Fashionistas braved gale-force winds in London on Friday to attend the first Fashion Week shows, with a schedule dominated by up-and-coming young designers.

Gusts ripped through the streets of the British capital as crowds, wrapped up in coats and hats, flocked to the week's first live shows with attendees, which make up about half of the five-day event's timetable.&nbsp;

It kicked off with the sustainable label SOHUMAN, created by Spaniard Javier Aparici, who promises "radical transparency" on the factories used to make his garments.

He showed an ultra-feminine collection of cocktail dresses in red and black featuring applique flowers, sheer panels and giant bows.&nbsp;

Young British designers then came under the spotlight, with Saul Nash showcasing a relaxed but luxurious streetwear collection of merino wool tracksuits, hoodies, puffer coats and scarves, many emblazoned with his Saul logo.&nbsp;

With a background in dance and performance, Nash graduated from the Royal College of Art in menswear in 2018.&nbsp;

Another British brand, Poster Girl, known for ultra-revealing cutaway shapewear-style dresses worn by celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Dua Lipa, held its first catwalk show with an apres-ski theme.

Poster Girl designers Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville, who studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins fashion college, showed their neon-hued creations in a freezing building due for demolition.

Models in tube dresses and leggings wrapped up in fake fur coats and puffer jackets. There was even a ski suit, accessorised with bright pink high heeled sandals. Fans took pictures on their phones and whistled in approval.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Brands missing -

S.S. Daley, a brand based in Liverpool in northwest England recently founded by Steven Stokey Daley, went for classic unisex tailoring, featuring wide baggy trousers and Sherlock Holmes-style checked overcoats.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Matty Bovan, another northern designer from the city of York, showed an Americana-themed collection with models wearing eccentric assemblages melding baseball jackets, gingham, denim and colourful crochet.&nbsp;

Missing from this week's events are several of the best-known brands in British fashion, including Burberry, Mulberry and Victoria Beckham.

Burberry has announced that it will hold a separate live show in London in March, while Beckham has not participated in London Fashion Week, even digitally, for a year. She has complained of the high cost of catwalk shows.

Another major name in British fashion, Ozwald Boateng, announced at the last minute that he will hold a comeback show on Monday.&nbsp;

The former creative director for Givenchy menswear, who was the first black head designer at a luxury fashion house, has not shown a collection in London for 12 years.

As sustainability and upcycling become industry buzzwords, Britain's Bethany Williams and Ireland's Richard Malone will present shows on Tuesday focusing on reused materials.

Williams' materials include abandoned festival tents for garments and book waste for bags while Malone's creations feature fragments of materials including scrap leather.

Following in the footsteps of designer brands such as Gucci and Dolce &amp; Gabbana, meanwhile, Serbian designer Roksanda Ilincic has announced she will sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs), offering digital ownership of a 3D image of a dress from her label.&nbsp;

- Future stars -

The event, which showcases autumn/winter 2022 collections,&nbsp;was held entirely virtually a year ago as it coincided with a national lockdown. Live catwalk shows resumed last September.

This time there are nearly 40 such shows including Simone Rocha, Molly Goddard, Roksanda, Erdem and Rejina Pyo. Other designers are sticking to digital formats, such as punk icon Westwood, who will present her latest creations in a video.

After being hit hard by the pandemic, the British fashion sector, which employed about 890,000 people in 2019, is seeking a route to recovery.

Caroline Rush, the chief executive of the British Fashion Council, which organises the fashion week, told AFP that the industry has had "a very challenging couple of years", exacerbated by Brexit-related changes that entered full force on January 31, 2020.

London's five-day showcase is followed by fashion weeks in Milan and Paris later this month.

Fashionistas braved gale-force winds in London on Friday to attend the first Fashion Week shows, with a schedule dominated by up-and-coming young designers. Gusts ripped through the streets of the British capital as crowds, wrapped up in coats and hats, flocked to the week's first live shows with attendees, which make up about half of the five-day event's timetable.

Fashionistas braved gale-force winds in London on Friday to attend the first Fashion Week shows, with a schedule dominated by up-and-coming young designers. Gusts ripped through the streets of the British capital as crowds, wrapped up in coats and hats, flocked to the week's first live shows with attendees, which make up about half of the five-day event's timetable. It kicked off with the sustainable label SOHUMAN, created by Spaniard Javier Aparici, who promises "radical transparency" on the factories used to make his garments. He showed an ultra-feminine collection of cocktail dresses in red and black featuring applique flowers, sheer panels and giant bows. Young British designers then came under the spotlight, with Saul Nash showcasing a relaxed but luxurious streetwear collection of merino wool tracksuits, hoodies, puffer coats and scarves, many emblazoned with his Saul logo. With a background in dance and performance, Nash graduated from the Royal College of Art in menswear in 2018. Another British brand, Poster Girl, known for ultra-revealing cutaway shapewear-style dresses worn by celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Dua Lipa, held its first catwalk show with an apres-ski theme. Poster Girl designers Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville, who studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins fashion college, showed their neon-hued creations in a freezing building due for demolition. Models in tube dresses and leggings wrapped up in fake fur coats and puffer jackets. There was even a ski suit, accessorised with bright pink high heeled sandals. Fans took pictures on their phones and whistled in approval. Brands missing - S.S. Daley, a brand based in Liverpool in northwest England recently founded by Steven Stokey Daley, went for classic unisex tailoring, featuring wide baggy trousers and Sherlock Holmes-style checked overcoats. Meanwhile, Matty Bovan, another northern designer from the city of York, showed an Americana-themed collection with models wearing eccentric assemblages melding baseball jackets, gingham, denim and colourful crochet. Missing from this week's events are several of the best-known brands in British fashion, including Burberry, Mulberry and Victoria Beckham. Burberry has announced that it will hold a separate live show in London in March, while Beckham has not participated in London Fashion Week, even digitally, for a year. She has complained of the high cost of catwalk shows. Another major name in British fashion, Ozwald Boateng, announced at the last minute that he will hold a comeback show on Monday. The former creative director for Givenchy menswear, who was the first black head designer at a luxury fashion house, has not shown a collection in London for 12 years. As sustainability and upcycling become industry buzzwords, Britain's Bethany Williams and Ireland's Richard Malone will present shows on Tuesday focusing on reused materials. Williams' materials include abandoned festival tents for garments and book waste for bags while Malone's creations feature fragments of materials including scrap leather. Following in the footsteps of designer brands such as Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, meanwhile, Serbian designer Roksanda Ilincic has announced she will sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs), offering digital ownership of a 3D image of a dress from her label. - Future stars - The event, which showcases autumn/winter 2022 collections, was held entirely virtually a year ago as it coincided with a national lockdown. Live catwalk shows resumed last September. This time there are nearly 40 such shows including Simone Rocha, Molly Goddard, Roksanda, Erdem and Rejina Pyo. Other designers are sticking to digital formats, such as punk icon Westwood, who will present her latest creations in a video. After being hit hard by the pandemic, the British fashion sector, which employed about 890,000 people in 2019, is seeking a route to recovery. Caroline Rush, the chief executive of the British Fashion Council, which organises the fashion week, told AFP that the industry has had "a very challenging couple of years", exacerbated by Brexit-related changes that entered full force on January 31, 2020. London's five-day showcase is followed by fashion weeks in Milan and Paris later this month.

Street styles, neon kick off London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week begins on Friday in a virtual format due to a coronavirus lockdown with mainstays like Victoria Beckham shunning the event but others like Burberry embracing the online avatar.

Despite the absence of global celebrities and fashionistas, designers such as Turkey's Bora Aksu, Britain's Molly Goddard and Ireland's Simone Rocha will stream their collections on the London Fashion Week website.

Most of the 94 designers participating in the show, which concludes on Tuesday, will broadcast video highlights of their collections showcasing menswear, womenswear or mixed fashions in an event that is now gender-neutral.

On Monday, the British brand Burberry -- known for its tailored trenchcoats -- will present its menswear Autumn/Winter collection for 2021, designed by Italian creative director Riccardo Tisci.

In September, the brand presented its Spring/Summer 2021 collection in a film set in the middle of a forest and broadcast live on Twitch. The streaming platform has grown in popularity, broadcasting live video gameplay and offering the possibility of live commentary. More than 40,000 people watched the innovative show, which could be viewed from different perspectives.

- Impact of Brexit -

Former Spice Girl and designer Victoria Beckham will present her creations a few days before London Fashion Week. Her collection, which mixes the seasons, aims to be "optimistic but realistic", she explained.

Beckham has been living under coronavirus lockdown in Florida, where her husband, former England football captain David Beckham, is now one of the co-owners of the American professional soccer club Inter Miami. During the pandemic, the former pop star said "people still want to dress up" but with "a need for comfort".

Her designs include military details that evoke a "sense of protection -- a toughness", she added. Her collection also exhibits a lighter, more delicate side with dresses made from Jersey fabric or with prints of flowers and goldfish.

The more joyful designs are in stark contrast to the grim outlook for the fashion industry in Britain, seriously impacted by the pandemic. The UK suffered more than 118,000 Covid-19 deaths and has been under national lockdown measures since January.

The fashion sector, which employs more than 890,000 people and contributed £35 billion ($48 million, 39 billion euros) to UK GDP in 2019, has also been hit by Brexit and the end of free movement between the EU and the island nation.

In early February, hundreds of fashion figures, -- including top former models like Twiggy and Yasmin Le Bon -- signed an open letter, coordinated by the industry forum Fashion Roundtable, warning the sector risked being decimated because of Brexit.

To increase the visibility of young talent in the pandemic, the British Fashion Council, which represents the industry, has partnered with the social media giant TikTok.

The umbrella organisation has also joined forces with Clearpay, a group allowing customers to "buy now pay later" to boost sales.&nbsp;

London Fashion Week begins on Friday in a virtual format due to a coronavirus lockdown with mainstays like Victoria Beckham shunning the event but others like Burberry embracing the online avatar.

London Fashion Week begins on Friday in a virtual format due to a coronavirus lockdown with mainstays like Victoria Beckham shunning the event but others like Burberry embracing the online avatar. Despite the absence of global celebrities and fashionistas, designers such as Turkey's Bora Aksu, Britain's Molly Goddard and Ireland's Simone Rocha will stream their collections on the London Fashion Week website. Most of the 94 designers participating in the show, which concludes on Tuesday, will broadcast video highlights of their collections showcasing menswear, womenswear or mixed fashions in an event that is now gender-neutral. On Monday, the British brand Burberry -- known for its tailored trenchcoats -- will present its menswear Autumn/Winter collection for 2021, designed by Italian creative director Riccardo Tisci. In September, the brand presented its Spring/Summer 2021 collection in a film set in the middle of a forest and broadcast live on Twitch. The streaming platform has grown in popularity, broadcasting live video gameplay and offering the possibility of live commentary. More than 40,000 people watched the innovative show, which could be viewed from different perspectives. - Impact of Brexit - Former Spice Girl and designer Victoria Beckham will present her creations a few days before London Fashion Week. Her collection, which mixes the seasons, aims to be "optimistic but realistic", she explained. Beckham has been living under coronavirus lockdown in Florida, where her husband, former England football captain David Beckham, is now one of the co-owners of the American professional soccer club Inter Miami. During the pandemic, the former pop star said "people still want to dress up" but with "a need for comfort". Her designs include military details that evoke a "sense of protection -- a toughness", she added. Her collection also exhibits a lighter, more delicate side with dresses made from Jersey fabric or with prints of flowers and goldfish. The more joyful designs are in stark contrast to the grim outlook for the fashion industry in Britain, seriously impacted by the pandemic. The UK suffered more than 118,000 Covid-19 deaths and has been under national lockdown measures since January. The fashion sector, which employs more than 890,000 people and contributed £35 billion ($48 million, 39 billion euros) to UK GDP in 2019, has also been hit by Brexit and the end of free movement between the EU and the island nation. In early February, hundreds of fashion figures, -- including top former models like Twiggy and Yasmin Le Bon -- signed an open letter, coordinated by the industry forum Fashion Roundtable, warning the sector risked being decimated because of Brexit. To increase the visibility of young talent in the pandemic, the British Fashion Council, which represents the industry, has partnered with the social media giant TikTok. The umbrella organisation has also joined forces with Clearpay, a group allowing customers to "buy now pay later" to boost sales.

London Fashion Week goes virtual as Covid bites

Burberry Group Plc creative head Riccardo Tisci went back to his fashion-student days in 1990s London for his second catwalk show for the luxury label on Sunday, presenting a collection he said looked at Britain as a country of contrasts.

Presenting an Autumn/Winter 2019 line entitled 'Tempest', the Italian designer dressed models, including Gigi Hadid and Natalia Vodianova, in streetwear as well as the British brand's traditional more elegant day and evening outfits.

Two rooms, with different music including thumping rap, instrumental and snippets of news bulletins, added to the idea of contrasts in the show, which began with the edgy looks of oversized puffer and quilted jackets, loose polo shirts, corset tops, slip dresses and loose tracksuit-like trousers.

One jacket had the Union Jack flag flowing from the sides, while several had faux fur embellishments or trains.

The Burberry signature check print made an appearance on trenches and other outfits as did the TB monogram - initials of the brand's founder, Thomas Burberry. Shoes consisted of sneakers and booties with animal skin-like prints.

After the casual wear came tailored ensembles, with embellished coats, dresses cinched at the waist and pleated skirts. Burberry's signature trench was deconstructed and came with a poncho worn with embellished heels.

Menswear consisted of a range of duffle coats over tailored suits, sometimes bearing zips and boat-neck knit jumpers.

"I have been thinking a lot about England as a country of contrasts, from the structured to the rebellious and free, and I wanted to celebrate how these elements coexist," Tisci said in a statement.

"My first season for Burberry was about starting to develop my alphabet for the house, it was about identifying new letters and new codes. And now, I'm starting to put these letters together to begin writing my book here, to form the first chapter for a new era at Burberry."

For the evening, Tisci presented dresses in beige and black and white. His colour palette consisted of beige with dabs of orange, brown, red and green.

Backstage, Tisci told reporters the collection was about "freedom in the sense of what kids need today. ... They don't have anymore the voice they used to have when I was in London 20 years ago."

The designer, previously at French fashion house Givenchy, studied at London's Central St Martins in the late 1990s, a period he said he looked back at fondly.

The line's feature of four characters - "girl and boy" and "lady and gentlemen" was reflective of the brand's clientele.

"They are talking to different publics, price-wise and need- wise," Tisci said. "It is creative and at the same time thinking of the market you are talking to."

Burberry Group Plc creative head Riccardo Tisci went back to his fashion-student days in 1990s London for his second catwalk show for the luxury label on Sunday, presenting a collection he said looked at Britain as a country of contrasts.

Burberry Group Plc creative head Riccardo Tisci went back to his fashion-student days in 1990s London for his second catwalk show for the luxury label on Sunday, presenting a collection he said looked at Britain as a country of contrasts. Presenting an Autumn/Winter 2019 line entitled 'Tempest', the Italian designer dressed models, including Gigi Hadid and Natalia Vodianova, in streetwear as well as the British brand's traditional more elegant day and evening outfits. Two rooms, with different music including thumping rap, instrumental and snippets of news bulletins, added to the idea of contrasts in the show, which began with the edgy looks of oversized puffer and quilted jackets, loose polo shirts, corset tops, slip dresses and loose tracksuit-like trousers. One jacket had the Union Jack flag flowing from the sides, while several had faux fur embellishments or trains. The Burberry signature check print made an appearance on trenches and other outfits as did the TB monogram - initials of the brand's founder, Thomas Burberry. Shoes consisted of sneakers and booties with animal skin-like prints. After the casual wear came tailored ensembles, with embellished coats, dresses cinched at the waist and pleated skirts. Burberry's signature trench was deconstructed and came with a poncho worn with embellished heels. Menswear consisted of a range of duffle coats over tailored suits, sometimes bearing zips and boat-neck knit jumpers. "I have been thinking a lot about England as a country of contrasts, from the structured to the rebellious and free, and I wanted to celebrate how these elements coexist," Tisci said in a statement. "My first season for Burberry was about starting to develop my alphabet for the house, it was about identifying new letters and new codes. And now, I'm starting to put these letters together to begin writing my book here, to form the first chapter for a new era at Burberry." For the evening, Tisci presented dresses in beige and black and white. His colour palette consisted of beige with dabs of orange, brown, red and green. Backstage, Tisci told reporters the collection was about "freedom in the sense of what kids need today. ... They don't have anymore the voice they used to have when I was in London 20 years ago." The designer, previously at French fashion house Givenchy, studied at London's Central St Martins in the late 1990s, a period he said he looked back at fondly. The line's feature of four characters - "girl and boy" and "lady and gentlemen" was reflective of the brand's clientele. "They are talking to different publics, price-wise and need- wise," Tisci said. "It is creative and at the same time thinking of the market you are talking to."

Burberry's Tisci brings contrasting Britain to London catwalk