Hot on the heels of New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week opens on Friday in the British capital.
Running until February 22, it will offer a now-normal hybrid event of in-person and digital presentations, showing both men’s and women’s collections.
Noticeably missing, however, are the big hitter names of Burberry, Alexander McQueen and Victoria Beckham, who have decided not to show.
Although a shame, the absence does not necessarily spell disaster because, in the past, London Fashion Week was better known for sending blisteringly original ideas down the runway than perfectly finished seams.
With a legacy including John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood, names with a healthy disregard for rules, perhaps London is once more returning to its talent incubator roots, even if Westwood is among the brands not showing this year.
Day one, for example, offers the outlandish knit specialist Matty Bovan, fashion’s newest darling for his over-the-top approach, and the beautiful subversion of Edward Crutchley. There is the London College of Fashion degree show, and a digital presentation by Stephen Jones Millinery, the man behind the headpieces at Dior.
Day two will open with the runway show of Noon By Noor, the Bahraini women’s label, and followed by Ahluwalia, the co-ed brand that is rapidly becoming a name to follow. Molly Goddard is showing, as is Richard Quinn, who will be joined by the memorably titled Banshee of Savile Row, the first Saville Row bespoke women's tailoring house to show as part of London Fashion Week.
Day three will offer the more established names of Temperley London and Simone Rocha, while day four includes the bold colouring of Roksanda, the skilled cutting of Preen by Thornton Bregazzi and the unabashed romanticism of Erdem.
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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Paltan
Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
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