1. Tommy's London Holiday
Back in February, Tommy Hilfiger moved from his usual slot on the NYFW schedule to the City of Angels. And now? Well, now it's all about Blighty. The oh-so American designer is upping his #TommyNow show, once again featuring his and Gigi Hadid's Tommy x Gigi collection, and flying over to London.
The runway event - which follows the 'Tommy Pier' show in New York (fall 2016 ) and 'Tommyland' in Los Angeles (spring) - will be at the iconic gig venue Roundhouse in Camden on Tuesday, 19 September. This means the show will be London Fashion Week's finale and, if February's star-spangled (hi, Lady Gaga on the FROW) extravaganza was anything to go by, expect big things.
2. Emporio Armani Is Also Decamping
Okay, this isn't the first time Emporio Armani has exited Milan Fashion Week for colder shores. Back in 2006, the designer showed his spring 2007 collection in London for the first time to mark the launch of the Emporio Armani Product Red line.
11 years later and it's back. Armani will hold its women's spring 2018 show on 17 September, as he celebrates the opening of the revamped Bond Street flagship store.
'London — dynamic, energetic and cosmopolitan — represents global culture, so it's the perfect setting for my Emporio Armani collection,' said Giorgio Armani. 'After my 'One Night Only' event in 2006, I'm thrilled to be returning to London to unveil the new concept at the Bond Street store, bearing witness to the brand's strong bond with the British people.'
3. Ditto Nicopanda
According to the laws of fashion (hemlines that go up must come down), one example of anything is a fluke, two is a coincidence, and three is a trend. And with Nicopanda also heading over to London? Yep, this is way past a trend.
The brand, started by Nicola Formichetti, Lady Gaga's former stylist and the artistic director of Diesel, will show a six-piece unisex streetwear collection for their first ever on-schedule catwalk show.
They are also one-upping every other see now/buy now brand by teaming up with Amazon to guarantee delivery of some runway pieces to select London postcodes within 60 minutes. Yes: you watch the show and order on the app. Immediate gratification at its finest.
4. Tuesday Is Your Day For New Designers
It wouldn't be London Fashion Week without the buzz of the next big thing. And this year they've made it easy for you: ELLE's need-to-know fashion stars have been scheduled on the same day.
First up is Ukrainian designer Natasha Zinko, at 10am, whose irreverent ruffle-backed parkas and pompom shoes you will have spotted all over Instagram and street style pics. Think diamond-encrusted cherries and a curiously eccentric aesthetic.
A.W.A.K.E. (All Wonderful Adventures Kindle Enthusiasm) brings the tailoring at 2pm, while Korean-born Rejina Pyo - which describes its aesthetic as 'graphic and playful yet effortlessly elegant' - struts its stuff an hour later. All three designers will be showing on the catwalk for the very first time.
In addition, Matty Bovan, Asai and Supriya Lele, plus Charlotte Knowles and Harry Evans (in separate presentations on Monday, mind, so you can catch both) will also all be hosting shows on the Fashion East platform. The show is organised each year by Lulu Kennedy to allow emerging names to get a place on the schedule.
