Stars and celebrities are flocking to London Fashion Week today as the event celebrates its 40th anniversary
Irish designer Paul Costelloe and Turkish-born Bora Aksu were the first designers to showcase their work on Friday morning
The biannual fashion show began as the British Designer Show in March 1984, at Olympia in London
It combined a fashion exhibition, catwalk shows, awards and social activities - regarded then as an innovation in the industry
LFW has said it aims to be a global showcase of “London’s unique individual talent and spirit”
The event attracts media, celebrities, fashion buyers and customers from around the world
Fashion is a big contributor to the UK economy, with womenswear sales bringing in £31.9bn last year and menswear £15.6bn
You can watch our live stream by pressing the play button at the top of this page - there will not be regular text updates
Image source, PA MediaA model on the catwalk during the Mark Fast show
Thank you for joining this livestream from the first day of London Fashion Week's 40th anniversary.
You can read more about the history of the bi-annual event here.
Image source, ReutersModels stand at backstage during a rehearsal on the day of the Mark Fast catwalk show
Very. Fashion is a big hitter when it comes to the UK economy - it's a multi-billion pound contributor and the industry directly employs hundreds of thousands of people.
London Fashion Week estimates that womenswear sales for last year were valued at £31.9bn with menswear sales coming in at £15.6bn.
But LFW arrives under increasing economic pressures, with “strong headwinds” facing fashion houses according to a recent industry report.
So far this morning we've seen creations from the minds of Irish designer Paul Costelloe, who championed a more classic look, and Turkish-born Bora Aksu as the pair kicked off London Fashion Week.
Lots of tweed, puffy sleeves and floaty skirts have been on display so far, but take a peek at the selection of pictures below to make up your own mind on the creations.
Image source, ReutersModels present creations at the Bora Aksu, where the designer relied on a more muted colour palette
Image source, PAModels on the catwalk during the Bora Aksu
Image source, EPAPaul Costelloe presented a mix of whites, dark greys and plenty of tweeds in his 'Once upon a Time' autumn/winter 2024 collection
Image source, PA Media'This collection expresses my view that classic design still has its place in high fashion,' said Paul Costelloe in notes on the show
Image source, EPAModels get ready backstage to present creations by Turkish designer Bora Aksu
London Fashion Week runs as a five-day showcase featuring the best designs from across the UK at venues around the city.
The event is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Sounds old, right? Actually, Paris started its shows back in the 1880s so London is in its infancy by comparison.
Designers like Burberry, Simone Rocha, JW Anderson and Sinead O'Dwyer will be among the highlights over this weekend, but in sum there will be shows by 67 designers and with shows taking place on more than 40 catwalks. Exhausting just to think about it!
It's worth noting that although the official launch was this morning, designers Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi kicked things off on Thursday night with a show for their Preen label - a line that counts Beyonce, Rihanna and Emma Stone among its fans.
Image source, ReutersA model presents a creation at the Bora Aksu catwalk show during London Fashion Week
For forty years, London Fashion Week (LFW) has dared where others have not, always looking forward.
This anniversary edition of LFW will host 67 designers across 46 catwalks and 36 events, with collections by many more up-and-coming designers expected to make an appearance off-grid.
Star attractions include Preen, Richard Quinn, Simone Rocha, Harris Reed, 16Arlington and Emilia Wickstead.
Burberry is slated to close the official programme on Monday, with Daniel Lee's collection.
Vogue editor Dame Anna Wintour will, no doubt, selectively grace the front row, casting her discerning eye over the latest trends from behind those iconic shades.
Although smaller than its peers in Milan, Paris and New York - which routinely boast international fashion giants - London continues to be known for its unique style.
"It's much more innovative," Betty Jackson, a designer at the first LFW, told the BBC. "I do think we have the best ideas, really. And we're fearless.”
Image source, ReutersA model presents a creation at the Paul Costelloe catwalk show during London Fashion Week
Prepare to strike a pose - or if not you, the more sartorially inclined who are descending on the city this weekend to ring in a celebration of London Fashion Week as the event turns 40.
The bi-annual event, originally the brainchild of PR guru Lynne Franks - and now a staple of the global fashion calendar - launched in 1984. And as the youngest of the 'big five' fashion weeks, this year's event brings glitz and glamour to London from now until Tuesday.
We won’t be providing minute-by-minute updates by text in this page. Instead you can watch a live stream of the shows by clicking the Play button at the top of this page.