King Charles III made a surprise appearance at London Fashion Week. On Thursday, during the launch of London Fashion Week with a rare visit from King Charles III only hours after his brother Andrew’s sensational arrest. His sudden presence made him the focus of the day.
The king surprised crowds when his car pulled up outside a show by British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker on a day when headlines were dominated by the former prince Andrew’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office for his dealings with late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The king was met by a question about Andrew from the crowd, which he appeared not to hear. After shaking hands and greeting industry leaders and designers, Charles took a front-row seat between British Fashion Council chief executive officer Laura Weir and top UK designer Stella McCartney.
It was one of several public duties the king carried out on Thursday, apparently seeking to project an air of business-as-usual. The monarch, dressed suavely in a grey suit with turned-up hems, presented McCartney with a scarf after touring stands of clothes showcasing various designers.
One of the designers showing in the coming days is 27-year-old Joshua Ewusie, a breakout British creator born to Ghanaian parents who is due to put on his second show with his brand “E.W.Usie”. The young designer has been supported by the King’s Foundation, a charity founded by Charles, helping to provide a studio space shortly after he graduated from the prestigious Central Saint Martins school. One of the foundation’s partners is Chanel.
However, there will be no show from the breakout Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson, who was one of the most eagerly awaited at London Fashion Week in recent seasons.
The 41-year-old took over at Dior last June, leaving little time for his own brand, JW Anderson, which he founded in 2008.
For several years, London has been losing ground to rivals in Paris and Milan, but it has clung onto its role as a breeding ground for young talent. The British Fashion Council’s NewGen initiative provides funding for emerging talent, with several up-and-coming designers finding their stride at LFW through the incubator.
London Fashion Week currently ranks alongside New York, Paris and Milan as one of the “Big Four” fashion weeks. It presents itself to funders as a trade event that also attracts significant attention from the press and benefits taxpayers. It attracts more than 5,000 press and buyers, with orders of more than £100 million.