended across the store, through installations and the launches of new collections and collaborations. With brands such as Comme des Garçons and Vivienne Westwood sitting alongside a host of London’s emerging designers, it’s safe to say that DSM’s influence remains at the forefront of the city’s creative landscape.
