London Fashion Week Closes with a Unique Sustainable Event
London Fashion Week 2024 has seen an exciting blend of tradition and innovation. Yesterday, the prestigious fashion week witnessed a unique show, Fashion Frenzee, where sustainable fashion took centre stage as it closed its programme of events.
Photo credit: Mickey Lee
Fashion Frenzee, delivered by London Heritage Quarter and Central London Alliance CIC in partnership with Blue Orchid Hospitality, celebrated fashion, community, diversity, and talent, whilst championing responsibility and sustainability. Located at London’s first skyscraper, 55 Broadway, now part of the Blue Orchid collection, located in London Heritage Quarter, this pioneering event aimed to inspire and engage audiences to embrace the sustainable fashion movement.
The catwalk adopted three themes: Unique stories, Sustainable brands and emerging artists and Championing pre-loved clothing. Attendees witnessed an exclusive showcase of pre-loved designer items from brands such as Prada, Louis Vuitton and Burberry, and had the opportunity to own the looks as all items were sold in a charity auction. The event closed with a panel discussion, educating and inspiring attendees on the importance of sustainable fashion and how they can join the movement.
Ruth Duston OBC, OC, the Chief Executive at London Heritage Quarter commented:
“We’re thrilled to welcome guests to the heart of London’s Heritage Quarter to wrap up the 40th London Fashion Week and celebrate sustainable fashion, whilst supporting Dress for Success, Integrity International Trust and Oxfam. There’s an incredible history of fashion and culture in this city and it has extended to SW1. This area hosts a thriving fashion hub with Tom Ford, Giorgio Armani, Burberry and Jimmy Choo all based here and more on the horizon. The ever-evolving nature of London Heritage Quarter is one of its strengths – alongside the landmarks that will always remain – this area is able to play host to visionary creatives alongside thoughtful policymakers and major corporates and to offer a vibrant leisure destination to suit them all.”
Photo credit: Mickey Lee. Left: Tony Matharu, Chairman and founder of Central London Alliance CIC and of Blue Orchid Hospitality. Right: Ruth Duston OBC, OC, the Chief Executive at London Heritage Quarter
The runway included the world’s first sustainable sari, made from recycled plastic bottles, created with the greater purpose of highlighting Climate Change and the need for a more sustainable future, by award-winning British-Asian arts company, Nutkhut.
Photo credit: Mickey Lee
Amongst the exhibiting sustainable brands and emerging artists were streetwear brand, Dastaar Clothing; a women’s modest fashion house, Ayah London, who employ local workers with a focus on supporting women in gaining financial independence. Ayah London reinvests part of their profits into training, equipping and empowering women to build their own businesses, fostering self-reliance within the community. CQ London also featured on the runway, a London based brand who celebrate the courageous spirit of independent Chinese women and who opt for boutique studio crafting, ensuring each piece is delicately created by a devoted tailor from collar to hem.
Nadia Perrier, Director of Central London Alliance CIC and Curator of the show commented:
“I am grateful to our partners London Heritage Quarter and Blue Orchid Hospitality, who have hosted the Fashion Frenzee event at their iconic award-winning property, together with our brands, charities and volunteers for bringing this event to life.
Fashion Frenzee, showcases emerging artists and brands that place countless effort into their sustainability practices and supply chains, whilst also championing pre-loved clothing that enable the ownership of high-quality garments, whilst ensuring all purchases help those in need. In the case of tonight’s event, to our nominated charity partners, Integrity International Trust, Dress for Success and Oxfam.
Fashion Frenzee is an exciting opportunity to not only celebrate London’s wealth of talented designers, but also promote a more responsible approach to fashion.”
Photo credit: Mickey Lee. Designs by CQ London.
The event closed with a thought-provoking panel discussion from Ajay Chhabra, member of the Mayor of London’s Cultural Leadership Board and co-creator of the world’s first sustainable sari, Maxine Whyte-Rhoden, Trustee of Dress for Success and Monica Yan, founder and creative director of CQ London. The panelists discussed the challenges facing brands ensuring sustainable practices, including the cost of eco-friendly garments being passed onto the consumer, and explored ideas on how the audience can support sustainable brands. The discussion closed by sharing thoughts on how audience members can be creative and re-purpose garments – a shirt can become apron, a blouse a child’s dress, and trousers with scuffed hems to shorts, referring to some of the looks seen in the previous catwalk.
Photo credit: Mickey Lee. Pre-loved looks by Integrity International Trust and Dress for Success
Tony Matharu, Chairman and founder of Central London Alliance CIC and of Blue Orchid Hospitality, commented:
“The fashion industry is a critically important sector, contributing a quarter of a million jobs in London alone and £62 billion to the UK’s GDP. Around 100 billion new garments are made every year, but 92 million tonnes end up in landfill. It is our aim to support this sector in looking after our planet whilst continuing its vital contribution to London’s economy and enabling London’s success to contribute to the success of the nation.
By partnering with London Heritage Quarter and key organisations, Central London Alliance and Blue Orchid Hospitality hope to inspire London’s fashion-forward community and to progress the fabulous work on sustainability and repurposing – echoing Blue Orchid Hospitality’s vision to invest in, sustain and repurpose properties which have come to the end of their useful lives – such as the 55 Broadway complex.”
London Fashion Week and Fashion Frenzee have not only focused on sustainable materials but have also highlighted inclusivity and diversity, with models of all shapes and sizes walking for brands, proving once again that London Fashion Week is at the forefront of progressive fashion.