Celebrating London Fashion Weeks most incredibly glamorous moments in it's 30 plus years.
As the beauty of London Fashion Week SS17 unfolds, adding to the storied tapestry of British design, we spoke to Matthew Butson, Vice President of Getty Images’ Hulton Archive about some of the key moments that have shaped LFW over the years...
'London Fashion Week began in 1984 and has helped launch the careers of a number of society’s biggest names including Kate Moss, Alexander McQueen as well as Christopher Kane. It’s now rightfully regarded as one of the ‘Big Four’ fashion weeks alongside New York, Milan and Paris, with many of the biggest designers unveiling their latest creations on the LFW catwalk.
'Getty Images have been capturing the action at LFW since the very beginning. Being an iconic event, we have always had a number of photographers descend upon it, camera in hand, to capture the magic that takes place both on the catwalk as well as behind the scenes through exclusive access. It’s always amazing when you’re able to quite literally put the world on the Front Row or position them as a fly on the wall behind the scenes, showing them moments that they wouldn’t necessarily get to see otherwise.
'We’ve delved into the Getty Images archive to bring you six glamorous moments from fashion weeks gone by. From Naomi Campbell smoking backstage at Matthew Williamson’s S/S ’99 show, to Princess Diana’s frequent appearances, one thing is certainly clear: London always produces show-stopping moments.'
'The first image is of arguably two of the most famous faces in London Fashion Week’s history, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, who have been friends for the best part of 25 years. This is an early portrayal of their friendship, taken in 1991 at the London Fashion Week Designer of the Year Awards at London’s Natural History Museum, when Kate was 17 and Naomi was 21.'
Scroll on to see more of the most glamorous LFW moments ever captured...
London Fashion Week Designer of The Year Awards At The Museum Of Natural History, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell
'Arguably the two most famous faces in London Fashion Week’s history, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, have been friends for the best part of 25 years. This is an early portrayal of their friendship, taken in 1991 at the London Fashion Week Designer of the Year Awards at London’s Natural History Museum, when Kate was 17 and Naomi was 21.'
Supermodel Naomi Campbell Smokes a Cigarette Backstage
'This image of Naomi Campbell was taken backstage at Matthew Williamson’s S/S ‘99 show. This particular London Fashion Week was criticised for lacking ‘sparkle’ as many designers, including Alexander McQueen, decided to only present their collections abroad. However, this image of Naomi emanates glamour for me. With a cigarette in her hand as the stylists do their work, she looks more like a screen siren from film noir, than a catwalk queen.'
Fashion Week Celebrities
'Some familiar London Fashion Week faces – Mick Jagger, Vivienne Westwood, Jerry Hall and Elizabeth Jagger – at a Westwood tribute at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1998. Not many people would stand out when surrounded by the Jaggers, but this definitely isn’t the case for Vivienne Westwood who looks flawless in this ‘caught-off-guard’ picture.'
Britain Fashion McQueen
'One of London Fashion Week’s most iconic moments; this picture was taken in February 1998, during the finale of Alexander McQueen’s A/W ‘98 show. McQueen’s shows are famed for their theatrics and juxtaposition of power vs. fragility and this show was no exception. A model wearing a red hooded catsuit stands among a ring of fire. The show was inspired by the murder of Joan of Arc, and this picture certainly portrays the sinister, yet empowering, vibe that McQueen was aiming to create.'
Fashion Week in London: Antonio Berardi
'Aged 23 in this image, Kate Moss was already a big name in the fashion industry. In the 90s Moss was famed for turning heads...and presented a new kind of model with a grunge aesthetic, shunning the more wholesome look previously favoured. She changed the face of the catwalk.'
Fashion Week, Princess Diana
'As a fashion icon through the 80s and 90s, Princess Diana was a regular VIP at London Fashion Week. This image was captured in March 1985 when the Princess of Wales attended a reception at Lancaster House, held for London Fashion Week.'
