Climate change protestors are planning to “shut down” London Fashion Week (LFW) in a bid to raise awareness of the environmental damage caused by the fashion industry.

During the five-day event, which will take place in September and see some of the biggest names in British fashion showcase their latest collections, activism group Extinction Rebellion will assemble in large crowds to thwart stylish editors, models and buyers from attending runway shows.

The environmental activists, who brought major streets to a standstill in five UK cities earlier this month, have demanded that the British Fashion Council (BFC), which hosts the spectacle, cancel the event that is due to start on 13 September.

Ramón Salgado-Touzón, of Extinction Rebellion’s Fashion Action group, has specified that while the group plans to perform peaceful protests, activists are willing and prepared to be arrested.

“We are planning non-violent direct action civil disobedience,” Salgado-Touzón told The Times.

Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Show all 45 1 /45 Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block a road outside the Tate Gallery where Burberry held a show to protest impact of the fashion industry on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell told The Independent: “The industry has a greenhouse gas footprint the size of Russia. "Young people protesting recently are not going to thank grown ups for using up that carbon budget on throwaway clothing. “We can change things as seen by industries during WW1 when factories making one product, within months, making arms instead. “But we’re not here to tell everyone what to do. Extinction Rebellion is an alarm. We’re here to say it can’t go on, or we’ll drive ourselves into extinction for the sake of an economic model we think we can’t question and because we say we can’t change it. Well I think that we can.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Climate change activists block the road as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest outside a London Fashion Week event at Tate Britain in London, calling on the fashion industry to use its influence to help to create a sustainable world. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion activist models a coat made of real grass during a protest against the fashion industry's impact on the environment during LFW on 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph during a protest by Extinction Rebellion activists. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block a road outside the Tate Gallery where Burberry held a show to protest impact of the fashion industry on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists model a coat made of real grass during a road block to protest the impact of the fashion industry on the environment on 19 February 2019 during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell told The Independent: “The industry has a greenhouse gas footprint the size of Russia. "Young people protesting recently are not going to thank grown ups for using up that carbon budget on throwaway clothing. “We can change things as seen by industries during WW1 when factories making one product, within months, making arms instead. “But we’re not here to tell everyone what to do. Extinction Rebellion is an alarm. We’re here to say it can’t go on, or we’ll drive ourselves into extinction for the sake of an economic model we think we can’t question and because we say we can’t change it. Well I think that we can.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellon astvists converge outside the Tate during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists model a coat made of real grass during a road block to protest the impact of the fashion industry on the environment on 19 February 2019 during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion activist holds up a sign as LFW fans pose for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Student and artist Sabrina Zahoe, 19, from Atlanta, Georgia, who studies in New York is a London Fashion Week fan. She said: “I’m very supportive of what the protestors are doing today. I say fuck fast fashion, so any kind of green fashion, I support tremendously. We do need to start thinking about fashion more consciously.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion activist holds up a sign during a road block outside the Tate Gallery to protest the impact of the fashion industry on the environment on 19 February 2019 during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Ella O’Brien, 17 (left) and Raffy Parsons, 16 (right) said they love London Fashion Week but are conscious of its footprint on the environment. Ella, who said she wants to make her own line of sustainable fashion in the future, told The Independent: “ think it’s improtant for people to be aware of how much they’re confusing and look into more sustainable options and be more mindful in terms of where their clothing is coming from, how it’s being produced. It is getting better but there’s a long way to go.” Raffy added: “Stopping getting new clothes when you could just recycle is really important. We’re both vegan so we’re trying our best.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists enroute to The Tate Modern to orchestrate another road block stop to adorn a statue with Extinction Distinction flags on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Vegan LFW fan Raffy Parsons, 16, said he is conscious about the impact of fast fashion. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists enroute to The Tate Modern to orchestrate another road block stop to adorn a statue with Extinction Distinction flags on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activist, Becky Boey, told The Independent: “The fashion industry promotes a culture of unsustainable need for the next new fashion, and once it’s over, people want to buy the next new thing. "Consumerism has gone out of control. We have to make some real changes to the way we think about our climate and wasteful society. "The fashion industry in this respect is significant because it has a huge influence on young minds. "But we’re a society that’s run on capital. We’re so focused on the economy, but economic growth is not in line with having a sustainable planet to live on." Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists march to The Tate Modern to orchestrate another road block while before a Burberry catwalk show takes place on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell told The Independent: “The industry has a greenhouse gas footprint the size of Russia. "Young people protesting recently are not going to thank grown ups for using up that carbon budget on throwaway clothing. “We can change things as seen by industries during WW1 when factories making one product, within months, making arms instead. “But we’re not here to tell everyone what to do. Extinction Rebellion is an alarm. We’re here to say it can’t go on, or we’ll drive ourselves into extinction for the sake of an economic model we think we can’t question and because we say we can’t change it. Well I think that we can.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists take a break at a small green space next to Temple station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Tamsin Omond speaks to a crowd of activists about the impact of the action and the media coverage received. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists are followed down the street by members of the press during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors converge outside LFW, at The Strand, London, Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to protest against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A disgruntled motorist stands next to his motorbike during a road block protest by Extinction Rebellion activist, staged to demonstrate against the fashion industry's carbon footprint near Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion protestor who joined activists to block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to demonstrate against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to protest against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion protestor who joined activists to block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to demonstrate against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla

“People taking part will be arrested.

“Let’s hope that they’re not going to be charged but if they are, everyone is prepared.”

The organisation has also announced its intentions to prevent show attendees from getting to events in time, rather than invading the catwalks.

Bel Jacobs, a member of Extinction Rebellion’s Boycott Fashion group, said: “People need to get places quickly. And that is a way to disrupt Fashion Week.”

Somerset House, home to the BFC, and New Bond Street have been confirmed as targets.

“We need to change our culture around consumption,” Jacobs added.

“People have no idea how environmentally destructive fashion is.”

According to The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) – a charity that works with governments, businesses and communities to improve resource efficiency – approximately £140m worth of clothing goes into landfill each year.

Furthermore, it has been estimated that by 2050 the fashion industry will use up 25 per cent of the world’s carbon budget, making it one of the most polluting industries second only to oil.

In February 2019, Extinction Rebellion performed similar protests at LFW by blocking roads outside a fashion show at the Tate Britain in a bid to disrupt the biannual event.

Speaking to The Independent at the time, organiser Sara Arnold explained that the fashion industry has the potential to be a revolutionary force for good when it comes to tackling climate change.

“We target LFW because it is a key driver of global trends but we are not singling out this event or industry,” she clarified.

“This is the start of Extinction Revolution’s disruption of cultural events that do not change direction urgently towards communicating climate change and mobilising alongside us towards greater non-violent direct action and civil disobedience.”