British Fashion Council Expands Its City Wide Celebration Nationwide to Manchester and Newcastle in Celebration of 40 Years of London Fashion Week

The British Fashion Council (BFC) announces an expanded version of its consumer facing City Wide Celebration (CWC) with the programme of events extending to Manchester and Newcastle for the first time.

CWC is a programme of over 1,000 unique experiences and activities open to the public from over 350 brands throughout September taking place in London, Manchester and Newcastle. Curated by the BFC, CWC celebrates the very best of British city culture while cementing the country’s status as a leading fashion powerhouse during LFW’s 40th anniversary year. The programme aims to support and promote retail across the UK while driving the fashion conversation forward through industry wide participation and partnerships.

Manchester and Newcastle are leading destinations for fashion and culture in the country with a rich history in fashion, textiles and retail. With world leading fashion education and their vibrant music and nightlife scene, they have served as a playground for designers and creatives alike for decades.

Renowned shopping destinations Covent Garden (London), Selfridges (Manchester) and Fenwick (Newcastle) will kick off celebrations in each city, offering a series of activations for customers and style enthusiasts.

Look out for LFW’s principal partner 1664 Blanc who is taking over London’s Covent Garden Piazza with their ‘EXPLORATIONS IN BLUE’. Guests can grab a limited edition print available from LFW designer Tolu Coker, explore ‘Le Journal Bleu’ a bespoke commemorative newspaper that celebrates 40 years of LFW and enjoy a crisp, refreshing pint of 1664 Blanc with a professional photographer there to capture shots for everyone.

The full list of experiences is available here.

Caroline Rush CBE, Chief Executive, British Fashion Council said: “As we celebrate 40 years of London Fashion Week presented by 1664 Blanc, we are very excited to extend our LFW City Wide Celebration across the UK for the first time. BFC is committed to supporting retail and our brilliant network of designer businesses not only in London but across the UK and we are really looking forward to witnessing Manchester and Newcastle come to life with their own programme of events throughout September. LFW has continually been a pioneer when it comes to opening up its doors and inviting consumers to participate, enabling brands and businesses to connect to customers through cultural moments and events is core to its impact. Our principal partner 1664 Blanc has enabled us to extend this even further by opening up LFW all year with their fantastic lineup of events.”

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “For 40 years London Fashion Week has been the engine room of our trailblazing, rule breaking, world leading fashion industry. London is where generations of designer talent have burst onto the world stage and the capital is where you can discover the tastemakers of the future. In a fitting celebration of four decades, this City Wide Celebration will honour the dynamic interplay between fashion and grassroots music. London Creates Music X London Fashion Week will spotlight fantastic underground gigs across the capital, as we build a better London for everyone.”

BLANC X SHAFTESBURY CAPITAL
Date: Friday 13th – Saturday 14 September
Address: East Piazza, The Market, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8RF
Details: Join 1664 Blanc, the principal partner of London Fashion Week, to celebrate the September 2024 series of the showcase in style. Honouring London Fashion Week’s 40th anniversary, the super-premium drinks brand will bring their iconic blue bottle to the East Piazza in Covent Garden for a fashion week pop up with surprise and delight moments – and creating a hot spot for everyone to soak up the LFW atmosphere. Guests can enjoy the delicious citrus taste of 1664 Blanc on draught and in bottle from the airstream and pick up a limited-edition print, made in collaboration with British Nigerian designer, Tolu Coker and 1664 Blanc.

LONDON CREATES MUSIC X LONDON FASHION WEEK
This September, we are collaborating with City Hall, Music Venue Trust, Museum of Youth Culture, DICE and Rough Trade to celebrate the energising and enduring relationship between grassroots fashion and music in London. Find out why London is a world leading music city and explore everything from deep house to death metal with our specially curated, low-cost selection of grassroot gigs across the capital during London Fashion Week through LFW’s Citywide Celebration portal. Plus, Rough Trade have created a special blog, with archive photography provided by the Museum of Youth Culture, and a curated Spotify playlist of 40 years (1984 – 2024) of London fashion x music.

LONDON MURAL FESTIVAL: Paint the City!
London Mural Festival returns to the capital’s streets this September with over 100 murals to explore from some of the world’s best street artists. From Brixton to Walthamstow, murals will be popping up all over the city! Themed around ‘connection’, the festival brings together thousands of visitors, artists, and communities to celebrate London’s diverse people and places. You can get closer to the action with their programme of special events, workshops and tours. Visit londonmuralfestival.com to find out more. London Mural Festival is produced by Global Street Art, the UK’s leading mural painting organisation.

FENWICK
Date: Throughout September
Address: 39 Northumberland St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7AS
Fenwick, Britain’s family of style pioneers since 1882, is proud to lead the British Fashion Council’s City-Wide Celebration in Newcastle, marking the event’s exciting expansion beyond London. As the fashion destination in the North East, Fenwick continues to champion both established and emerging designers, recently welcoming brands such as Balmain, Zimmerman, LEMAIRE, and Isabel Marant to its curated selection.

During London Fashion Week, Fenwick Newcastle will host a series of exclusive activations, including their latest restaurant opening FRED’s, a French-inspired take on Newcastle’s own Terrace Tea Room opened in 1911 by Fred Fenwick. Pop ups include an exciting takeover of Roof 39 by Charlotte Tilbury from Sept 3rd – 16th. Celebrating their latest beauty launches, expect Tilbury-inspired bespoke cocktails, sweet treats and an iconic Afternoon Tea.

There will be a series of exclusive and exciting activations taking place at Fenwick Newcastle throughout the month, with more announcements coming later in September.