Inside 40 years of London Fashion Week — 'Madonna on the front row, Princess Diana popping in...'

London fashion week? We’ve had a few, 40 years worth in fact. The bi-annual riot has given rise to legendary industry moments, from  John Galliano fresh from his Central Saint Martins graduate collection Les Incroyables to Bodymap choreographed by Michael Clark and Vivienne Westwood’s Harris tweeds. Let’s not forget Alexander McQueen’s extraordinary spectacles (spray painting Shalom Harlow!) Hussein Chalayan’s wooden table skirts; Victoria Beckham in hot pants at Maria Grachvogel and Prince (!) jumping up onto Matthew Wiliamson’s catwalk; Alison Moyet singing Only You live at Burberry and late Queen propping up the front row at Richard Quinn. 

Aside from the intense creativity on show, it’s the flagship event for the British fashion industry which employs 900,000 people and contributes around £21 billion to the UK economy. While we might not command the financial might of New York, Milan or Paris, we’ve always punched above our weight when it comes to talent. 

LFW was the brainchild of , the notorious PR legend. Without her perseverance the fashion world would be without two of its most beloved - fashion week and Absolutely Fabulous., the titan hair stylist recalls working with her on his first ever show for Katherine Hamnett. “We did a Miss Moneypenny type hairdo, and set the hair on rolled up magazines, so the girls had these Sixties flick ups with headbands. Lynne always wore the clothes of the designers she represented. She turned up at the party, wearing the full Katherine look and one of the wigs and headband and I just thought, my God that is dedication to the cause.”