Top three things to do in London during fashion week
By Amy Heritage
London Fashion Week is a big deal. Our own capital city is one of the ‘big four’ international catwalk influencers – contributing a whopping £20 million to the UK economy and attracting visitors from over 25 countries, including the US, France, Italy, Russia and China, all over the space of just five days. So, if you’re a bit of a fashionista there’s no better place to be in Febuary.
When you’re not busy spotting Anna Wintour, Alexa Chung and Kate Moss at the catwalk shows, these are the best things for a fashion fanatic to be doing in London:
Go to a museum
Now that geek is chic there’s never been a better time to explore London’s many museums –including those dedicated to fashion and design. Start with the Fashion and Textile Museum - founded by iconic British designer Zandra Rhodes. Contemporary displays co-exist alongside hands-on courses and events and the current exhibition, ‘Catwalk to Cover: A Front Row Seat’, couldn’t be better fashion week fodder – a step by step story about how the clothes on the catwalks end up in the magazines.
Afterwards, head to the V&A museum to swot up on fashion throughout the ages - from the majestic building (an artwork in its own right) to the creatively curated displays, history has never been so exciting. Finally, the London Design Museum is sure to inspire you.
Do some shopping
Fashion week wouldn’t be fashion week without a little bit of shopping. Head over to East London for some Hipster-spotting and take inspiration from the many fashion and drama students parading around the area. Brick Lane in Shoreditch is a well-known area for picking up vintage bargains – it’s even home to the UK’s first even Vintage Department Store. Make sure to explore the surrounding area too – Hackney is less well known to tourists but Dalston and London Fields are popular hangouts amongst the East London fashion crowd.
On the more expensive end of the scale, no visit to London would be complete without a visit to Harrods. The UK’s biggest department store (measuring a whopping 5 acres of floor space) is already stocking the big trend of the new season - pastel colours.
Have a night on the town
The true highlight of fashion week is the fashion week after parties! If you haven’t grown tired of celebrity spotting at the shows, head to The Box – the hottest thing on the scene at the moment. Nestled in the dark alleyways of popular hot-spot Soho, the club is a mixture between theatre, cabaret and nightclub – enticing clientele that includes Kate Moss, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz and even Prince Harry.
If you fancy something a little quieter, The Arts Club in Soho is a charmingly cosy cocktail bar. Service is slick and the cocktails come in tea pots (we recommend the Adam and Eve) – the perfectly quirky little establishment to spend an evening chatting about the shows over a few drinks.
