The British Fashion Council’s City Wide Celebration (CWC) will feature over a thousand events this month as it marks the 40th anniversary of London Fashion Week.

And importantly this time, the BFC is looking beyond London with the expanded CWC programme of events also happening in Manchester and Newcastle for the first time. 

Some 350 brands are taking part throughout September in the three cities, with events curated by the BFC. The programme aims to “support and promote retail across the UK while driving the fashion conversation forward through industry wide participation and partnerships”. 

The industry body said that “Manchester and Newcastle are leading destinations for fashion and culture in the country with a rich history in fashion, textiles and retail. With world-leading fashion education and their vibrant music and nightlife scene, they have served as a playground for designers and creatives alike for decades”. 

Key shopping destinations Covent Garden in London, Selfridges in Manchester and Fenwick in Newcastle will be lynchpins and will “kick off celebrations in each city, offering a series of activations for customers and style enthusiasts”. 

Others taking part include Pandora, Karl Lagerfeld, Wolf and Badger, Russell & Bromley, Primark, Raeburn, COS and many more.

And as well as individual retailers and brands running events, LFW’s principal partner 1664 Blanc is taking over London’s Covent Garden Piazza with its ‘Explorations in Blue’. Guests can get a limited edition print available from LFW designer Tolu Coker, enjoy a pint, and explore ‘Le Journal Bleu’ bespoke commemorative newspaper focused on 40 years of LFW with a professional photographer there to capture shots for everyone. 

BFC chief Caroline Rush said the group is “committed to supporting retail and our brilliant network of designer businesses not only in London but across the UK and we are really looking forward to witnessing Manchester and Newcastle come to life with their own programme of events throughout September”.