Pure London has begun with roaring success. The opening day of the United Kingdom’s largest Festival of Fashion welcomed hundreds of retailers from across the UK. Buyers commented on the new layout, vibrant atmosphere and the quality and variety of the international brands on show, whilst exhibitors were ecstatic about the high calibre of visitors.
“Day one has been overwhelmingly positive. Since the doors opened this morning, the show has been full of energy and excitement as crowds of buyers explore the show. Exhibitors are reporting brisk trade and have been positive about the season ahead. The Pure London Catwalk is creating a fantastic atmosphere, with visitors gathering for every show. I can’t wait for the next two days,” said Gloria Sandrucci, Event Director at Pure London.
Visitors eagerly awaited the first preview of the SS24/25 trends on The Pure London Catwalk. A new partnership saw designs from the winners of Graduate Fashion Week opening the catwalk this season for the first time.
The featured graduates included Lucy James from Arts University Bournemouth, Rachel Hunt Piers from Birmingham City University, Phoebe Potter from Edinburgh College Of Art, Sofia Segalla from University Of Hertfordshire, Erika Roznyte from Bath Spa University and Eloise Collett from Sheffield Hallam University.
The Pure London Catwalk offered a unique platform for the graduates to present their designs to the fashion industry. This was followed by four directional trend stories: Nature-Verse, Soothing Luxury, Freaks & Geeks and Romantic Wanderer, alongside key looks from brands showcasing at Pure London.
Malaika Ewande, Founder and Creative Director of Vesuvius opened Pure London’s seminar programme with ‘Nature-Verse: A Discussion on the Collide of Digital and Conscious Fashion’. Ewande defined how textile advances, computer assisted creations and digital textile design are paving the way for sustainability and consciousness in the fashion industry.
Keynote speaker, George Davies, renowned for creating three of the UK’s most successful fashion businesses, NEXT, George at Asda and PER UNA at M&S, was joined by fashion journalist Eric Musgrave in an insightful discussion on Davies’ career and the UK fashion market. Davies shared the value of positioning yourself as close as possible to your colleagues and customers, along with the value of brick and mortar stores and the physical shopping experience.
Pure London’s Sustainability Advisor, Olivia Pinnock, was joined by Cognitive Psychologist and Fashion Business Consultant Dr Carolyn Mair for the panel; ‘Decosing Consumer Behaviour & the Psychology of Fashion’. The duo focused on the captivating realm of consumer behaviour, and how subconscious factors and societal influences intertwine to shape individual personal styles.
Closing the seminar panel for the first day of Pure London, Jill Geoghegan, Editor of Drapers, alongside Lesley Farrow of Niche, Abigail Edmunds of Domino Style and Shirley Leader of Velvet and Rose, chaired a panel on ‘Empowering Communities and Engaging Generations: Thriving as Independent Retailers in the Modern Era’. The panel identified footfall as the biggest challenge facing independent retailers.
Visitors joining Pure London over the next two days are sure to be delighted by the inspirational speakers, trend presentations and incredible catwalks to come.
