London Fashion Week's H&M show is thrown into chaos as front row stars including Cruz Beckham watch PETA protestors storm the catwalk
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By LAURA FOX, ASSOCIATE SHOWBUSINESS EDITOR
Published: | Updated:
London Fashion Week was thrown into chaos on Thursday night, as Peta protestors stormed the H&M catwalk while a star-studded lineup watched on.
Stars including Cruz Beckham were in attendance for the iconic fashion brand's unveiling of their collaboration with Nick Knight and ShowStudio, which explored the relationship between fashion, technology and human connection.
Prior to the show, Peta protestors were lined up outside, with fake blood splashed on their faces as they brandished signs saying: 'Sheep beaten, kicked and killed for wool. Don't buy it.'
Footage shared on X then showed three different protestors walking down the catwalk with their signs in hand.
Clips showed that while guests gasped at the display, the protestors were politely asked to leave the runway by security before being escorted out.
It was a stark contrast to how protestors were treated at New York Fashion Week, where footage showed the chief executive of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Steven Kolb physically restraining one activist during the Cos show.
London Fashion Week was thrown into chaos on Thursday night, as PETA protestors stormed the H&M catwalk while a star-studded lineup watched on
Stars including Cruz Beckham were in attendance for the iconic fashion brand's unveiling of their collaboration with Nick Knight and ShowStudio
Kolb was placed on leave by the CFDA, and he has since apologised for his behaviour in a post on Instagram.
He said: 'As I review the videos, I understand the reaction they have generated.
'Frankly, I don't recognise that person. As a result, I am taking a voluntary leave from work and meeting with a professional to ensure it never happens again.'
The CFDA said in a statement they were 'committed to working with dissenting voices to find commonality and is engaged in efforts to move the American fashion industry forward while upholding the values of our membership, including respectful engagement with differing viewpoints'.
Cruz was among the stars that were seen posing for snaps ahead of the fashion show, dressed in a smart grey trench coat and a red jumper.
The back-to-back protests are part of PETA's campaign urging the H&M Group to drop wool following a recently released PETA Asia investigation into a NATIVA-certified South African wool operation tied to H&M Group's supply chain.
'How much more evidence showing sheep kicked, struck, and left bleeding in shearing sheds will it take for H&M to take responsibility?' PETA's Vice President Elisa Allen said.
'H&M must kick wool cruelty off its catwalks and out of its collections, and PETA reminds consumers that choosing vegan clothing is the only way to guarantee that no animals were harmed.'
Prior to the show, PETA protestors were lined up outside, with fake blood splashed on their faces and signs aloft
Footage shared on X then showed three different protestors walking down the catwalk with their signs in hand
PETA's appearances at Fashion Weeks across the globe are far from a rarity, with the animal rights charity regularly campaigning outside shows
Cruz was among the stars that were seen posing for snaps ahead of the fashion show, dressed in a smart grey trench coat and a red jumper
PETA's appearances at Fashion Weeks across the globe are far from a rarity, with the animal rights charity regularly campaigning outside shows.
H&M's show featured an interactive display created by AI technology that turned photos into moving fashion paintings.
As the models moved down the runway, the walls behind them would follow their movements, offering the audience a living sketch of time.
Historical tales and figures such as Wuthering Heights and Marie Antoinette inspired ribboned satin jackets with braided lace-up embellishments, while the collection also featured Western influences with dark-wash denim and cowboy boots.
Speaking ahead of the show, H&M's global head of design Ann-Sofie Johansson said: 'With this show, we can actually also show what AI can make that is not this scary thing - it can also be part of an immersive experience and something new, maybe, that we haven't seen before.'
London Fashion Week takes place from the 17th to September 21, and will conclude with its annual star-studded Burberry show on Monday.
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