London

Visiting London at the beginning of their fashion week is potentially one of the most unique fashion experiences for any individual traveling. Fashion week is the perfect opportunity to experience fashion on the runway and the on streets in London.  Compared to several countries that people can visit, London is different than most other countries because fashion does not have a structure to follow as in most cultures.  In London, in order to gain insight into the fashion and culture it’s important to explore museums, department stores, and other sightseeing to help figure out what is truly involved in this individual style. Wendy is a freelance journalist from London and she follows fashion trends around Europe. She has discovered the trendiest places to buy British fashion along with where classics can be found. Department stores in London are some of the biggest and most unique to visit, but the best way to get a sense of British fashion is on the streets. The stores may show which items are most popular to buy, but the street put the clothes and accessories together in the most eclectic way imaginable.

It is almost impossible to concentrate while walking down the streets of London because there is always something eye catching. In America many of the styles seen in London would be considered extremely improbable. It’s almost impossible to get a clear definition of what British fashion is, but the best way to get an idea is to ask people on the streets their opinion of fashion in London.  Some of the most popular words that native Londoner’s used included the words unconventional, playful, fun, no rules, anything goes, collective, and eclectic. There are no better ways to describe the fashion. Compared to Paris the fashion is more laid back with very little structure.  In London the styles were very raw, as if they had just been taken off the runway and thrown onto people on the street. Dover Street Market gave the best impression of British fashion in a store. The clothing was displayed as if it were in a showroom getting prepared for a fashion show. In Paris the clothing from the runway is highly modified before being seen on the street; there is a definite structure to the way clothing is worn. The main difference is organization; in London colors, patterns, and materials can be mixed into any combination and it doesn’t necessarily have to “go” together. London gives people an unlimited amount of opportunity to express themselves through fashion.

Fashion week took over the streets of London with window displays, advertisements, and most importantly fashion shows. Bernard Chandran also known as the “King of Fashion” in Malaysia was able to share his fashion sense with London. The clothes presented were far different from typical British. The clothes are whimsical with light airy colors. British fashion is typically characterized as having an essence of “punk” that was not represented in the Bernard Chandran collection. It would be interesting to see how the people of London react to the collection once it released. The stage for the show was long, but it contrasted from the style of the clothing. The room was chic as the clothing was, but it was set up as a square and many of the clothes were flowing without many straight lines. The room itself was simple and elegant, which did reflect the clothing. The people invited to shows during fashion week are highly inspiring to observe when in line for a show. The outfits are completely avant garde and eccentric. For example the use of wild hair accessories, feathers on apparel and outrageously high heels were among some of the major trends seen. Overall the show, like most shows is inspiring and the crowds pile into the room to sneak just a quick peek at the upcoming collection.

Harrods and Liberty are two department stores that are solely found in London, but they both have two very different approaches to British fashion.  Liberty’s holds the unique essence of British fashion and Harrods captures the classic essence of British fashion.  Liberty’s is obviously unique based on the outside appearance; it looks like a house rather than a department store. The inside was filled with beautiful hard wood staircases and railings giving the store a quaint and comforting feeling.  The store had a wide array of merchandise, and it wasn’t highly organized. There were several types of merchandise on the floors; this reflected the way London views fashion. There were interesting items such as, portraits with the faces of animals. In fact, several items were related to animals including dishes, and furniture with animals printed on it. Also, the vintage section in the store was unique and different than most department stores. Several outlandish designer dresses and wild pieces of jewelry were on display. Liberty’s displayed an avant garde approach to fashion and home interiors, which can be directly compared to their fashion on the street.  Harrods is portrayed as a classic department store. It houses all the collections from the classic designers such as Dior, Chanel, and YSL. People expect only the best and most expensive high end products at Harrods, and they always deliver. The store comes equipped with a gourmet food section, and the most divine selection of desserts one could ever ask for. The cupcakes come in several unique and classic flavors and the room of chocolates could put someone in a coma just by looking around.  The shocking window displays help draw the customers in. One display in particular showed taxidermy. The idea seems almost improbably for a department store window, but it was different and gave the window a realistic feel. They made sure to advertise that no animals were hurt to make their amazing window possible.  Harrods does have some avant garde ideas, but this is a store for more classic looks.

        

The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert museum are both an amazing way to discover culture in general.  The Victoria and Albert museum had a great exhibit called “The Power of Making”. The exhibit showed how artists took regular everyday items and looked at them in new ways or just created fabulous works of art.  The exhibit was perfect for fashion majors that need to be creative and constantly find new solutions for the creation and turnover of products. It helps to realize items in a new light, which can be refreshing. For example a dress made completely out of pins. The dress cannot be worn, but it is a creative way to use resources and it gives fashion majors a chance to realize how to put displays together and merchandise in new ways.  The clothing displayed around the museum shows clothing during different time periods and cultures. People from today can better appreciate modern day clothing after walking through the museum. Women were put through fashion torture in the past with corsets and hoops skirts made from whale bones.  Seeing the progression of clothing through the centuries is a culture shock in itself. The costume exhibit was the most fascinating to witness because costumes that celebrities wore were on display. The comparison of old rock star costumes to today’s apparel was fascinating and easy way to make connections. For example, the one piece jump suit worn by Mick Jagger would be unheard of to wear during a stones concert in recent times. Costumes seen on Broadway were in the exhibit, which is great to see because of how popular Broadway musicals have become. The British museum had an amazing exhibit of the mummies; this included coffins, mummies, funerary masks, portraits and other items designed to be buried with the deceased.  It is fascinating to know that actual people have been buried in a coffin that is so beautiful. The people of that time had a lot of respect and pride for their deceased, which is why they are buried with certain items. History of costume has reviewed the clothing that Egyptians wore, and to see the clothing and jewelry on display in a museum is not only helpful but incredible to experience.

Hyde Park could be considered one of the most inspiring places to visit while in London. It consists of fields and wide open spaces, but it is beautiful to visit. The park has ponds, and sculptures throughout the park to stop and gaze at. The peter pan statue needs to be one place on the list to stop at because many people know the story and it is good to relate it back to history rather than the Disney movie. The parks rolling fields leave time for hours of walking, but there are waterside restaurants to stop at and enjoy the view. The London eye is a newer attraction that the city has to offer, but it is a perfect way to get a bird’s eye view of the city. When there are few days to explore a marvelous place it is necessary to see as much as possible. In addition, the view is absolutely breath taking. The famous Abbey road where the Beatles had the cover for their album is an exclusive London experience. The Beatles have become a huge part of rock and roll culture over the decades, which is why taking a walk across the Abbey Road crosswalk has also become a part of culture. The Abbey studios are right next to it, and the brick wall next to the street is covered with the names of famous Beatle songs and the names of people that visited. It is almost comical to see tourists taking turns walking across Abbey road and aggravating oncoming traffic in the process.

Words cannot completely describe a British experience. Despite the fact that it is an English speaking country it is much different than America. The people are willing to be unusual, avant garde, and stand out in a crowd. They are a society with few social rules, and more cultures should model there laid back view on life; native Londoner’s appear to be at ease on the street. Tourists may stare with puzzled looks, but they are a culture that is comfortable with their unique qualities.