Inside London Fashion Week's biggest controversies as the hottest show in town celebrates its 40th year

It's London Fashion Week's 40th anniversary, and here are all its scandals READ MORE: Celebrity cameos. Backstage boozing. Fights over the front row… LYNNE FRANKS on how she started London Fashion Week in a tent 40 years ago

London Fashion Week has become a staple in the arts scene dominated by the rich and famous, and as it approaches its 40th birthday, FEMAIL documents its biggest scandals to date.

Beyond the glitz and glamour, the show has been tarred with scandal over the years – ranging from nude models, lingerie-clad PETA activists to dead fish.

While the fashionistas and socialites of the world religiously attend the coveted event, it seems the London elite have glossed over some of the show’s most shocking moments.

London Fashion Week 2024 will include shows from designers like Isabel Manns, AADNEVIK, Kazna Asker, Paolo Carzana and several more.

This year the show is scheduled to take place from February 16 – 20.

John Galliano’s dead fish spectacle 

John Galliano, pictured arriving at The Fashion Awards 2021 at Royal Albert Hall was responsible for putting  Kate Moss on the map, but he also oddly chucked dead dish at the crowd at LFW 1984

Legendary fashion designer John Galliano stunned his London Fashion Week audience at his French Revolution-themed show back in 1984.

John had only graduated from Central Saint Martin’s months earlier when he decided to chuck dead fish into the crowd during his own show.

It was a bizarre and headline-grabbing stunt as audiences reeled from the shock of having a dead mackerel hurled into their faces – however it appeared to cement his status as a fashion great.

Just five years later in 1989, the Gibraltar-born designer’s LFW show was the hottest ticket in town as a 15-year-old Kate Moss stepped onto the catwalk for the first time.

The same year as her LFW debut, she featured on the cover of popular arts publication The Face magazine and became Britain’s most famous model.

Alexander McQueen’s debut show – Highland Rape 

Alexander McQueen was known for his wacky experimental designs, above is a model sporting them at London Fashion Week (not sporting the Highland Rape collection)

Alexander McQueen was the centre of controversy in 1995 when his controversially-named Highland Rape collection hit the catwalk.

The late designer created the collection with his family in mind, using the McQueen tartan for the designs to pay tribute to his Scottish heritage.

He used models draped in ripped garments to symbolise the Jacobite risings and the Highland Clearances in Scotland.

McQueen claimed the designs symbolised the ‘rape’ of Scottish land by the British.

The controversial name of the show went down in history for all the wrong reasons – however it certainly put McQueen’s name on people’s lips.

Skinny models

A model walks the runway during the Miu Miu Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2023 fashion show as part of the Paris Fashion Week

In 2006, Madrid Fashion Week made the momentous decision to ban models taking to the runway who had a BMI of less than 18.5. 

The decision came following increasing pressure from campaign groups about the frighteningly thin frames of models appearing on catwalks at fashion shows.

However, London Fashion Week came under fire in 2008 when it announced that it was scrapping plans to make similar changes.

Compulsory health checks for underweight models were abandoned in the face of massive opposition from the fashion industry, as other cities failed to follow suit. 

The measures were aimed at deterring the use of size zero models – equivalent to a British size four – but an inquiry concluded they were unworkable.

The planned requirement for models to obtain a doctor’s certificate proving they were in good health had government support. But an inquiry found that making them mandatory in London would lead to models flocking to rival fashion capitals such as New York, Paris and Milan instead.

Charlie Le Mindu’s naked fashion show  

Charlie Le Mindu certainly turned heads at London Fashion Week in 2008, sending the audience into a frenzy by dressing his models with nothing but accessories

French hairstylist Charlie Le Mindu turned heads as he broke the last taboo in the fashion world in 2008 by sending models down the catwalk stark naked. 

The then 24-year-old, whose creations have been worn by Lady Gaga – caused a stir with a show featuring models clad in hot pink high-heeled boots, hats, bags, wigs…and little else.

In a scene reminiscent of the Emperor’s New Clothes, many of the assembled fashionistas did not know where to look.

At London Fashion week 2007, he unveiled a full face headdress made of real mice and rat carcasses, outraging animal rights activists.

Topless PETA activists 

Topless vegan protesters storm London Fashion Week in furious flash mob staged by PETA in 2018

Activists from PETA protest against the use of Crocodile skins in fashion PETA protest use of Crocodile Skin in Fashion

Topless PETA activists staged a flash mob protest as London Fashion Week kicked off in 2018.

With the slogan ‘Wear Your Own Skin’ painted across their bodies, the activists encouraged passers-by to shun fur, leather, shearling, and other animal-derived materials as they stood outside The Store Studios, London.

The group of female PETA supporters braved the winter weather and bared their skin for a vegan protest at the start of London Fashion Week on The Strand.

PETA Director Elisa Allen commented: ‘Whether it’s the fur of a frightened fox or angora rabbit or the skin of a gentle calf, it’s not fabric and it’s not ours for the taking’.

She added: ‘With so many innovative, high-quality vegan fabrics available, there’s simply no excuse for wearing an animal’s skin or hair’.

Extinction Rebellion protests

Extinction Rebellion targeting London Fashion Week with smoke bombs in 2023

Five members of Extinction Rebellion laid down on the ‘blood’-soaked pavement in front of press photographers in 2019

In the same year, the eco-protesters glued themselves to a London Fashion Week entrance

Back in 2019, Extinction Rebellion eco-activists covered in fake blood glued themselves to an entrance to London Fashion Week on its first day.

Pictures posted by Extinction Rebellion on Friday morning show activists blocking doors to the trade show venue in The Strand, while others poured buckets of fake blood around the entrance to create a ‘bleeding red carpet’.

Protesters were led away by police shouting: ‘You choose profit over planet, profit over people, profit over our future.’

The environmental campaign movement said it was staging the so-called ‘die-in’ to urge the fashion industry to ‘tell the truth about its contribution to the climate and ecological crisis’.

The protesters, wearing white clothes with red blood stains, were photographed holding hands and carrying flags.

And last year, the eco-protesters set off smoke bombs and covered the floor in black paint as they targeted London Fashion Week.

As part of the stunt, about 30 eco-zealots stormed 180 The Strand – where the fashion show is being staged – in a protest against the ‘world’s biggest polluter’, Coca-Cola.

Climate change agitators in white overalls paraded up and down a red catwalk before drenching it in fake oil from two giant Coca-Cola bottles, as others set off black smoke grenades around them.