London has long been the fashion capital of the world, with many great designers such as Alexander McQueen, GILES, Charlotte Taylor, Katrina Ferrari and Brett de Jager all revolutionising the way we dress. London Fashion Week has now become the biggest event in the fashion calendar and all the major fashion bloggers either come from London or are living in London.
What is it that makes London so special?
Living and working in London, it is hard not to favour this city above others in the world, however, in no other city do I feel as inspired as I do when I am immersed in London culture. I can feel a vibrant energy pumping through my veins,via the Central line, when I walk down the street, feeding my brain with inspiration. London is a melting pot of different cultures, made so by the vast collection of nationalities that make up it's population. It is no surprise then that London is home to a rich and diverse art scene.
London inspires so many people with its eclectic array of food, art, culture, entertainment, personalities and so much more. Fashion plays a massive part in this. There is a certain 'London Look' that epitomises the capital's creative edge. With the culture clashes, freedom to wear what we like, the availability of throw away fashion and the strong emphasis on art, people can create their own unique look, a look unique to London...something that would be impossible to recreate anywhere else in the world. It is safe to say that fashion has definitely stamped its sharp stiletto heel into the paving stones of the Capital...(Hungerford Bridge...ahem!!)
London has only just become the fashion capital of the world earlier this year and we have one woman to thank for that....Kate Middleton! With all the media hype and social media buzz surrounding the royal wedding and her beautiful Sarah Burton wedding dress, London knocked New York, Paris and Milan to second, third and fourth positions in the Global Language Monitor survey. Despite this, some industry insiders dismiss the survey, still recognising Paris and Milan as the commercial and creative hubs of the industry. For some people like the milliner Stephen Jones it is a generational thing: "For young people, London is the fashion capital, but if you are an American buyer it would be Paris or Milan."
What is the future of the fashion capital?
Now that London has received and is getting used to all this love and affection it is learning to embrace it and forget its modesty. This is not a bad thing, after all it is widely recognised that Brits are far to modest in comparison to the rest of the world.
The focus has shifted away from the commercial, harsh sales where all that mattered was turnover and profit and we are learning how to nurture and develop the brands/designers we love. Over the past year (especially during LFW during September) a plethora of emerging young talent has moved onto our radars. Names like Jessica Au, James Kearns, Susie Stone and Stephanie Grace Foy have become household names for anyone interested in fashion. This is due to the increased support and funding given to recently graduated designers. It seems that finally people are realising that the smaller, fresh faced designers of the present will be the profit earners of the future. We only have to look as far as Alexander McQueen to see that.
Saying all this however, you would have to have been living under a stone over the past few months not to hear about Westfield Stratford City opening it's doors to the public. Being Europe's largest urban shopping complex it is no shrinking violet and it doesn't pretend to be. The shopping centre is situated alongside the London Olympic Park and is home to over 300 shops and 70 restaurants. It has also been said that by building the new shopping centre, it will create 10,000 new jobs.
As a fashion intern in the big bustling city that is London, I need to stay on top of all the fashion current affairs and working in a city that is as fashion forward as London is really helps. More and more I have seen pivotal people in the fashion industry favour London over New York when it comes to hosting their events or opening a new store. You would think that with the media frenzy surrounding London earlier this year and the increased popularity of smaller independent designers that it would be easier to find a job. Personally, I don't think that having London as the fashion capital has increased the possibility of finding a job at all. In fact, I think it is harder than ever to find a job in the fashion capital and even unpaid internships are hard to come by. It all comes down to networking and getting your face out there.
What is really important to me is the increased level of support and understanding that British fashion has received since London has been elected the fashion capital as it means that the British fashion industry can remain as fresh and diverse as it always has despite the current economic climate.
What are your views on London? Should it be the fashion capital of the world?
