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London Fashion Week will take place next week but will lose one of its biggest names after Burberry said it is canceling its show following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, shortly after the Queen’s death was announced, the British Fashion Council (BFC) said: “London Fashion Week is a business-to-business event and an important moment for designers to show their collections at a specific moment in the fashion calendar, we recognize the work that goes into this moment.
“Therefore, shows and collections presentations can go ahead, but we are asking that designers respect the mood of the nation and the period of national mourning by considering the timing of their image release.” The BFC has recommended postponing or canceling “non-essential” events such as holidays and openings as a mark of respect, and will freeze its own communication channels or dedicate them to the Queen, until after the 10-day mourning period.
Burberry said on Thursday evening that it would not go ahead with its Spring/Summer 2023 show on September 17 “as a mark of respect”.
The date of the Queen’s funeral has not yet been confirmed. It is expected to happen about 10 days after her death, on September 18 or 19. Performances to take place on the day of the Queen’s funeral “will have to be rescheduled”, the BFC recommended in the statement. The BFC also advises that designers with retail stores “may wish to consider 24[-hour] immediate closure, black stripes for staff and closure on the day of the funeral”.
Before news of the Queen’s death, London was gearing up for its biggest fashion week in three years, with established and emerging brands returning to the schedule after pandemic-related disruptions.
Designers currently scheduled to show on September 18 – 10 days since the Queen’s death – include Nancy Dojaka, 16 Arlington, Rejina Pyo, Halpern, Simone Rocha, Erdem, Stefan Cooke and Richard Quinn; Performances scheduled for September 19 include Christopher Kane, Roksanda and Chopova Lowena. A representative of Purple PR, which is overseeing the performances of Yuhan Wang and David Koma on September 18, said that the performances will not take place or be made public if the funeral is scheduled for the same day.
Following the Queen’s death, tributes poured in from the fashion industry, including the BFC, Burberry and Christopher Kane. The London Fashion Week website was updated with the message: “It was a great honor in 2018 to host Her Majesty at London Fashion Week to launch the QEII British Design Award, which recognizes design excellence and positive impact. Her Majesty’s easy style, charm and sense of fun were evident and her passion for supporting young creators will continue to inspire the next generation.”
Update: This story has been updated to include news that Burberry is canceling its show. (September 8, 2022)
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