London Fashion Week ushered in a groundbreaking moment on Thursday as vintage fashion took the spotlight in a way that redefined its traditional image. The event, which marked the 40th anniversary of London Fashion Week, featured an innovative showcase of preloved garments that felt strikingly modern.
Hosted by eBay in collaboration with the British Fashion Council (BFC), the show took place under a railway arch in Shoreditch. The venue’s unique setting complemented the event’s theme, merging fashion from various decades into a cohesive display. Amidst the rumble of passing trains, the runway featured a blend of contemporary pieces from popular designers like Chopova Lowena, Martine Rose, Grace Wales Bonner, and Simone Rocha, alongside vintage items such as a 2003 Alexander McQueen trouser suit.
Dubbed the “Endless Runway,” the event was curated by eBay’s Preloved Style Director, Amy Bannerman, and hosted by model and presenter Leomie Anderson. Bannerman described the show as a historic milestone, being the first London Fashion Week presentation exclusively dedicated to preloved clothing. “This is a monumental moment for circular fashion,” Bannerman told the Guardian prior to the event. The showcased items were available for immediate purchase through the eBay app.
Bannerman emphasized her intent to avoid a retrospective appearance, aiming instead to create modern, stylish ensembles from various eras. Her approach successfully blended vintage and current trends, presenting looks that could easily fit in high-fashion editorials or social media feeds. Key trends included boxer shorts worn with visible underwear, embellished handbags, and long, baggy shorts adorned with pin badges. The show featured deconstructed trench coats, an Oasis T-shirt paired with Chanel-esque tweed, and chaps worn over boxer shorts, signaling a dramatic departure from outdated fashion stereotypes.
Elsewhere in the capital, Oxfam partnered with secondhand resale app Vinted to host its own fashion show, “Style for Change.” The event featured a roster of celebrities including actor George Robinson, Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden, actor Robert Sheehan, and activist fashion designer Katharine Hamnett.
Oxfam’s Strategic Communications Lead, Kehinde Brown, highlighted the significance of the show. “Having a catwalk full of celebrities dressed in all secondhand clothing at London Fashion Week is a statement that this is, and has to be, the way forward,” Brown said before the event.
Styled by Bay Garnett, a pioneer in secondhand fashion who gained fame for dressing Kate Moss in vintage finds for British Vogue in 2003, the show marked Oxfam’s fourth participation in London Fashion Week. Garnett noted a significant shift in perception regarding secondhand fashion. “We finally seem to be seeing a real shift in the way people view it,” she said, acknowledging that this change was long overdue.
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