British fashion makes a splash with raincoats, high-heeled wellies

By Li-mei Hoang LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s fashion designers kicked off the second day of London Fashion Week with quirky weather-themed collections featuring Wellingtons boots and printed raincoats as the rest of the nation struggled with the wettest winter on record. Woollen long johns, high-heeled Wellington boots and PVC jackets also featured in the collection, which was watched by U.S. Vogue Editor Anna Wintour and fashion designer Stella McCartney, whose husband Alasdhair Willis is creative director of the brand. Hunter’s show on the London Fashion Week calendar marks a first for the 150-year British brand, which received substantial investment to expand internationally after U.S. private equity firm Searchlight bought a majority stake in 2011. The British fashion industry has grown 20 percent over past four years and is worth around 26 billion pounds ($43.50 billion), according to the British Fashion Council.