Sarah Brown launches a bold London Fashion Week

Feb 11 2008 Western Mail

PRIME Minister’s wife Sarah Brown yesterday launched the UK’s top fashion event, London Fashion Week, which will finish with a slice of Welsh glamour.

She described the bi-annual series of shows as a celebration of British confidence and creativity.

Mrs Brown was invited to launch the event held at the Natural History Museum by the British Fashion Council.

Addressing a packed reception for designers, buyers and journalists, she said, “This is a showcase to a global audience, and our British fashion designers really do Britain proud.”

Mrs Brown said a recent trip to China and India had brought home to her the importance of the fashion industry and the role it can play in the economy.

“What I see around me at London Fashion Week is a celebration of British confidence and of British creativity,” she added.

Models hit the catwalk at the first show of the event, held by Dublin-born designer Paul Costelloe.

Fashion industry experts from around the globe have descended on the capital for a series of catwalk shows which run all this week.

One of the highlights of the week is set to be daring British designer Vivienne Westwood’s return to the event after a nine-year absence.

Her autumn-winter Red Label collection will be unveiled at a show on Thursday.

And Welsh designer Julien Macdonald will wrap up the prestigious event with the final show on Friday night.

London Fashion Week is owned and organised by the BFC, whose chairman Sir Stuart Rose is stepping down from his role after this week.

Sir Stuart, boss of Marks & Spencer, played down concerns that the strength of the pound would keep key American players away from London.

He said, “When the dollar is low relative to the pound it does make it more expensive for Americans to come here.”

But he added, “The acid test will be this week, how does it look. I think there is a buzz about it.”

Harold Tillman, owner of Jaeger, will take over from Sir Stuart as BFC chairman after this week.