Hi, Vogue Club! I’m Alice, British Vogue’s Senior Shopping Writer. Day-to-day, I write trend stories, interview designers, and curate shopping edits, and during fashion month I scour every corner of London in search of both new talent and wish-list-worthy items. I also contribute to Vogue Runway, so between shows you’ll find me writing reviews in the back seat of a car—a skill I’ve really mastered over the seasons.
Here’s a play-by-play of what I got up to during the recent London Fashion Week.
Pre LFW:
In the week leading up to the madness, I attempted to (loosely) plan out what I was going to wear—with the help of a couple heroes: eBay’s style director, Amy Bannerman, and pre-loved stylist and archivist Phoebe Schurings, who talked me through some of the key pieces in the platform’s expansive archive (Vivienne Westwood, Molly Goddard, Jil Sander, and some excellent unbranded vintage all feature) and lent me a Louis Vuitton Croissant bag to carry.
I also racked Amy’s brains for some top tips for Vogue Club about shopping pre-loved pieces on eBay. Her advice? “Mix up your spelling, shop out of season, be the better bidder, and use eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee initiative.” As Amy notes, investing in pre-loved is “a guaranteed way to ensure true individuality.”
Further outfit inspiration came courtesy of a pop-up hosted by Lisa Lingenti of It-girl-approved Parisian vintage store Nuovo, where I found an incredible distressed-leather jacket and cropped military blazer, both of which I wore to the shows. “It’s more than a curation now—it’s a vision, artistic direction,” she explained to me, talking of how Nuovo has become its own brand with a niche blueprint. “You have to propose something new.”
Also before the schedule got into full swing, I caught up with industry peers at Studio Nicholson’s 15th-anniversary dinner at Rochelle Canteen, where fashion fuel included smoked haddock croquettes, grilled chicory, labneh and za’atar, saffron risotto, and burnt cream and rhubarb. I was well and truly fed and watered for the busy weekend ahead.
Day 1—Thursday:
After a relatively normal day in the office, I headed off to the Mainline:RUS/Fr.CA/DE show at Charing Cross Sports Club––I have my eye on the bomber jackets and giant bags. Then it was time for my first cross-city trek of the weekend—from Baron’s Court to Talia Byre’s studio in Hackney—for a Vogue Runway preview. The BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund nominee takes pride of place in my wardrobe, and I was excited to see what her new collection beheld (and it didn’t disappoint)! On my wish list: her new slimline Bolter bag, the striped-jersey version of her signature bomber jacket, and an iron-hued shell tracksuit. Swoon.
