Fashion bloggers debate trends at Westfield FutureFashion preview

To celebrate spring/summer 2012, Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City launches futurefashion running all this week at the White City, and then the following week at Stratford. With the event being the first time Stratford and London are hosting a collaborative ss12 launch, it’s the ideal occasion to celebrate East and West London styles.

Along with Grazia’s fashion editor at large, Melanie Rickey, Westfield invited six leading fashion bloggers to be the very first to preview the future fashion concept at Westfield London. They not only got behind the scenes information on the event, there was also the chance to test state of the art giant touch screen mood board technology and debate the key SS12 trends for East and West London. In attendance were Emily of Fashion Foie Gras, Jess of OSOYOU, Kate of Catwalk Queen, Jenny of The Style PA, Kristabel of I Want You To Know and Jools of Velo City Girl.

Melanie Rickey believes the crux of what makes East or West London style so different is dependable on living location because it’s unlikely someone living in East will bother to travel to West, and vice versa; “I think East is definitely edgier and more relaxed, West is definitely more slick.”

Talking about East, she adds “if you are in a group of people, you influence each other and you go to certain places. The street style trends and blogs, and things like that, can affect you a bit but ultimately you’re in that little micro-cosm and you develop that style.”

One blogger who covets East styles is Kate of Catwalk Queen who says, “East London fashion allows for lots more creativity and you can really put your own stamp on it. It's all about coming up with creative outfit combinations and really identifying yourself with a unique style that you can be proud of - there are no strict rules or regulations and anything goes!”

However, on the opposite side of London is Jenny, The Style PA, who says “I'm definitely West London... slightly more ladylike and less edgy than the micro-trend setters of the likes of Shoreditch, Hoxton and beyond.”

For some of the bloggers, identifying with an area was more difficult and they agreed with Melanie that, “I don’t think it is that different and I think every trend you get can be spun both ways”. Melanie also points out that fashion designers are usually based in East with the businesses based in West, suggesting trends merge and are adapted across both East and West London.

To settle the East Vs West London style debate, Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City are inviting the public to come and share their favourite London spring/summer trends at the futurefashion event where they can create their very own digital mood board on state of the art 103” touch screens for Westfield’s Facebook gallery, tweet outfit images and watch the 3D fashion show. Just don’t forget to use the #wearefashion hashtag!

The event runs from 27th March - 1st April at Westfield London and 4th - 9th April at Westfield Stratford City.