London Fashion Week #LFW is about to hit the capital once again. As the annual circus of style rolls through from New York, before going on to Milan and Paris, you can almost feel the fashionable tension building. While more of us have access to designer runways this year thanks to live streams and Instagram, getting your hands on the looks is another question entirely. The season showing this September is Spring/Summer 2017 (fashion is always six months ahead). But where can you get your hands on the catwalk look without paying four figure designer prices?
The high street
There’s no doubt that many of the looks on the fashion week catwalks trickle down to the high street. Right now, for example, there are capes, Prince of Wales checks and duvet coats arriving for autumn. All of these were everywhere during fashion week in February. Shops such as Topshop are renowned for their catwalk edits. In fact, Topshop is one of the few high street brands to have a catwalk show during fashion week so it’s one to keep an eye on. Stores such as &OtherStories and big chains like Urban Outfitters also offer catwalk style without the designer labels.
Online shops
Increasing numbers of us shop for fashion online and this is often where the best discounts are to be found. Net-a-Porter is the obvious choice for full price designer fashion. Its sister brand The Outnet is an outlet site with designer fashion at a serious discount. ASOS is another reliable option for cheaper versions of designer looks. This is a site that started out by offering replicas of what famous women were wearing (the name means As Seen On Screen). Given this heritage you won’t be surprised to find a huge number of trends make an appearance on its pages. Yoox is another great place to find the fashion that you like without the huge price tag. And if you want to make sure an item isn’t being sold for less elsewhere then search it on Lyst.
Markets
Vintage clothing markets are already tried and tested when it comes to finding classic wardrobe pieces. However, many up and coming designers also take their wares to a market such as Portobello or Camden. These newer designers are as influenced by trends as anyone else and you could find a treasure trove of trend-driven styles at half the cost of a catwalk piece.
Instagram
The option to buy via Instagram is something relatively new. However, many fashion brands are starting to pioneer this, given the vast number of customers that can potentially be reached. This is especially the case for unknown designers who may be producing up to the minute designs but not have the reputation yet to charge the earth for them. It’s also worth keeping an eye on Instagram during fashion week itself. Some more established labels are starting to offer instant purchase via Instagram. This is relatively new as most catwalk fashion isn’t available for six months after the show. However, look out for the ‘buy now’ button on catwalk videos or images, as there are often discounts for early adopters.
Magazines and magazine sites
Finding the latest fashion at a discount is like the Holy Grail if you love what you wear. It’s also quite difficult to do – otherwise everyone would be at it. Magazines such as Vogue offer a ‘More Dash Than Cash’ selection of items that hit all the right trend notes but don’t cost the earth. Although this is a regular feature in the magazine there is often an extended supplement after the shows have taken place. It’s worth buying this, as it will guide you to cheaper versions of the looks you liked from the shows. Other publications rely on ‘skinted and minted,’ comparing the original designer item at the high price tag, against a more affordable identical piece.
Bloggers
Fashion bloggers such as The Frugality have become incredibly popular thanks to their ability to find budget versions of catwalk fashion. It’s worth following a number of fashion bloggers. They can not only provide wardrobe inspiration but also where to find the key seasonal pieces for less. Many fashion bloggers and fashion influencers on Instagram are now lucky enough to have made a career from an eye for great style. Building up a small group that you check in with regularly can make it easy to be fashionable for less. A few of the best known bloggers and influencers include Man Repeller, WishWishWish and Coco’s Tea Party.
Alex Hartley is a keen advocate of improving personal finance skills. She's worked at Solution Loans since 2014 and written hundreds of articles about how people can manage their money better. Her interest in personal finance goes way back to...Read about Alex Hartley
We use cookies to make your experience on our site even better. They also help us to understand how you use our site. By clicking 'Accept All' you're agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie preferences by choosing 'Manage Settings' and if you want to know more, you can read our cookie policy.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.