London’s fashion scene blends heritage with experimentation. At its core is London Fashion Week, staged by the British Fashion Council; the next edition runs 18–22 September 2025, and the event has tightened its ethical stance by banning exotic animal skins from 2025. Consequently, designers now showcase innovation in materials as well as silhouette. Moreover, the June menswear week was scrapped in 2025 to refocus support via international showrooms, underlining a pragmatic shift towards commercial impact.
However, London style isn’t confined to catwalks. Oxford Street—about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long—offers hundreds of shops and several flagship stores, including the storied Selfridges, drawing vast daily footfall and making it a bellwether for high-street trends. Meanwhile, Camden Market remains a magnet for vintage, indie labels and custom pieces, where students and stylists alike hunt for one-offs; its bustle testifies to the city’s appetite for subcultural flair. Not only tourists but also locals frequent these hubs to mix high street with thrifted finds.
Finally, artisanship endures on Savile Row, the Mayfair “golden mile of tailoring,” synonymous with bespoke suits cut by hand after multiple fittings. Although styles evolve, the Row’s craft heritage still shapes global menswear vocabulary and London’s identity as a capital of made-to-measure excellence.
1. What recent policy shift at London Fashion Week was highlighted?
A. A ban on recycled fabrics
B. A ban on exotic animal skins
C. A quota on international designers
D. A cap on show lengths
2. Why was the June menswear week scrapped in 2025?
A. To merge it with Paris shows
B. To refocus support via international showrooms
C. Due to a shortage of venues
D. Because ticket sales collapsed
3. In the text, Oxford Street is described primarily as a…
A. residential boulevard with few shops
B. heritage-only retail zone
C. bellwether for high-street trends
D. market devoted to handmade crafts
4. According to the text, which combination about Oxford Street is correct?
A. About 0.8 km long and mainly residential
B. Roughly 1.9 km long and home to several flagship stores
C. Nearly 4.8 km long and limited to heritage boutiques
D. Over 4.0 km long and open only during Fashion Week
5. What makes Camden Market distinctive in the article?
A. It is the oldest luxury mall in London
B. It specialises in vintage, indie labels and custom pieces
C. It sells only British-made formalwear
D. It operates only during London Fashion Week
6. According to the text, London style is portrayed as…
A. strictly minimalist and uniform
B. confined to couture houses
C. a blend of heritage and experimentation
D. dominated by sportswear brands
7. What does “bespoke” on Savile Row most closely mean?
A. Ready-to-wear from a standard pattern
B. Tailored off-the-peg with minor tweaks
C. Made-to-measure after multiple fittings
D. Mass-produced but altered in-store
8. The phrase “tightened its ethical stance” suggests LFW has become…
A. more permissive about materials
B. less concerned with sustainability
C. stricter about material sourcing
D. indifferent to public opinion
9. Why is Selfridges mentioned?
A. As an example of a flagship store on Oxford Street
B. As London’s primary tailoring academy
C. As the organiser of London Fashion Week
D. As a market for indie designers only
10. Which idea best summarises the role of street shopping in London fashion?
A. It is irrelevant compared with catwalks
B. It complements catwalks by mixing high street and thrifted finds
C. It focuses solely on tourist souvenirs
D. It has replaced designer showcases entirely
Extra: Watch this video about Camden Town. Click HERE.
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