RIP #London Fashion Week - The beginning of the end?

In August 2019, Extinction Rebellion, an international movement and activist group against climate change, announced that they wanted to 'disrupt' London Fashion Week (LFW). LFW is one of the world's most prestigious fashion events, which happens twice a year in Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter.

Credit: Extinction Rebellion (@extinctionrebellion on Instagram)

In recent years, with rising concern over the rapid rate of climate change and the negative effects it had on our planet, more people are calling for the fashion industry to change its ways. The fashion industry is the fifth-largest polluter in the world. Not only are the unsustainable and unethical production methods detrimental to the environment, but it is also sadly infamous for exploiting and violating workers rights. 

On their website, amongst many other events, gatherings and demonstrations scheduled for the coming months, Extinction Rebellion have organised a 'funeral' for LFW, aptly named 'London fashion Week: Rest in Peace'. This demonstration will take place on 17 September, at Trafalgar Square. Their motive being: to 'put this fashion system to rest and call for a rebirth of fashion'.

During the demonstration, Extinction Rebellion will pay respect to the legacy of LFW, and 'put it to rest forevermore', and they state that this will be an opportunity to 'reflect on the lives already being lost' and the lives that will be lost in the event of a global environmental catastrophe. 

While Extinction Rebellion has a good track record for performing peaceful demonstrations and protests, there have been incidences in the past were radical activists (ahem, PETA) who protested outside The Strand in 2018 - topless in winter.

Similarly, a Ukranian feminist group, Femen, stormed onto the Nina Ricci ready-to-wear show in 2013, also topless, with slogans such as "Model don't go to brothel" and "Fashion Dictaterror" written on their chests. Liverpool model Hollie-May Saker, who was walking for that show claimed that she felt angry because 'the protesters had "ruined her favourite show"'.

This all begs the question: will there be incidents like these at this upcoming LFW? 

If you wish to attend the demonstration to show your support for the cause, or share it with someone you know, you can find more details on their event page here. 

More on this story as it develops.