While retailers feel the squeeze of the credit crunch, London Fashion Week is determined to buck the trend with a schedule packed with more parties than any previous season.

Flying in the face of a nervous economy, champagne corks will be popping at more than 40 after-show parties, compared with 30 last season; a total of 52 designers will show their luxury designs on the catwalk, while a further 200 will form part of the static exhibition, and there will be a stronger representation of influential international buyers, particularly those from US department stores and the emerging markets.

The hottest party invitation is to 10 Downing Street. Not usually a destination associated with haute couture, for the first time in decades the Prime Minister’s wife will host a star-studded party on Monday evening for the Who’s Who of British Fashion.

Among those on the guest list are Dame Vivienne Westwood, London’s finest tailor Sir Paul Smith, the stalwarts of the British High Street Sir Philip Green and Sir Stuart Rose, as well as the most influential journalists, buyers and models in the industry.

Sarah Brown has chosen a design by one of her favourite British designers, Graham Black, who draws on his Scottish heritage for inspiration.

The organisers of London Fashion Week are determined to create a bustling social timetable to show the remaining fashion capitals it can provide a fanfare as exciting, extravagant and lucrative as they can. As the London schedule threatens to be reduced to three days to provide New York with a more favourable slot, the last thing the capital needs is a subdued atmosphere.

The British Fashion Council also struck a defiant note. Hillary Riva, its head, said: “We currently have one of the strongest crops of emerging design talent in London. In order to better support these designers, the British Fashion Council has increased our business support functions to include marketing seminars, dedicated sales space in Paris for New Generation designers as well as targeting emerging markets with budgets to spend on British collections.”

And why not, when one week of catwalk shows and parties generates £100 million per year for the economy?

Mary Homer, managing director of Topshop, a London Fashion Week new generation sponsor, said: “We will continue to support the best of British design, which we feel is long-term and wide-ranging.”

Meanwhile, London’s established brands are bucking the credit crunch trend.

Alice Temperley, who has swapped the New York catwalk for London, said: “We have had record months in all our shops since the beginning of the year and that seems to be continuing. Our retail partners also seem to be doing well. We are happy to be back in London and are putting on the biggest show we have done so far. There is still a great energy in London and hopefully it can buck the trend.

“Half the problem is how everybody reacts to bad news – we intend to stay positive.”

As does London Fashion Week. If it can sustain the momentum via a jam-packed party schedule, it will at the very least display a typically British strength and steely determination under considerable pressure. New York, Milan and Paris – watch out.