Highsnobiety, a global fashion and media brand, has increased its focus on experiential marketing with the launch of London Fashion Week pop ups.

The brand has been running its latest edition of ‘Not in London’ for London Fashion Week (LFW) on the 20th - 24th February. Part of its ‘Not In’ City series, ‘Not In London’ partners with the British Fashion Council (BFC) to embrace all things London, including art, culture, identity and multiculturalism, through a series of activations.

Part of the rising trend of experiential activations, ‘Not in London’ demonstrates a desire to bring people into a major cultural event and to create lasting connections with consumers.

Launched in 2020, the ‘Not In’ City series involves a programme of pop-ups, events, and activations with iconic local institutions. The work aims to challenge traditional, classist narratives with its blend of content, commerce, and experiential.

Hosted at 180 The Strand and in partnership with the BFC, this year’s ‘Not in London’ included an installation called ‘Travel Lounge’. The installation gave LFW guests somewhere to go in between shows, offering a coffee counter with coffee from La Marzocco and Ozone Coffee and travel lounge-like seating, which played on the idea of a waiting area.

Highsnobiety kicked off its residency at LFW by taking over Colour Factory with the Highsnobiety Soundsystem showcasing a range of DJs on LFW’s opening night. The brand also partnered with car brand, Mini, to offer a shuttle service between ‘Not in London’ locations. These locations included The Barbican where a panel discussion took place.

Selfridges hosted the brand’s pop-up shop, which featured collaborations with iconic London brands and institutions, including: Barbour, Central St. Martins, Chiltern Firehouse, The Barbican and Cedric Grolet. The collection’s designs showcase a range of aspects from London culture, and offers both household items and chic streetwear.

The limited edition drop is now available to buy online and was intended to encapsulate London’s diversity, culture, art, and talent. The ‘In-Line’ collection draws inspiration from the vibrant London diaspora. Embracing multiculturalism and celebrating culinary staples, it includes a ‘Sunday Roast’ t-shirt, and a jumper with the word ‘London’ in the city’s most spoken languages.

Platforming young talent, Highsnobiety also invited student designers from the MA Fashion program at University of the Arts London’s, Central St. Martins, to create pieces for the collection. For the collaboration with the Barbican, Highsnobiety released ‘brutalist’ mugs, as well as clothing, tote bags, and even a puzzle, with graphic designs of the iconic architecture. The collection was designed with Knitwrth. a knitwear brand that utilises photography-style realism.

With Barbour, Highsnobiety collaborated on jackets, amongst other items, for its own take on the iconic designs made with upcycled fabrics. Two other collections were created with inspiration from Cédric Grolet, a pastry shop brand founded by the French chef, and Nicholas Daley, a London-based menswear designer.

Focusing on the cultural aspects that make London iconic, Highsnobiety told the story of the city. Exclusive collaborations with London brands highlighted and celebrated the range of elements that make the capital what it is. At the same time, the brand’s experiential activation, which ranged from playfully innovative to informative, helped to expand LFW beyond exclusive runway shows.