Jen Su

Fashion Week can seem like an endless stretch of beautiful people and glamorous catwalk collections. For a reporter like me, though, it’s an endless quagmire of running through airports at breakneck speed in high heels after spending an all-nighter filing stories, transcribing interviews, and sourcing photographs.  Never mind trying to look somewhat presentable and arriving on time.

So any break I can get, to just sit back, relax, and chill – is golden.

Jen Su on the Newark-London flight on British Airways Club World.

The 6-foot (183 cm) fully flat bed with bedding on British Airways Club World was just what I needed.  I prepped my skin with the provided amenities kit and facial moisturizer from The White Company and had a light appetizer of shrimp and tomatoes with cilantro and a glass of champagne.

It was time to put on my noise-canceling headphones to sleep for the rest of the 8-hour flight.  I landed early, took the Heathrow Express into London’s Paddington Station, and checked in early (9 am!) to the W London in Soho, near Chinatown.

The W London’s Wonderful Room with a king bed, has a sink in the middle of the room, at GBP 750 (R17,273) per night during Fashion Week.

The hotel is a 5-star luxury property with a funky modern vibe, and when I checked in to the W’s “Wonderful Room,” – I opened the door to a very compact room with lots of chrome, wall-to-wall mirrors, edgy finishes, and a sink in the middle of the room.

I liked the long, sleek, modern countertop – the only thing is that I had so many toiletries that my entire countertop got really messy by the end. All 192 rooms and suites are equipped with Digivalet in-room iPads where you can order room service, adjust your mood lighting, and enjoy an in-room Mega Bar with a personal mixologist.

Jen Su in London’s Chinatown wearing a couture piece from Philadelphia designer Conrad Booker. Photo: Neil Elliott.

The W was right by Chinatown, and one of my favorite parts of the area was the late-night Chinese all-you-can-eat buffets for only GBP7.50 (R172) per person. With the South African rand exchange rate the way it is, that might be the only place left that’s affordable.  My advice: stop converting everything into Rands, you’ll be depressed the whole trip!

Pam Hogg Spring Summer 24 at London Fashion Week. Photo: Neil Elliott

Money aside, the London Fashion Week shows were truly fabulous… from Burberry to Erdem, Ashish, J E Cai, Ray Chu, Abigail Ajobi, Atelier Zuhra, Pam Hogg, and Film AlUla with Atelier Hekayat and ArAm Designs – it was a continuous fashion extravaganza.

 

Suki Waterhouse launched her exclusive Dreamed By Collection at the flagship boutique Browns Brook Street in London during London Fashion Week. Photo: Golden Goose

Suki Waterhouse launched her exclusive Dreamed By Collection at the flagship Browns boutique on Brook Street. I met Suki at Milan Fashion Week some years ago when she modeled an iconic British Airways dress.

Philipp Plein presents his SS24 Collection at Milan Fashion Week. Photo: Purple PR for Philipp Plein

At Milan Fashion Week, designer Philipp Plein presented a festival collection of eccentric colors, bold energy, and dramatic mini-dresses in its “Plein Land” Spring Summer Collection.

Kim Kardashian, Anna Wintour, David Beckham, and Harper Beckham attend the Victoria Beckham SS24 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France. (Photo by Darren Gerrish/Getty Images for Victoria Beckham)

Finally, Victoria Beckham’s Paris Fashion Week collection focused on the ephemeral grace of ballet in her Spring Summer 2024 collection – with her family and close friends Anna Wintour and Kim Kardashian cheering her on in the front row.

Looking forward to my next flight to fashion in February!