At this moment when most fashion journalists, buyers, designers, celebrities and fashionistas travel around fashion weeks, isn’t it amazing how everybody has the opportunity to take a closer look at the world of fashion through a prestigious, customer-friendly event, such as the London Fashion Weekend.
Only a week after the start of the official London Fashion Week and just a couple of days after its closing day, just on time for avoiding the big queues, and while you can still feel the sparkle of high fashion in the air of London, here comes your turn to live your absolute fashionable dream.
Located in Covent Garden, London Fashion Weekend is the place to see and buy the latest trends in fashion and beauty as well as meet the most stylish people. A couple of hours before its opening, take a look at the following related tips and style, based on my last season’s London Fashion Weekend experience.
Shopping Tips
General shopping rules certainly apply (budget, preview, be realistic about your wardrobe needs), but we know that London Fashion Weekend is not just any shopping. One can find tens of brands and thousands of discounted fashion items at the 4-day event, opening today. If you belong to the 99% of visitors, that means those who cannot afford buying everything they like (and you’ll surely like a terrible lot of items of a multi-hundred-pound total worth, believe me), you will definitely need to spend quite a few of thinking before wisely spending your quid. Where I grew up, there is a saying; “cheap is what eats out all the money”, so don’t fall into that too-many-bargains trap.
Prioritizing one’s buys depends of course on their personal taste and style. Although, I would like to share with you a few of my London Fashion Weekend tips, just in case they might prove useful to you too. As an all-year-round serial shopper, I am not easily taken away by sales and offers, unless it is something really special, shockingly discounted and hard-to-find.
1. Start your day with a make-up and victory rolls hairdo appointment at the Now Voyager corner, and/or other similar services available on site, such as the Benefit Brow and Lash Bar, Tony and Guy on the The Broadway Nail Bar. Now you can continue shopping, feeling AND looking like a goddess.
2. Normally, on the Embankment Galleries level, you will find a huge area dedicated to Juicy Couture. Strangely enough, I haven’t seen them in the list of designers this season. Just in case though, remember that the best items to invest on are Juicy bags starting from prices as low as 30£, or Juicy charms. I had never felt like starting a Juicy charms collection, until I saw it all in front of me last season, begging me to buy them at a modest 5£ each. So I bought the Juicy basic chain necklace at half price, then added several original 5£ Juicy charms. Result; a stunning Juicy Couture fashion necklace with much less than a 100£ – the amount you would use for buying 1 ½ Juicy charm.
3. Vintage sellers can hide real treasures, much more precious to your wardrobe than a discounted season of a midway label. Make sure you look for rare and unique pieces at the special vintage sellers’ room (“The Vintage Boutique”) before you continue with the rest of the sellers.
4. Definitely try one of the delicious champagne cocktails specially served at the event. Take the flute with you as you wander around the clothes’ rails. You will enjoy the experience of shopping with a tiny bit more cosmopolitan attitude.
5. Bare in mind that London Fashion Weekend is an excellent place to buy branded gifts at significantly low prices. You may find fashion accessories from Ted Baker or other prestigious labels from 10£. Your friends or relatives will be more than happy to open such a gift, knowing it would have normally cost 5x.
6. Don’t be taken away by the high fashion atmosphere more than you should. Buy by wearability, if you know something is too much for your style or ambience. It makes no sense forcing yourself into wearing anything that would make you feel embarrassed or pointed at in a negative way. Look for fashion forward designer pieces that can match an everyday outfit and give it that special touch. Don’t be that touch head to toe – unless you want it and you can support it with your image and lifestyle.
People and Style
Apart from one of the best places to shop, London Fashion Weekend is also the place to have serious fashion fun and meet the most fashion aware people.
1. Trying on couture hats in bizzare shapes ca prove really fun – and unmissable for your photo album.
2. Below: two 40s-inspired outfits, both revamped thanks to a bright touch of color. Which one do you like most? I couldn’t choose.
3. The girls at Now Voyager will give you a quick and stunning makeover. Try sporting their amazing cupcake hair pieces.
4. London Fashion Weekend, meeting place for the most stylish men and women in the city.
5. Les Nereides, jewelry favourite since my study year in Paris. Here an orangier-inspired set of necklace and earrings matched with a vintage style polkadot dress and headband.
6. Trying on talented jewelry designer’s Maria-Francesca Pepe statement rings.
7. Mini-cupcake treats offered on site.
8. Holly Fulton graphic prints on sale at the Boutique.
9. Handmade bags in a variety of colors and textures.
Happy Shopping!
