Topshop in see now, buy now move for London Fashion Week

Topshop will make part its Unique catwalk collection available to buy as soon as it is shown at London Fashion Week on Sunday 18 September.

Select pieces from the range will be available to purchase immediately while the remainder will be made available on 11 November.

Creative director Kate Phelan told WWD that "runway to retail" was the logical step for the brand. “Our customers are always looking for immediacy and this feedback, coupled with the proliferation of social media, made runway-to-retail the logical next step for Unique,” she said.

“This move is a direct result of listening to our customers. They want to wear the clothes they see on the runway now and the traditional cycle is becoming less appealing to them.”

Topshop's Unique show is one of the highlights of London Fashion Week and attracts an A list front row, such as US Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour. Topshop live streams the show on its website and heavily promotes it via social media.

Another British high street brand Jigsaw will also be staging a see now, buy now event during London Fashion Week. The brand will be showing its AW16 collection on 16 September, which will be live streamed on Facebook and made immediately available to buy.

The move to see now, buy now was pioneered by British luxury house Burberry who will show its first in-season catwalk on 19 September. The brand recently trailed the event by releasing preview images of the ad campaign that will accompany the collection, shot by Mario Testino.

London Fashion Week takes place from 16-20 September at Brewer Street Carpark, Soho.