Yesterday, on 8 September 2022, the death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced. Of course, the news was met with an expected wave of condolences from around the world, paying tribute to Britain’s longest-serving monarch, who, just months prior, had celebrated her Platinum Jubilee. While it has long been common knowledge that the Queen’s passing would be followed by a period of national mourning (set to last until seven days after her state funeral), entailing the significant curtailing of public events and celebrations as a mark of respect, the period happens to cover the dates of the forthcoming SS23 season of London Fashion Week.
Granted, such circumstances could never have been foreseen, and it is only appropriate that the scale and celebratory nature of the events be stemmed in the current context. However, given the significant investments and months-long preparations made by (mostly independent) brands to present their collections – and the crucial business functions that these presentations and runway shows fulfil – many members of Britain’s fashion community are currently faced with uncertainty regarding the impact of the Queen’s passing on their businesses, and the UK’s wider fashion ecosystem. Here, we’ll be updating you with the latest info regarding the impact of this globally significant event on London Fashion Week.
Is London Fashion Week cancelled?
In short, no. However, it will look different to previous seasons. A factor that will have a great bearing on how things will look is the to-be-announced date of the Queen’s funeral. In an email sent yesterday by a representative of the British Fashion Council, it was shared that, “The Queen’s funeral is likely to take place on D+10” following her passing, accompanied by the recommendation “that shows taking place on this date will need to be re-arranged”. Taking yesterday, the day on which her death was announced, as D+0, this would make D+10 Sunday 19th September. the day on which shows including Nensi Dojaka, Simone Rocha, Erdem and 16Arlington are currently scheduled. It should, however, be noted that this figure is not set in stone. Monday 20th September – when Chopova Lowena and Sinéad O’Dwyer are set to stage their runway debuts – has been widely cited as another possible date for the service. The fixed date will, of course, only be public knowledge upon an announcement from the Royal household.
What will affected designers do?
Whether designers will choose to reschedule their shows for an alternative date or simply cancel in favour of producing visual content for their new collections remains to be seen. However, given the vast production costs and logistical demands tied to shifting to an alternative day on the schedule, decisions in favour of the latter option aren’t out of the question.
Ahead of the official announcement of the date of the funeral, though, we have already heard news of two significant schedule cancellations. Raf Simons will no longer be staging its hotly anticipated show in the British capital, and Burberry has announced its decision to cancel its SS23 show. While that may be only two shows (so far at least), knock-on effects are to be expected. As two of this season’s biggest shows, and Burberry being one of the only brands on the London schedule that wields significant advertorial relationships with global publications, it plays a key role in attracting global press and buyers – and casting talent – to the city, who then attend/walk in other shows while in town. While the impact of its withdrawal from the schedule remains to be seen, it’s something that industry observers will be keeping a close eye on.
What about events?
Of course, fashion weeks aren’t solely made up of shows – typically, a jam-packed schedule of events, openings, dinners and parties run parallel to them. Of course, in light of the period of national mourning, such jolly goings-on aren’t quite in keeping with the tone, and so, the British Fashion Council has urged that “all non-core business events on the official schedule should be cancelled, for example parties, openings etc.”
It should, however, be noted that there is no legal obligation to comply with the advice. A Guardian report on government guidance states that “event organisers may wish to consider closing or postponing events, especially on the day of the state funeral, depending on the nature and tone, but there is no obligation to do so”. With off-schedule events organised by brands including Prada and Marc Jacobs in the pipeline, the individual perspectives that organisers will take on the situation remain to be seen.
Is the rest of fashion month going ahead?
While the Queen’s passing is a globally significant event, its implications are, of course, different for those not based in the UK. While we can probably expect condolences and outpourings of sympathy from key fashion organisations and brands around the world, fashion weeks in New York, Milan and Paris are set to continue as planned – in fact, the first of the three is already underway.