Fashion Students take London
How to make the most of London as a fashion student
I spent my day yesterday playing tourist in London. A friend and I came to the realisation that we have been in London for years yet we don’t have a single picture besides Big Ben or a telephone box - so we decided to change that. This cutesy day out made me think about how I live in London, but don’t really experience London, especially as a fashion student. There are things I do here and there, but once I graduate and have more time, I look forward to maximising my time doing the following:
Panel Discussions
I love a good panel discussion/lecture, especially when it’s about fashion. When I say there is always something going in London, there really is and panel talks is one of them. Us Londoners just love to yap, so if you love to listen, check on websites like Eventbrite and literally just type in fashion talks/lectures and you’ll find some.
Museums and art galleries
Fashion is part of art and culture so visiting some historic artefacts is a great place to start. London is bursting at the seams with museums and galleries to visit. I can’t count the amount of times I have visited the V&A museum yet every time I find a new room. There are also loads of niche exhibitions to make you somewhat of an expert on various topics. I had the V&A membership for a year and it was really worth it - I just wish I had more time to go to all their events.
Events and Pop Ups
London is one of the four fashion capitals of the world - so when a brand wants to host an event, here they come. Especially around fashion month, you can be sure to expect various brand activations that you can engage with - some even for free. There are also some brands who may usually be online, but do the occasional pop up around the city, again offering some freebies which is always nice.
Window Shopping
Unpopular take: you don’t have to have money to visit Harrods. As fashion students, you should be visiting all the high fashion brands, recognising new collections and asking the store attendants questions. You might not be able to attend fashion week just yet, but the clothes are right there! Why not visit it, write a review of the collection, think of how you would style an outfit, or consider how you would’ve made that garment. There are so many - if not almost all high fashion brands in London right at your doorstep, don’t be shy to enter. Furthermore, why not check out fabric stores too to see the beginnings of an outfit, learn the names and textures of fabrics by hearts - there are SO many fabric shops all over London!
Photoshoot locations
If you want to build a social media profile with amazing pictures, London is the place to do it. The amount of setting options you have is endless from glitz and glam to grunge. You can organise a content day with friends which will cost you only a train ticket to whatever location you want to go to. Even you have a little cash to spend, London, especially East London boasts a lot of studio spaces available to hire for short or extended periods of time. You might not have the ideal backdrops at home that you want to start perhaps a YouTube channel or podcast - studio spaces are a great alternative. You can rent these spaces or use these outdoor locations to document your portfolio for example.
Creative communities
This is one I definitely need to do more intentionally. There are various niche groups around London that meet up for regular catch ups, events and discussions for different interests. One I love is the Stackworld, I have been to a few events but I would definitely love to attend so many more. This one feels like a girls group chat for women developing not just in their career, but mentally and emotionally - the whole package. It has everything from arts and culture to tech and entrepreneurship.
Use social media and find your own group and connect with like minded creatives. Or, why not try creating your own - your people will find you!
These are the first things that come to mind, I could probably think of more to do a part 2! A lot of these things, you may have heard of before, but are you actually doing them often enough? Doing these things intentionally and often is what enriches your mind as a young creative, while making most of the big city. Make sure to subscribe for more content from a fellow fashion girly navigating the big city.
