Fashion week without living in the back of a cab

Where you stay decides how much of London Fashion Week you spend in taxis. The shows, run twice a year by the British Fashion Council, are spread across the West End and well beyond it, and the venues move every season.

February shows autumn/winter and September shows spring/summer. The British Fashion Council puts out a provisional schedule a few weeks ahead, so check it before you book anywhere to stay. September is the kinder month for dashing between venues, with highs in the high teens, while February's average barely gets out of single figures.

Where to stay

Soho, Covent Garden and Mayfair put you within walking distance of most West End venues and the showrooms round them, and Mayfair is calmer at night, which matters if you're up early. Most of the thirty-odd Mayfair places on our books are within about ten minutes' walk of Bond Street, Green Park or Oxford Circus, and between them those stations get you the Central, Jubilee, Victoria and Elizabeth lines.

For a team, an apartment beats hotel rooms because you can lay out samples, steam garments and hold a 7am fitting without taking over a hotel lobby. Ask about late check-out on the last day, since the packing always takes longer than planned. Fashion week is a busy week for central London apartments, so send your dates as soon as the schedule is out and ask whether an apartment can be held while you confirm.

Between shows

Bond Street and the streets round it have the flagships, while Dover Street and the Mayfair side streets are where you'll find the independent designers and concept shops. Across town, the antiques and vintage stalls on Portobello Road Market run Friday to Sunday, with Saturday the busiest, and the vintage clothing is worth a morning.

The V&A in South Kensington has the largest permanent dress collection in the country, and it's free, though its big fashion exhibitions are ticketed and book up early. The Design Museum on Kensington High Street has a free permanent display, Designer Maker User, plus changing paid shows. Both are an easy cab ride from Mayfair.

Eating on show days

Show days leave little time to sit down, so eat early or late. The Wolseley on Piccadilly does breakfast from early morning and has long been an industry meeting place, and 45 Jermyn St. nearby serves breakfast from 7.30am on weekdays. After the last show, Sexy Fish on Berkeley Square and Sabor on Heddon Street, where the counter takes walk-ins, both keep going late.

Food hygiene ratings for the places in this guide

Official fact Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, checked 23 September 2026. 5 is the top rating.

Name	Registered address	Rating	Inspected
The Wolseley	157-160 Piccadilly, W1J 9EA	5	May 2025
Sexy Fish	Berkeley Square House, W1J 6BR	5	Mar 2025
Sabor	35-37 Heddon Street, W1B 4BR	5	Sep 2025

Ratings cover hygiene only, not food quality. Matched by name and address; a venue not shown was not found or could not be matched with confidence.

London weather by month

July is the warmest month, averaging 23°C by day. July has the fewest wet days (9) and October the most rain (80 mm). For sightseeing on foot, June scores best on our combined warmth-and-dryness measure.

Month	Avg high	Avg low	Rain	Wet days	Chance a 7-day stay sees a washout	Record high / low
January	8°C	2°C	74 mm	13	53%	16°C / -12°C
February	8°C	2°C	51 mm	10	43%	18°C / -8°C
March	11°C	4°C	45 mm	9	44%	23°C / -7°C
April	14°C	5°C	54 mm	10	44%	26°C / -3°C
May	17°C	8°C	54 mm	9	39%	30°C / -1°C
June	20°C	11°C	58 mm	9	35%	34°C / 2°C
July	23°C	13°C	52 mm	9	34%	34°C / 4°C
August	22°C	13°C	68 mm	9	37%	37°C / 4°C
September	19°C	11°C	62 mm	9	39%	29°C / 2°C
October	15°C	8°C	80 mm	11	47%	27°C / -2°C
November	11°C	5°C	76 mm	12	52%	18°C / -6°C
December	8°C	2°C	69 mm	12	50%	16°C / -8°C

Calculated NOAA GHCN-Daily observations at the Hampstead weather station, north London (records 1960–2015; averages from about 25 years per month). A wet day has 1 mm of rain or more.