Spitalfields gears up for second Fashion District Festival featuring pop-up shop with Depop

Spitalfields in East London is gearing up to host the second Fashion District Festival, supported by the London College of Fashion, a six-day “celebration of sustainable fashion” running from 11-16 July 2023.

Fashion resale marketplaces Depop and The Cirkel, rental marketplace Loanhood and upcycling marketplace Alterist will be taking space in a dedicated Festival Pop-up Shop at 1 Lamb Street, and there will be over 40 events taking place to educate consumers to shop consciously.

Interactive workshops are also on the schedule, revolving around repair, reuse and recycle. They include slow fashion brand Revival’s workshop on 12 July with a focus on creating pieces from “pre-loved” denim, as well as slow fashion designer Lydia Bolton’s workshop on hand embroidery techniques to transform old garments – taking place on 13 July.

There will also be roundtables and talks, including panel speakers from the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), Fashion Innovation Industry and digital membership platform for eco-aware brand founders, The WIP. They will concentrate on circular and regenerative fashion solutions for start-up brands, with topics including early-stage investment, digital fashion, circular economy and the future of the Metaverse.

Helen Lax, Director of Fashion District, said: “Fashion District Festival is all about celebrating innovation and sustainability in the fashion industry. The festival provides an opportunity to introduce and excite the public about the many new ways to shop, with pre-loved, rental or swap. It is packed with ideas to give clothes a longer life with events to learn how to style, mend and upcycle clothes, helping to shift our behaviours and reduce over-production.

“The festival also brings fashion businesses together – emerging and established – to debate the state of the industry, showcase innovative tech solutions and call for collective action. It is a truly inspiring event and we look forward to welcoming people to join us at Spitalfields.”

All events and workshops across the six days are free and available for the public to book via the Fashion District website.