In an unanticipated move, Alexander McQueen has decided to stage its AW16 womenswear show in London, instead of Paris where the house has held its shows since Sarah Burton took the helm after the designer’s death in 2010. Slated to take place at 7pm on Sunday, February 21, the showcase will take the form of a runway show in a location that is yet to be disclosed.

While the brand’s menswear shows were relocated from Milan to London permanently in January 2013, the move of the womenswear show is – at present – only temporary. “The house will move from Paris, where they present seasonally, to London Fashion Week for AW16 only,” says a representative for the British Fashion Council. 

Last season Alexander McQueen unveiled a collection that was actually inspired by London – specifically, the Huguenot refugees who fled from France to settle around Spitalfields during the 17th century. These people brought skills in weaving and floral design along with them on coming to the country, skills which helped inspire the collection.

Of course, this comes amid further London Fashion Week news that has broken this week, from Jonathan Saunders, who announced the closure of his eponymous label, to Hunter Original, which revealed that it would be leaving the schedule, choosing to communicate with its audience via festivals and its stores rather than runway shows. Today the British Fashion Council has also announced that Charlotte Olympia – whose brand is characterised by its blend of British wit and Hollywood glamour – will be staging her first-ever show. 

Watch Alexander McQueen SS16 below and check out the gallery above to see backstage images