One of the best things about being a fashion student in London, is that when you’re having a lull in creativity (and don’t worry, it happens to the best of us) – there are so many places you can visit, to get your juices flowing again. Obviously feeling inspired is quite a personal thing, and inspiration comes in many different guises, but sometimes all you need to do is just get out of the house and soak up a different environment. In order to inspire you to go and get inspired, we’ve made this handy list of some of our favourite places in London.
Brick Lane
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Three of LCF’s sites are within walking distance to Brick Lane (Curtain Road, Mare Street, Golden Lane), so we find that a lot of our students talk about it as an inspiring place to be. It’s a perfect encapsulation of what London is about – diversity. From the vintage shops and independent boutiques, to record stores, Rinse FM and some of the best bagels you will find in the UK, Brick Lane brings together interesting people, unique style and a generally jovial vibe.
The V&A Museum
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The V&A might seem like an obvious choice for fashion students, but that’s because it’s just so brilliant. Apart from being the world’s biggest museum dedicated to art and design, with millions of artifacts in its permanent collection and millions more in its archives, it’s also a place that you can count on for some of the best exhibitions dedicated to fashion – from 2015’s Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty display, to the current Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion exhibition. It is also home to London’s annual Design Festival where you will see some of the most innovative and experimental design work, so it’s a place you can go to for a feeling of stepping back in time, or going far into the future.
DIY Art Market
The D.I.Y. Art Market is a celebration of London’s independent publishers, and both emerging and established artists currently working in the city. It happens in Hackney and Peckham Salvage Yard, and essentially it’s an art market for people that love one off items (so it’s a great places to shop). However even if you don’t want to spend any money, it’s a great place to go and hang out, to see and meet other creative people, and learn about what they are producing and see how it can inspire you.
Barbican
The Barbican is one of those places that makes you instantly feel at peace with the world. It celebrates, hosts and exhibits all major art forms including dance, film, music, theatre and visual, so naturally it’a a great place to discover and learn about different aspects of the arts. But it’s not just the cultural offering of the Barbican that makes it such a great place to spend time at, it’s the actual building itself, the architecture, the external spaces, the gorgeous and jungle like conservatory, which allow you to clear your head, think and create.
Southbank
Southbank has a lot to offer – museums, galleries, good food, great views – you name it, it’s probably there. From the iconic Tate Modern, the Southbank Centre, the BFI for films and the Globe for plays – there’s so much to keep you entertained. Weekends probably aren’t the best time to visit because of the sheer number of tourists, but on a quieter day, a stroll along the river might be all you need to get you going again.