Virtual visitors and digital designers – London Fashion Week, but not as we know it

February 1, 2021 Guest User

As the UK entered it’s third lockdown back in January, the British Fashion Council announced that while London Fashion Week would still take place this year, it would be a much different affair than previous years.

Amira Prestige for Pakistan Fashion Week

In order to keep designers, models, stylists and hair and make-up artists safe, London Fashion Week 2021 is moving online, allowing designers to pre-record creative showcases of their latest creations and collections in small, covid-secure and government permitted bubbles, and share them online to a much wider, more diverse audience than has ever been possible before. Similar to the capabilities of our state-of-the-art virtual events studio, the British Fashion Council has provided virtual solutions to ensure none of us have to go without our fashion fix for another year, highlighting yet again just how resilient the live event industry really is.

We think 116 Pall Mall is an architectural supermodel – surely our 15ft original Regency chandelier would wow in any accessories collection – but the team are content with offering support, event spaces and bespoke parties during previous and future fashion showcases from all over the world.

LGBTQ models were used on the catwalk for the first time for PFW

Not only have we hosted various shows for London Fashion Week over the years, In 2019, 116 Pall Mall was the proud host of a revolutionary event, which broke boundaries – and hearts – with its beauty and fashion. Pakistan Fashion Week was held across the building, turning our grand event spaces into various themes, inviting more than 4,000 people through our front doors. The event was so groundbreaking as it was hosted in the wake of a law passing in Pakistan banning the discrimination of transgender people – something celebrated at 116 Pall Mall as LGBT models strutted their stuff, including Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first gay Muslim drag queen.

And our stylish connections don’t stop there – we've also had our event spaces transformed into dressing rooms and hair and makeup stations for celebrity appearances, star-studded award shows and even feature films.

Runway shows for London Fashion Week

Maya Jama and her team used 116 as a base to get ready for her Halloween campaign with Coach

The new Cruella film, based on everyone’s favourite villain from 101 Dalmatians, is set to be released on Disney+ this year, and 116 Pall Mall was used as a base for the hair and makeup crew during filming in summer 2019.

Sadly Coronavirus stopped the team from Pakistan Fashion Week from hosting their second event with us in 2020 – they loved the space and our team so much they secured their return dates before they’d left the building! - and halted filming on a number of blockbuster projects, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for 2021, and keep an eye on our blog pages for a sneak peek into which films and tv shows have been filming at 116 Pall Mall over the last 18 months..

To find out more about our virtual events offering, or how to book your next fashion show, get in touch with our team.

BOOK YOUR EVENT AT 116 PALL MALL

One of the most prestigious London venues, 116 Pall Mall is situated in the heart of the West End and offers a range of flexible function rooms across five floors, perfect for any kind of event or venue hire for up to 1,500 people.

You can even hire our whole building exclusively on weekends.

Make an enquiry for more information.

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BOOK YOUR EVENT AT 116 PALL MALL