As summer draws to a close each year, and the jet-set return home following a season of yacht-hopping and white-sand-beach-dwelling, there is always something just as hot to look forward to as the days get cold: London Fashion Week. The heady buzz of British fashion icons pacing the streets in their runway-ready regalia and hitting the most eminent shows remains the ultimate arbiter of what is now and what is next in style. But although those catwalks conjure all the zeitgeisty savoir-faire of the world’s most daring fashion capital, what really sets the beating heart of the city racing is the nightlife, and this year’s September schedule was certainly one for the history books.
It all kicked off in East on Thursday. While Stratford itself may not be the typical rendezvous for the fashion crowd, the postcode everyone was dialling into CityMapper was E20. Toasting the end of ‘brat summer’, H&M had tapped the queen of cool and soundtrack of a shield-frame-donning It-girl generation, Charli XCX, to front a debut bash hosted at the Copperbox Arena. The likes of Iris Law, Anaïs Gallagher and Mia Regan headed down to the smoky red-light-filled venue, where crowds of bright young things were dancing hard as the pop princess performed a string of her club-ready hits, all yearning to be so Julia. ‘Last night was iconic,’ XCX said after the gig, and she was right. Jamie XX hit the decks after the show, and the true party girls swayed their hips into the small hours of the next morning.
The following night, it was back to Bond Street for the style elite. Italian luxury powerhouse, TOD’s, were celebrating the launch of their latest line; a collaboration with Indian couturier, Rahul Mishra. The designer, who recently worked on the elaborate ensembles of Anant Ambani during his wedding of the century earlier this year, splashed his signature dazzling decorative motifs upon a range of gilded accessories – and called upon an equally sparkling guest list to celebrate. Diana, Princess of Wales’ nieces, the Spencer Twins, were spotted looking oh-so-glamorous in coordinating leather trenches, their blonde cheveux slicked back effortlessly. Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice’s superstylist, Olivia Buckingham, kept it cool in a creamy zip-front coat dress, and Tatler best dressed alum, Rahi Chadda, looked suitably suave alongside stunning model Saffron Vadher.
Meanwhile, there was a melting pot à la mode of fashion titans and trailblazers congregating at King’s Cross. CîROC Vodka had taken over The Standard for three nights of fabulous bashes including the KNWLS show afterparty, an evening with the man behind Zendaya’s inimitable red carpet prowess, Law Roach, and a townhouse toast to the next gen of Britain’s freshest designers with the up-and-coming talent incubator, Fashion East. The rising stars, renowned fashion idols and rebellious style rockers headed to the modernistic bolthole overlooking the city’s night-sky landscape for cocktails and martinis throughout the weekend, dancing merrily and celebrating a new season of trend-setting brilliance.
It was a schedule of riotous glamour, a rolodex of unbridled who’s-who hedonism: some headed to Broadwick Soho for a final hurrah and special performance from disco stalwarts, Sister Sledge, while others, including Lady Lola Bute, made it over to 1 Hotel Mayfair for the Grey Goose x Perfect Magazine party. But it all ended in classic London chic, with glamazons piling into the back of slick black Benz’s courtesy of Wheely – the preferred chauffeur service for VIP elegantes.