London Fashion Week: What to expect as live catwalk shows return

London Fashion Week is back with a bang. After going digital for the last two seasons, the spring/summer edition 2022 will see 17 catwalk shows staged over five days as designers present their latest collections to editors, retail buyers and celebrity guests.

Kicking off on Friday September 17, the biannual event will take a hybrid format, the schedule split for the first time between physical and online presentations.

So what’s in store for SS22? Here’s what to look out for this fashion week…

Catwalk shows

The catwalk schedule starts on Friday afternoon with Turkish-born designer Bora Aksu and concludes on Tuesday night with Richard Quinn the former Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design winner known for his avant-garde designs and spectacular shows.

On Sunday, notable names to watch out for are Erdem (a Duchess of Cambridge go-to) and fashionistas’ favourite Rejina Pyo.

Monday is the biggest day catwalk-wise with London stalwarts Roksanda and Emilia Wickstead showing (expect elegant eveningwear from both), as well as wunderkinds Simone Rocha and Charles Jeffrey with his Loverboy brand.

Digital events

Even if you haven’t got a front row ticket to the shows, digital events throughout the week let online viewers in on the action via the London Fashion Week digital hub.

Two catwalk shows will be livestreamed: Charlotte Knowles aka Knwls on Saturday at 4pm and Simone Rocha on Monday at 6pm.

Opting to present their collections via campaign films are Molly Goddard (famous for her frothy tulle creations), Preen and Temperley.

And straddling the digital/physical divide, Osman and Emilia Wickstead are creating campaign films in addition to their catwalk shows.

Who’ll be attending?

With a whole host of evening events on the schedule, it looks like celebs will be donning their designer finery and hitting the party circuit.

On Friday night, pop legend Grace Jones will be performing at the star-studded Icon Charity Gala in support of NHS Charities Together, with rumoured guests including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Rod Stewart, Emma Thompson and Alexandra Burke.

Who’s missing?

While this season represents a major step towards returning to pre-pandemic normality, there are some big names missing from the schedule.

Notably, Victoria Beckham (who usually has husband David and the kids in tow), Burberry (creative director Ricardo Tisci normally shows off-schedule but during the same week) and purveyor of all things sequinned, Ashish.