Physical catwalk shows to return for London Fashion Week

September's event in the UK capital will see a mix of in-person and digital showcases

Physical catwalk shows will be a part of September's London Fashion Week. Shutterstock

The British Fashion Council has announced the return of live catwalk shows at London Fashion Week, after holding its previous event online due to the coronavirus outbreak.

More than 80 designers will showcase their creations at the event, which takes place from Thursday, September 17 to Tuesday, September 22, the organisation said in a statement on Friday.

Seven of the shows will take place in front of a slimmed-down live audience, 21 will be a mix of physical and digital, with the 50 remaining events taking place online only.

June's Fashion Week was held entirely online because of coronavirus restrictions.

The September shows are traditionally for womenswear but this year the BFC said it would be a "gender-neutral showcase" featuring men's, women's and mixed collections.

"LFW is one of the few international events to still be going ahead in London, proving the industry's resilience, creativity and innovation in difficult times," the BFC said.

The body said coronavirus restrictions provided an opportunity to reassess formula and innovate to maintain the industry's influence, particularly in terms of employment.

In 2019, the sector contributed £35 billion Dh170.8 billion) to the British economy - up 9.4 per cent on 2018 - and employed more than 890,000 people.

September's shows begin online with Burberry.