Vivienne Westwood to replace LFW Men's runway show with digital presentation

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 20, 2017

Vivienne Westwood said Tuesday that the company’s AW18 show would be replaced by a digital presentation with images and video to be emailed out on January 8, during London Fashion Week Men’s.

"We're looking forward to showing you our winter collection, which instead of a catwalk, we will present through the form of film and imagery, so you can get a good look at it and love it as much as we do. Buy less, choose well, make it last,” Westwood said.

The move is the latest in a general shake-up of fashion weeks that has seen a variety of initiates such as more dual-gender shows, a move to see now, buy now (and back again for some labels), plus brands swapping their timings between the men’s and women’s schedules as well as been the RTW and couture schedules.

But few of the bigger names such as Westwood have opted to go all-digital, although Anya Hindmarch announced a move to more personal, as well as digital, presentations recently and away from catwalk shows. Westwood is positioning her move as being about ecology and sustainability and this reflects Westwood’s heavy promotion of a green agenda in recent periods. 

But while the strategy may help the planet, it’s shame for LFWM as it follows news that JW Anderson will not be showing there either. Jonathan Anderson’s must-see label will now be showing a dual-gender collection at the women’s event in February.