When it comes to London ‘it’ girls, Laura Weir is at the very top of the roster. The CEO of the British Fashion Council has long been associated with the chicest addresses, cultural hotspots and designers to know about.
“London has always been a city that gives people permission to be themselves and I think that’s at the heart of its fashion identity,” says Weir. “It’s incredibly diverse, culturally restless and open to new ideas. We have an extraordinary mix of creativity, education, music, art and culture, all colliding in one city. That creates an ecosystem where new talent can emerge and where fashion can constantly reinvent itself.” Ahead of this year’s London Fashion Week, we sat down with Weir to hear her ultimate fashion guide to London.
It has to be the access to culture; it’s what we do best and, of course, the people. I’m proud to be a born-and-bred Londoner.
Proud, ambitious, romantic, energised, frustrated at times… Just like the best kind of love affair.
Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell
Getty ImagesClerkenwell is my favourite neighbourhood, specifically Exmouth Market. It’s where I’ve gravitated to since I did an internship at the old Guardian offices when I was 16 years old. It’s where I studied on Back Hill, when the London College of Printing was based there. It’s where my first job was based, on Bowling Green Lane, when I worked as a junior reporter.
The best restaurants trade shoulder to shoulder. There’s so much variety, including Café Kick – I have some of my happiest memories of being a young Londoner in there. There’s the Our Most Holy Redeemer church, which is my favourite in London. There’s still a small DIY store on the street, which I think is the sign of any healthy retail thoroughfare. And, most importantly: no vape shops.
Maison François
Steven Joyce