Tag Archives: London Queer Fashion show

London Queer Fashion Show Returns For its Third Instalment

Marking its 3rd year, the annual London Queer Fashion Show gives visibility to new talent and helps to break down gender norms in fashion.

This Friday, London’s most diverse and inclusive fashion show returns to the V&A Museum of Childhood in East London.

The London Queer Fashion Show stage is home to established and emerging fashion designers and is the show within season to spot new queer talent. The purpose of the show is to express all identities in order for every individual to be recognised and acknowledged.

With dancers, voguers, hula hoop acts, the evening is full of surprises, live and electric energy to split and divide to mainstream catwalks whilst championing up and coming queer designers, with queer models.

Designers for the 2019 show consist of: Gzell, Ellise Lawrence, Plus Equals, Duygu, Insantible Lust, Sophie Cochevelou, Paula Herrera, Vanessa Nicholson, Annam, and The Avenue.

This year the event will be hosted by Ru Paul’s Drag Race and Celebrity Big Brother star x, and walking the stage are models of all identities. From Tess Holiday, Rain Dove and Saara Aalto to leaders and influencers from London’s community like Jamie Windust, Stefan Howste, Kenny Jones, Asttina Mandella, Char Bailey, Helen Scott and Jason Kwan, this event is championing gender-fluid fashion and inclusivity to the core.

Founder of London Queer Fashion Show, Robyn Exton, comments:

“The London Queer Fashion Show is completely unique – we’re bringing together the phenomenal power of both the fashion and queer communities in an explosive experience. This is what real representation and inclusivity should look like, not the tokenism we’re seeing far too often. A stage for all those who exist in our community, real identities, real voices and real people.”

Gates open at 6.30pm for drinks and entertainment at V&A Museum of Childhood forecourt, with doors to the venue open at 7.30pm, where attendees can explore the Selling Floor with over 20 LGBTQ+ vendors.

Show begins at 8.30pm. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.

London’s most diverse and inclusive fashion show returns this September

London’s most diverse and inclusive fashion show returns to the V&A Museum of Childhood, with 11 LGBTQ+ designers walking with 100 models of all genders, sexualities, races, expressions, abilities and identities.

Last year, the London Queer Fashion Show launched as one of London’s largest fashion event celebrating LGBTQ bodies and fashion. This year, the show returns on September 21st, to host 1000 people at the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood.

The LQFS stage is home to established and emerging fashion designers and is the show within season to spot new queer talent.

Designers in the 2018 show have just been announced as: Bull and Dagger, Plus Equals, Poca London, Vytoldas Miliauskas, Yodah Williams, Cause Perdue, Cochevelou, Danielle Clarke, Rickielee Drayford, Livia Rita and Not Applicable.

Over 100 models, empowering all gender identities, sexualities, races and bodies, will walk the catwalk, from celebrities like Rain Dove, to leaders and influencers from London’s community like Lady Phyll, organiser of UK Black Pride, Kenny Jones, Jay Jay Revlon and Marnie Scarlet. This is an event is for all expressions of identity to be recognised and acknowledged.

The show’s producer Robyn Exton says

“The hunger for representation that the queer community now demands is finally being met with our unique event. If main stream labels aren’t able to reflect our identities, then we will do it ourselves.”

Tickets were released with the powerful video ‘Walk On’, directed by Oliver Nias, a film that captures the heart of the event; the power of the people and identities that walk the catwalk.

The London Queer Fashion Show Redefines Gender Rules

Last week, queer designers, fashion influencers and over 300 guests gathered at Hackney Showroom for London’s first ever Queer Fashion Show.

Introduced by transgender model and activist Munroe Bergdorf – who was recently fired by L’Oreal for her comments on race – the event saw seven of London’s most exciting LGBTQ+ designers showcasing their collections with clothing that expressed the most radical of identities.

Gone were the obvious separations some see in shows between the young brands and the established. All designers stood on equal ground and wowed the crowd.

From unexpected pairings of latex and cotton in Akvile Jancauskaite’s collection; to the beautiful, twisted and dark fantasy created by Ingrid Kraftchenko.

Then there was Jack Goode’s combination of classic tailoring and clubkid sensibility; and Emily Witham’s use of pattern manipulation and showmanship.

Ben Copperwheat was also on hand to deliver a collection of colourful and vibrant pieces, alongside Halina Edwards whose work focused on intricate patchworking and material manipulation.

And finally, the tailored display by Thomas Thomas, who make vintage-inspired British suits for women.

Beyond the clothing, the energy at the event came from the models; the most eclectic, diverse representation of identities.

All races, all genders, sexualities, body types and ages were carrying the collections down the runway. Each time a model took the stage, the crowds responded to seeing an individual that represented their own identity & community with cries and shouts of support. This show was real, raw and representative.

CEO of London Queer Fashion Show, Robyn Exton, ended the event with a call out to attendees, asking those who want to stand together, who want to be represented, visible and present in the queer fashion community to step forward and join the LQFS movement.

Share brands, models and partners for the next event with them to continue building the most diverse fashion show in London.

London Queer Fashion Show will return in February 2018.

 

The Largest Showcase Of UK Queer Designers Is Coming London Fashion Week

This September, London will see its very first Queer Fashion Show.

The event is timed to coincide with the final day of London Fashion Week, and is seen as a way to challenge how the fashion industry has traditionally seen gender and the LGBTQ+ community.

LQFS CEO Robyn Exton (the founder of the HER app), explained

The London Queer Fashion Show is about creating a space for brands that are challenging and expressing how young and queer audiences are already seeing their identity. We’re tired of dealing with the restricting gender norms the fashion industry has been defined by for decades.

Our designers are asking the right, provocative questions; we’re really proud to work with them on creating this event and show London how diverse fashion can truly be.”

Over 50 brands applied to exhibit at the event, and the chosen six reflect some of London’s most exciting designers.

This includes Akvile Jancauskaite who designs ready-to-wear couture with lots of clean lines and 90s inspired block colours.

US-based Ben Copperwheat and his explosions of colour.

Emily Witham creates equally fanciful clothing, with a recent menswear collection based on the Alice in Wonderland universe.

Thomas Thomas is a studio founded by SJ Weston, whose website boasts of “androgynous tailoring”, which she hopes removes the need for anyone to spend hours customising quote-unquote ‘men’s’ clothing, as she did.

Ingrid Kraftchenko is probably the most explicitly political exhibitor, albeit with a playful touch.

Bespoke tailor and London College of Fashion graduate Jack Goode completes the line-up.

On the other side of the curtain, models like Rain Dove and transgender activist Sam Moir Smith will be walking the catwalk and showing off the garms.

The event will be followed by an after party, where Wiggy Workshop will be on hand, bringing with them their glittering collection of hairpieces.

Tickets for the event cost £25 (although fashion show-only or after party-only tickets can be purchased too) and doors open at 6pm.

London Queer Fashion Show comes to Hackney Showroom (Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT) on Wednesday 20 September.