London Fashion Week (LFW) has lined up four exclusive panel talks that are open to the public this month, in conjunction with its Principal Partner 1664 Blanc.

For this season, the British Fashion Council (BFC) is taking over London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) where the talks will be held, along with an exhibition to celebrate LFW’s 40th anniversary “and some of the cultures that make a rich and significant contribution to the British fashion industry”. 

On Saturday (8 June) 1664 Blanc will activate ‘Explorations in Blue’ at the official LFW space for a consumer audience, giving them access to the exhibitions and invites for a day of curated industry panel talks “that will deepen the understanding of culture and unpick issues impacting the industry”. 

The collaboration aims to welcome a new audience to LFW “to celebrate the importance of individuality, support creativity and break down barriers to the industry”.

The three cultures informing this year’s exhibitions are black culture centred around self-love captured by photographer Stephen Akinyemi; South Asian culture with focus on pattern, textile and craftsmanship captured by photographer Tami Aftab; and queer culture, with a spotlight on young creative voices from the trans+ community captured by photographer Dani D’Ingeo.

The first panel discussion (11:15 am-12 pm) will discuss challenges within the industry and present suggestions on how individuals can create positive change.

The second, ‘How to create, build and sustain a fashion brand in an ever-evolving environment’ (12:45 pm-1:30 pm) has panelists looking at the importance of spotlighting young talent from all backgrounds, how their individual heritages have shaped their work and what it takes to stand the test of time in the industry.

The third, ‘Are we going far enough? Performative Activism In the Fashion Industry’ (2:15 pm-3 pm) highlights the subject of performative activism, offering an insight into personal experiences on working inclusively and exploring equality.

Finally, designer Charles Jeffrey (Loverboy) is in conversation with Vogue columnist Raven Smith (3:45pm-4:30pm) about experiences within the industry as a young Scottish creative and how the fashion landscape has developed over the course of the last 10 years.