London (AFP)

The London Fashion Week opens this year to the general public, for some parades only, but the price of the entrance ticket makes cringe.

Ghila Evansky, 19, is waiting patiently in front of The Store X, the main venue for Fashion Week in central London. This student with a rather classic look prepares to immerse herself in the whirlwind of contemporary British fashion.

On the agenda of the day: Alexa Chung fashion show, multicart creator (model, columnist, TV presenter, Instagrammeuse), exhibition of young designers in the forefront of sustainable development and diversity and round table with figures Of the industry.

But what interests him especially is the parade. She spent 245 pounds (275 euros) for the pack "VIP" which ensures it to be in the first row. For this price, she will also be entitled to a drink, access to a private lounge, and will leave with a bag full of "goodies" (small gifts).

Attending a parade, "I always wanted to do that," she says. She admires Alexa Chung who "worked at Vogue and created her clothing line".

- Internet has upset everything -

After poking the ground, London Fashion Week has decided to open its doors to the public. Up to 2,000 people can participate in the event, although fashionistas will only have access to a handful of dedicated fashion shows and will not be able to see headliners like Victoria Beckham or Burberry.

Expanding the audience of this meeting of industry professionals and celebrities, "we thought about it for several seasons.In reality, the internet has changed everything," says AFP Stephanie Phair, president of the British Fashion Council (BFC) , which represents the British fashion industry.

Journalists or "influencers" have been posting real-time photos of social media shows for years, so "why not get people involved and bring them closer to the creators they're going to buy clothes from?" Mrs. Phair.

"People want to know the experience that it is to live a parade, the magic that causes fashion," she says. And more prosaically, it is also about "helping brands develop sustainable business".

Six parades are on the weekend, featuring three designers: Alexa Chung, House of Holland, British brand Henry Holland, and Self Portrait, known for his beloved dresses of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, the wives of Princes William and Harry.

But other stylists are open to such participation, as the Turk settled in London Bora Aksu: "it's a way to meet consumers directly, to have a different return," he told AFP.

"In the early 2000s, fashion was a truly isolated and somewhat exclusive domain but the world has changed," he says, rejoicing to see "links be built between fashion and the general public."

Among fans, Shuo Wu, a 30-year-old Londoner, came just out of curiosity. "Fashion is not my field, I work in finance," he says. He used to live in New York where "Fashion Week is a public celebration," he says. There, "it seems more accessible or maybe we do better advertising," he compares.

But not everyone is convinced by the CFB operation. 56-year-old Kathy Fawcett, a 56-year-old resident of Bristol, expected to see the "Positive Fashion" exhibit because she says she's "more interested in the fashion industry and its impact on the climate than in fashion itself." ".

Arrived at the entrance of Fashion Week, the price makes her give up: 135 pounds (150 euros) minimum! "If they want to change their elitist image, they have to make it more accessible," she pleads.

© 2019 AFP