Red carpet is the new catwalk for designers looking for star power

Celebrities might be flocking to the front rows of this week’s London Fashion Week shows, but some designers are swapping the runway for Hollywood’s red carpets as the fashion world seeks new ways to draw attention.

Ahead of Sunday’s Oscars ceremony, the most-watched entertainment event around the world, Hollywood has been the setting for numerous fashion events.

British designer Stella McCartney threw a party showcasing her latest collection at music shop Amoeba, Saint Laurent Paris took over The Palladium music venue for its menswear show, Gucci announced that Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine was its celebrity ambassador and Kenzo debuted a short film, Snowbird.

“It just feels like a moment when music, film, fashion, the arts, it’s all just come together for LA,” says Stella McCartney whose presentation was attended by celebrities including Katy Perry and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Celebrities and fashion have long had a symbiotic relationship, from Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy to Jennifer Lawrence and Christian Dior.

But Los Angeles is not traditionally regarded as a trend-setting city as the year-round sunny weather doesn’t allow seasonal clothing changes as it does in New York, Milan, Paris and London.

That notion is slowly changing. In 2012, Saint Laurent Parismoved its design studios to Los Angeles. Last year, Tom Ford and Burberry presented star-studded runway shows and Louis Vuitton held an exhibition in Hollywood.