Five memorable parts to London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week is never without its memorable moments, and this show was no different. From the live Burberry broadcast to the celebrity-endorsed Topshop collection, this year didn’t disappoint in style or substance. Here, LUXE Models consider the five most defining moments.

Mulberry is back

It’s been over two years since we saw a Mulberry collection on the runway and its return was most-welcome. New creative director, Johnny Coca has rejuvenated the handbag range, an incredibly important part of the Mulberry brand. He managed to blend the English heritage of the brand with a creative, forward-thinking look. The assortment of bags, alongside a range of outerwear items including some wool felt coats ensured a truly-British feel to the collection.

Christopher Kane’s tribute to his late mother

According to his sister Tammy, Christopher Kane’s mother used to embarrass them when picking them up from school in a plastic rain hat. They suffered the loss of their mother last year, and Christopher Kane’s show this year began with a salute to her – some tied-under-the-chin rain hats. Kane made his debut show in 2006 and, a decade on, continued to use some of the traits in this show. The line between reasonably affordable novelty and luxury was apparent throughout.

Burberry innovation

At the London Fashion Week, Burberry invited Jake Bugg to play for their collection and streamed their show live across the internet. There was an element of David Bowie across the collection too, with the inclusion of Edie Campbell to open the show. As if that’s not innovative enough, Burberry have now claimed that their next show at London Fashion Week will be the start of a new era with clothes set to become available from the moment the show finishes. 

McQueen is still king

The latest Alexander McQueen collection was delivered by eight-month pregnant Sarah Burton, and it was spun out of dreams. The collection had style and substance in abundance, starting with pocket watches, black coats, eyes and butterflies before some beautiful sculpted leather which was painted with flowers by specialist floral artists. McQueen’s tailoring was one of his best abilities, and the late designer’s collection retains that key value. The tenderness and the technical expertise that Burton delivered is commendable, in the place where Alexander McQueen belongs.

Front row of Topshop

Topshop’s casting campaigns are a good place to start when looking for the latest up-and-coming ‘It girls’ and this show was no difference. Suki and Immy Waterhouse, Lottie Moss, GiGi Hadid and Karlie Kloss have been brought into the fold for the brand which has stores in all four corners of the world. The show referenced some British inspiration including Anne Boleyn and the Bard himself. Scenes from A Winter’s Tale showed up on a mini dress, while there were returns for the Chelsea boot and the little lace party dress, to name a few. Keeping a finger on the pulse is something that Topshop take seriously, and it’s expected that they will follow Burberry with the instant-release of fashion from the next show. 

What to Expect at London Autumn/Winter Fashion Week 2016

Fashionistas rejoice! Today marks the beginning of London Fashion Week 2016 (LWF 2016) and we can’t wait to see what some of the hottest designers from around the world have in store for us this time. Here, LUXE Models looks into what you can expect from autumn/winter fashion in 2016.

Seeing the shows

LWF 2016 officially begins today, Friday 19^th February and runs until Tuesday 23^rd February. You’ve only got a few days to enjoy this rare showcase of upcoming trends and wonderful fashions. You can’t book tickets to see these shows, as they’re typically invite-only for industry insiders, buyers and fashion press.

Catching the stream

However, this year industry body the British Fashion Council have decided to stream the shows to the public. They’ve collaborated with Ocean Outdoor – who specialise in large-format digital billboards to stream footage of the runway shows in 60 outdoor locations.

These will be posted in a range of cities in the UK, from Edinburgh to Manchester to Birmingham. You can also catch an online stream of all the latest happenings at this magical fashion occasion!

Best shows

This begs the question, when will you be able to catch live streams of shows from the most talented fashion designers? Check out the event’s schedule for a full list of shows being held at London Autumn/Winter Fashion Week 2016.

We’d suggest you make time to check out the shows from JW Anderson (Saturday 4pm), House of Holland (Saturday 7pm) and Alexander McQueen (Sunday 7pm) to see what’s set to be hot in the world of fashion in late 2016.

Meanwhile, the highly anticipated Burberry show is scheduled for 1pm on Monday and you’ll want to check that out on live stream, as it’s rumoured to be a game-changer! We’ll be sharing the link on the LUXE Models Twitter so make sure you take a look early Monday afternoon to see what this celebrated fashion house has in store!

Fashion weekend

Meanwhile, if you actually want the live experience you could always check out London Fashion Weekend. Running from Thursday 25^th February – Sunday 28^th February, this is a showcase from four top designers. Tickets are open to anyone and they can be bought for as little as £20.

This year’s designers will be Emilia Wickstead, Mary Katrantzou, Temperley London and Holly Fulton. They’ll use the event as an opportunity to re-stage their runway shows from London Autumn/Winter Fashion Week 2016. Attendees will also be given the chance to shop at more than 150 fashion brands at exclusive prices, so this event is a must for all true fashion lovers!

Learn from the best

Are you looking to become a model? If so, learn from the best and make sure you catch live streams from London Autumn/Winter Fashion Week 2016. The men and women who’ll walk these runways are fashion modelling professionals – watching them will help you start a career in the industry! 

Adele models on front cover of Vogue

Adele is back making us all emotional again with her sensational third album, including hit single Hello, she’s also now trying her hand at some modelling.

After a lengthy break following her last album, the 27-year-old wowed many upon her return after losing more than 12 kilograms.

New look

The London-born singer has previously indicated her hatred for going to the gym, but her new slim figure allows her to not only maintain stamina for her 2016 tour, but also allows her to feel good about herself.

She previously featured on the front cover of Vogue in 2012 at the age of 24, and now she has returned following a strict diet and exercise programme, as well as a break from music to spend time with her family.

Speaking in her Vogue interview, she explained: “I was just shocked that all of a sudden I was 25! But actually I like myself more than ever. I feel so comfortable in my own skin. I really like how I look, I like who I am, I like everyone that I surround myself with. Obviously I have insecurities, but they don’t hold me back.”

Hiatus

Adele spent four years out of the spotlight, giving birth to son Angelo. But she has accepted that she missed the glamorous lifestyle and feared that she may struggle to replicate the success of her first album.

“I didn’t miss being in the spotlight, but I really missed that side of myself. I was happy to be lost in the wilderness for a while, but I was a bit frightened that I was never going to get back. I suppose there was lots riding on what to follow '21' up with. Once ‘Hello’ came out, I felt like I’d got nothing to prove. I’m just going to sing now because I want to, and I’ll make records when I want to and not because someone is forcing me to do it. Not that anyone ever has. I’d fire them if they tried!”

She’s determined to allow her son to have a normal life outside of the celebrity spotlight, though that may not definitely be possible.

 “We need to have some privacy. I think it’s really hard being a famous person’s child. What if he wants to smoke weed or drink underage, or what if he’s gay and doesn’t want to tell me, and then he’s photographed and that’s how I find out?”

Rejuvenated

But in the meantime, Adele will continue to surpass all of our expectations and excel in all fields that she tries her hand to, including modelling. She’s healthier than ever after giving up smoking in order to protect her voice and ensure she’s healthy for when her child grows up. She’s also found that she fits into a much lower size of clothes, which she says is an added bonus.

“Now I fit into normal, off-the-shelf clothes—which is a really big problem for me… I totally intend to share those dresses.” Adele appears in the latest edition of Vogue US in an in-depth interview about her career and future plans. It's due out this coming Tuesday.

LUXE Models has a service for plus size models, so if you have what it takes to break into modelling regardless of your size or shape, register with us for free today.

Who Were The World’s Top Fashion Models in 2015?

What does it take to be one of the top fashion models on the planet? Forbes recently released a list of the highest earning models of 2015, inspiring LUXE Models to consider what it takes to be a top world model.

Gisele Bundchen

Ever since she burst onto the scene in the late 90s, Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen has been wowing the fashion industry. She’s walked more runways, headed more campaigns and featured on more front covers than anyone else on this list. Her total career earnings equal $430 million and she’s made more money than any other model since 2002. Gisele shows no sign of slowing down; 2015 was a big year for the Brazilian and she earned $44 billion, making her the highest paid model of the year.

Cara Delevingne

This mysterious British beauty has fronted a number of campaigns for celebrated fashion houses such as Burberry, Mulberry and Dolce & Gabanna. She’s the ‘it’ girl of the fashion industry right now and has been on numerous covers including most notably American Vogue. Recently, she’s embarked on a successful acting career too. As a result in 2015, she earned an impressive $9 million, tying with Adriana Lima for the second-highest paid model of the year.

Adriana Lima

As we just mentioned, Brazilian style-queen Adrianna Lima managed to rake in $9 million in 2015. We’re not surprised, Lima’s made a name for herself in the industry. Over the years she’s been a Victoria’s Secret Angel, fronted campaigns for brands such as Maybelline, graced the covers of famous fashion magazines like Vogue and served as a runway model for Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen and other gifted designers.

Doutzen Kroes

Fellow Victoria’s Secret Angel Doutzen Kroes came fourth on the list, earning a not too shabby $7.5 million last year. The Dutch powerhouse was a relative latecomer to the world of modelling, but shot into the stratosphere in 2013 when she fronted the cover of Vogue’s iconic September issue. Kroes has also featured in a number of fashion campaigns for design houses such as Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace and Valentino and engaged in a range of charity work throughout her successful career.

Natalia Vodianova

Last but not least, Russian model Natalia Vodianova managed to net around $7 million last year, thanks to lucrative fragrance deals with Guerlain and Calvin Klein. Nicknamed the ‘Supernova,’ Natalia has walked the runway for over 300 US and European designers including Givenchy, Prada, Chanel and Gucci. She’s also known for appearing on various fashion magazine covers like Elle.

Role models

If you’re wanting to become a model and you need someone to show you how it’s done, look no further than these five women. Over the course of their careers they’ve taken every opportunity thrown their way, allowing them to make huge earnings and establish themselves as some of the most sought after fashion models on earth. 

Child Modelling Laws in the UK

Modelling can change your child’s world. It’ll give them the chance to meet people from all walks of life, front exciting advertising campaigns, learn the modelling trade and save some money for the future. If you want to help your child break into the industry, LUXE Models would encourage you to remember that there are certain child employment laws to be followed.

Hours and pay

Let’s start with the basics. There are certain employment restrictions for children and one of them is the amount of hours they’re allowed to put in. A child model can’t work in school hours, before 7am or after 7pm, for more than one hour after school or for more than four hours without taking a one hour break. Also, child models are only allowed to work a maximum of 12 hours a week in term time and 25 hours a week in holiday time.

As a working model, your child can be paid but they aren’t entitled to the national minimum wage. When they’re aged 16-17 they must receive at least £3.87 per hour for their work and there are other payment issues you may need to consider. Basically, if you want your child to earn a good wage from modelling make sure you have the negotiating skills needed to get them the best contracts!

Licenses and supervision

If your child is younger than the school leaving age (generally 16) and they’re being paid for modelling assignments, they may need a child performance license. In this case, the person who’s in charge of running the event must get this license and they must apply for it from the child’s local council.

We should also note that child models must be supervised when working. Usually, this duty will fall to you as their parent or guardian. If it doesn’t, their supervisor can be a school teacher or even a home tutor. If none of these people are present your child must be supervised by a local council approved chaperone, so learn how someone can become a licensed chaperone for child performers if you cannot accompany them.

Do your research

Before you help your child enter the fast-paced world of modelling, do your research. Look at modelling laws and other issues that could affect your child when they’re out on assignment. Armed with this vital information, you’ll be able to ensure that your child has the leg up they need to really reap the many benefits of child modelling.