London's Calling: But Is It Love Or Money?

Just about every day, the Fashion Week Daily of London -- called Daily Rubbish -- has featured an interview with a British designer talking about how they love London so much that they have returned from New York or Paris to have their shows here. One would think that commerce had nothing to do with it. But consider:

Luella is back -- and she's got a new store on Brook Street in Mayfair.

Matthew Williamson is back -- and he's got a retrospective coming up at the London Design Museum.

Diane von Furstenberg is in London -- not to show or even to show her support for British designers (except for Nathan Jenden, her creative director), but because she's got a new shop on Bruton street -- her third in the city.

Paul Smith has never left London, and says he'll never will. Except for his men's collection, which he says he'll never show here, only in Paris.

Confused? Where you show has more to do about business than it does about love. If the big buyers aren't coming to London, then designers have to go to where they are. Jonathan Saunders had another great collection this season -- so great that he's going to show in New York next year.

Paul Smith stays in London because he's one of the biggest names on the calendar and therefore his women's collection gets more coverage than it would if he had to compete with the big names in Paris, Milan or New York. His men's wear is what brings in the bucks though and for that reason he shows it in Paris. (There is no men's fashion week in London, but when the idea was tossed around a few years back it was quickly dropped when Paul said, "no way.")

Will Matthew and Luella keep showing in London? I doubt it. Stella's heart and home are in London -- as is her show for the collection she designs for Adidas -- but her business is in Paris and that's where she shows her own collection in early October.