The London Fashion Week which runs from Sept. 16 through Sept. 20 has been cancelled by brands, such as Burberry and Raf Simons, which announced that they would cancel their shows following Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Sept. 8., Enews reports.
According to The Business of Fashion, the labels didn’t disclose whether or not they planned to reschedule their presentations for their spring/summer 2023 collections.
“As the country enters a period of official mourning, we will pause during this time of great sadness,” the Raf Simons team said in a statement, per the outlet. “We will take this time to respect the legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her 70 years on the throne. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family and the people of the Commonwealth.”
Burberry also issued a statement, telling Hypbae, “As a mark of respect, we have taken the decision to cancel our SS23 runway show due to take place on 17 September in London. We hope to see you in the near future.”
At this time, Burberry and Raf Simons are the only two brands to call off their London Fashion Week shows.
But despite their cancellations, the British Fashion Council said that LFW was still scheduled as planned. However, they offered suggestions on how to remain respectful in light of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.
“London Fashion Week as a business-to-business event will go ahead, scaled back to shows and presentations with parties and non-core business events cancelled,” the British Fashion Council said in a statement, per Vogue Business, adding that they would be “respecting the mood of the nation and paying tribute to Elizabeth II.”
While Buckingham Palace hasn’t revealed memorial service details, a State Funeral of the Queen is expected to take place in about 10 days and will be preceded by a period of Lying-in-State. The timeline of the service will most likely occur during LFW.
According to The Business of Fashion, the British Fashion Council stated that retailers should close their doors on the day of the funeral, adding, “Any shows scheduled for the day of the funeral (which has yet to be confirmed) should be rescheduled.”