Why The London Queer Fashion Show Is Important

The London Queer Fashion Show has just celebrated its third year at the V&A Museum of Childhood. With 120 models, 12 designers and a team of loyal, enthusiastic volunteers that enables London to host the largest Queer fashion show in the world.

Lucy London, the Director of LQFS shares her thoughts on why the show is more than a show and why we still need a space for queer fashion in 2019.

“LQFS was created to diversify the visual representation of fashion. Fashion weeks are known for the talent, beauty and uninviting attitude to anyone who doesn’t fit the mould.

LQFS, is the opposite of the latter. I wanted to create an all inclusive environment to celebrate fashion and view on bodies and humans that I, as like thousands of others could identify with. There are so many talented queer designers who are ignored by identifying as non-binary. The very nature of applying to a fashion week places you in a box. Menswear, womenswear, what if you design neither!? What if you present as neither? your fashion platform is diluted if you do not fall into these two identities you may have less opportunity to be visible, that was simply not okay and LQFS was born.

We have created a safe space for our creatives to attend, show and be recognised. This year has brought more attention and has created a platform for our models, brands and has built a successful inclusive fashion community of its own.

My vision is to extend our LQFS schedule to offer other designers and creatives a visual representation in other areas of fashion as well as the runway.

Fashion is about self expression, discovering who you are through the use of fabric, it is an art form that should be available to all, not just invites only and to fit a silhouette that most don’t identify with.”

There were so many fashion faces at the show and some seasoned LFW attendees who were beaming with excitement with the level of inclusivity and visions of beautiful bodies.

Here’s to creating a mark on the fashion industry, pushing our creative industries community right into mainstream where it should be. If Lucy London has anything to do with it the opportunity to show more, create more and recognise more queer talent is already being worked on for 2020.

Photo credits: Asafe Ghalib (@asafeghalib)