Although London fashion week is regaining its footing on the collections calendar, many industry players—particularly those overworked ladies on the catwalk—still look at the week between New York and Milan as time off. But in an effort to make sure that U.K. designers have top models at their disposal, the British Fashion Council developed the Model Bursary for London Fashion Week, which was sponsored by high-street retailer (and H&M sister store) COS this year. The lucky ladies recruited to push through all four weeks of the Spring collections (and who are already in Milan for the Italian leg of the journey) were Behati Prinsloo, Julia Dunstall, Solange Wilvert, Vlada Roslyakova, and Tanya Dziahileva. Not that the Bursary, which kicks in for runway fees, flights, and hotel costs, took its investment lightly: Each girl was required to take part in a minimum of six catwalk shows. Said Hilary Riva, the British Fashion Council's CEO, in a statement last week: "The Model Bursary allows all of the designers at LFW the opportunity to have access to some of the world's elite models when showcasing their collections to buyers and press."
—Derek Blasberg