LFW runways served up endless throwback looks in the form of capri pants and bubble-hem skirts, but we couldn't take our eyes off the brand experiential activations hitting the capital. As the S/S 2024 shows come to a close, let’s take a look at what Challenger Brands can learn from this year’s London Fashion Week.

‍

1.     Know Your Market

London Fashion Week this year was full of fun and beautiful pop-up exhibitions and experiences. From the Prada Flower Stall, Vogue at Selfridges and the Jill Sander Coffee Stand to name a few. What did these all have in common? They knew their market. They were positioned mainly on Oxford Street and Covent Garden, which were busy hubs for the week. They offered an 'experience' which was not sales related. They did not sell product while there, so it was an easy way to buy into the brand without purchasing a high-end luxury product. What can we learn from this? People buy into a feeling and a value add that a brand can give. Did they need a Jill Sander Iced Coffee? Probably not. Were they queuing down Oxford Street for one? Yes they were. 

2.     Do Something Different

Doing something different doesn't always have to be a big expensive PR stunt. It can be simple and uniquid - this is what social media thrives from.

Take the Prada Flower stand. You could go and get a free flower (yes singular) and seeds from the pop-up kiosks all around London for the weekend. What made this different? Prada activated this pop-up in each city for Fashion Week this year. Meaning the buzz around the activation was being spoken about for weeks already before it reached London. Meaning people HAD to try it once it got to London. Meaning people were queuing around the block to get their hands on something for free from Prada. Giving away something free isn't particularly different, but creating an international 'buzz' around the giveaway felt different.

3.     Do it for the TikTok (Not The Gram Anymore)

'Do it for the gram' is the sentence we have all heard a lot. But that isn't enough anymore. Creating a pretty looking pop up or activation doesn't interest the Gen-Z audience on TikTok. It needs to go further than that, it needs to engage and excite them and show something they haven't seen before.

The Burberry Cafe did exactly that, and while admittedly they dealt with some backlash about insensitivity to the cost of living crisis, their TikTok-first approach to the activation certainly got everyone talking.

‍

Are you a Challenger Brand wanting to punch above your weight? Get in touch. Email us - hello@southpawagency.com.