LFW: What to expect this AW23 season

London Fashion Week officially kicks off on Friday, February 17, for five days and will present 104 physical activations and 41 digital showcases as the British Fashion Council (BFC) continues to adopt a digital physical hybrid format.

In a statement, the BFC said that the February edition would be dedicated to the late Vivienne Westwood, who died in December 2022, and her incredible legacy, stating that her work “not only changed the fashion industry, giving birth to and defining punk, but it also drove positive change globally”.

In total, the autumn/winter 2023 event will feature 47 catwalk shows, 18 presentations, 2 appointments, 37 events and 41 digital activations, including showcases from the likes of Christopher Kane, Erdem, JW Anderson, Molly Goddard, Roksanda, Simone Rocha, Bora Aksu and Richard Quinn. There are also several new names to this season's schedule including Noon By Noor, Sinead Gorey, Talia Byre, Tove, and Perted’Ego.

Daniel Lee debuts as creative director of Burberry

One of the most highly anticipated shows of LFW AW23 has to be the debut of Daniel Lee as Burberry’s creative director. Under Ricardo Tisci, Britain’s most famous fashion brand seemed to lose its way, with Lee joining the brand in October, the heritage brand seems to be returning to its Cool Britannia days.

Earlier this month Burberry revealed the first “creative expression” of its new designer ahead of its AW23 show on Monday, February 20, including a more traditional Burberry equestrian knight logo and the return of the Prorsum flag.

The new logo was highlighted with a new teaser campaign, shot by Tyrone Lebon, starring Liberty Ross, Raheem Stirling, Vanessa Redgrave, Skepta, and Lennon Gallagher, the son of Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit, one of the original Cool Britannia couples. The campaign also included Burberry icons, from the brand’s trench coat to the instantly recognisable check, giving a hint that Lee’s debut will look to the archives with a focus on its heritage.

Moncler Genius makes LFW debut

Moncler Genius is planning a “monumental” London Fashion Week debut at Olympia London on February 20. Up against Burberry, the Italian label is bringing its friends, including Alicia Keys, Pharrell Williams and Rick Owens to its public-facing showcase.

The event will set the tone for what it calls a “redefining year of Genius” and will unveil the creators, concepts and collections for 2023 under one roof with a “live show on a grand scale”. The ‘Art of Genius 2023’ line-up includes Palm Angels, Frgmt, Mercedes-Benz, Adidas Originals, Salehe Bembury, and Roc Nation by Jay-Z.

The Moncler + Rick Owens collection will also be part of the event, with the brand adding that Owen will “challenge the possibilities of design beyond fashion”.

“Each co-creator brings their own unique brand of Genius to the potent mix, challenging the boundaries of what’s possible while presenting immersive experiences and performances that represent their creative visions,” explains Moncler Genius in the press release. “It’s a multi-format arena for creativity to be appreciated for all its beauty and emotional power.”

NewGen 30th anniversary

2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the BFC’s NewGen initiative, which supports and nurtures emerging British designers, and this season kicks off a year-long celebration that will provide an opportunity for the creative community to come together “to celebrate and acknowledge the scheme’s illustrious history and alumni”.

The AW23 cohorts include Ahluwalia, Ancuta Sarca, Asai, Chet Lo, Conner Ives, Di Petsa, Eftychia, Feben, Harri, Helen Kirkum, Labrum London, Leo Carlton, Nensi Dojaka, Paolo Carzana, Robyn Lynch, Roker, S.S.Daley, Saul Nash, Sinéad O'Dwyer and Yuhan Wang.

DiscoveryLAB

The DiscoveryLAB, which aims to support “very emerging designers” continues to be digital this season, 12 designers will take part, including Alec Bizby, Denis Howlhita, Derrick, Laura Pitharas, Ruirui Deng, Siyun Huang, Sól Hansdóttir, YYAtomic, An Ocean of Ideas (AOI), Johannes Warnke, Roseocean and Xu Zhang.

Ukraine Fashion Week

As part of the ‘Support Ukrainian Fashion’ initiative, LFW is teaming up with Ukrainian Fashion Week to present three Ukrainian designers - Frolov, Kseniaschnaider and Paskal at the BFC NewGen space on Tuesday, February 21.

LFW – a city-wide celebration

Alongside the catwalk shows and presentations, brands, restaurants and cultural institutions have gathered together to create a city-wide celebration featuring more than 450 events in shopping destinations such as Chelsea, Oxford Street, Covent Garden, and Regent Street in the capital.

Events include designer Q&A sessions, workshops around zero-waste craftsmanship and upcycling, live music performances, and limited-edition product drops. Brands taking part include Anya Hindmarch, Browns, Fiorucci, MatchesFashion, Peter Jones, Selfridges, and Jigsaw.

London Fashion Week runs from February 17 to 21.