Alongside New York, Paris and Milan, London Fashion Week is one of the most important and influential dates in the style calendar. But while internationally renowned models and designers gather to present the Autumn/Winter 2016 collections to select celebrity audiences, it’s easy to think that fashion descends from the domain of elites, to be mimicked by the masses.
But history shows us that what we wear on the street doesn’t simply trickle down from the catwalk. Take London, for example: during the 1960s, the city rose to become a paragon of style. Designers like Mary Quant epitomised the boutique culture of the swinging sixties, while renowned fashion editors such as Diana Vreeland turned to London as an inspirational symbol of style.
Meanwhile, London’s subcultures—such as the Mods, Punks and New Romantics—were also starting to gather force. Their style was the antipathy of fashion: they were a resistance to the mainstream. Unlike typical trends such as mini skirts and jeans, Punks were identified by their penchant for bondage trousers, ripped t-shirts, safety pins and Mohican haircuts, while Mods were often known for sporting suits and riding scooters.
