Over in London, they're just getting started. You may recall Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen. These are just a few of the British designers who have rewritten fashion's rule book over the last half century, and all of them had their start in London and this year marks the 25th anniversary of the capital's fashion week.
To mark the big anniversary, the British Fashion Council has invited back some of its most successful designers: Burberry, Pringle, Jonathan Saunders, and Victoria Beckham's favorite Antonio Berardi are among those who answered the call. To add to that, a slew of A-list celebrities are expected to grace the front rows. And American Vogue Editor Anna Wintour and her Editor-at-Large Andre Leon Talley are also expected to make an appearance.
London Fashion Week started out as a small gathering of dedicated fashion designers and trend makers in a car park in west London. Now, the event has grown into an extravaganza that channels 28-million US Dollars bi-annually into the British capital's economy. In terms of direct spending, it generates orders in the region of over 140-million US Dollars.
Paul Smith, fashion designer, said, "I think the great thing about 25 years of fashion week is that were still here, were still positive, were still important, we have still as I said earlier we have still got this massive creativity, coming out of London."
For this 25th anniversary year, London Fashion Week moves to its new venue, Somerset House, from its home over the past few years, the Natural History Museum in west London.
(CCTV September 21, 2009)
