In a statement, the Diocese of London apologized for the mistake, noting that it had always supported London Fashion Week.
“We took this booking in good faith and were not aware of the content or design before the show took place,” the statement said. “This was obviously a mistake, and the content of this show does not reflect the Christian faith of the Church.”
The Diocese said it would be examining its booking procedures to make sure this “does not happen again.”
The historic church goes back to the 10th century and was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666. The church’s current Guild Vicar is the Bishop of Fulham, the Rt. Rev. Jonathan Baker.
The fashion show was spotlighting the Spring/Summer 2018 collection of controversial Turkish designer Dilara Findikoglu, whose creations have been worn by celebrities including singer Rihanna.
Findikoglu, who has been described as an “up-and-coming rebel of the fashion world,” told Vogue magazine earlier this month of her fascination with the occult. “I’m into parapsychology and all the occult and magic stuff, so when I was reading those books, they thought I was going to be a Satanist,” she said.
