These continue to be times of change for the British Fashion Council (BFC), and not merely because of the impending departure of long-time chief executive, Caroline Rush, this June. 

That’s because the organisation has also confirmed that its June edition of London Fashion Week (LFW) is no more. In lieu of a separate fashion week, there will be a focus on giving British brands more commercial opportunities through a London Show Rooms showcase in Paris, which will run this year from 26^th June until 1^st July. 

As reported by Vogue Business, Ms Rush has expressed hopes that the showroom in French capital will provide designers with an opening to “generate sales and develop their relationships with international media outside of a show environment”. 

The rise and fall of London Fashion Week June

The event that came to be known as London Fashion Week June in 2024 could trace its history back to 2012, when it was initially launched under the title “London Collections: Men”. It was subsequently rebranded to “London Fashion Week Men’s” in 2017. 

Although the event’s final name took away the specific reference to menswear – the rebranding having been intended to reflect designers’ increasingly co-ed approach to showing – there was still a focus on men’s clothing labels. 

At its peak, the June variant of LFW attracted such heavyweight names as Alexander McQueen, JW Anderson, Craig Green, and Wales Bonner, which enabled the event to draw engaged international audiences. 

In recent years, however, the LFW June schedule has shrunk amid declining numbers of participating brands. The 2024 running saw a new format trialled by the BFC. An exhibition of London design took place at the Institute of Contemporary Art, alongside events celebrating the cultures that have shaped the UK capital’s menswear scene. 

BFC affirms commitment to “amplifying the voices of British menswear designers” 

The diminishing scale and exposure associated with LFW June did leave many brands doubting the commercial viability of still targeting a presence at the event. 

However, the now essentially co-ed nature of the LFW February and September editions has reportedly led some menswear designers to question whether there is sufficient space carved out specifically for men’s apparel. 

To address this, the BFC has indicated that menswear will be the focus of its June showroom. A spokesperson for the council further stated to the FashionUnited platform that “taking a digital-first approach, we will collaborate with buyers and media partners and leverage our own channels to spotlight the evolving story of British menswear”. 

This emphasis, according to the spokesperson, would see the BFC “introducing and promoting designers to new audiences… woven into our existing content streams.” 

It is well-documented that we are living in testing times for the UK and global fashion sectors. Ms Rush acknowledged this as she referenced the organisation’s decision to focus on “more targeted programmes” this summer in London and Paris. 

She asserted that the BFC remained dedicated to “amplifying the voices of British menswear designers as they navigate an ever-changing fashion landscape”. 

This could be an opportune time to join forces with our digital experts 

Are you looking to steer your own brand more confidently and capably through the ever-shifting terrain facing today’s high-end and lifestyle players? 

If so, the present moment could be an excellent one to get in touch with our luxury digital marketing consultancy to discuss how we could most effectively work together. 

Our strategic, creative, and digital professionals at Skywire London – based in the UK capital, but with a global mindset – are easy to reach via email or our online contact form.  

Photo by Nationaal Archief on Unsplash