London has always been painted as the black sheep of the fashion family. It lacks headline-grabbing designers of New York. It cannot boast glossy, front-row line-ups of Milan. It will never have the tradition and craftsmanship of Paris's haute couture. What it does have is a hefty bout of vivacity and imagination - enough to rival and often surpass its rivals. It is time that this black sheep is celebrated, rather than pushed into a corner.

The prospect of squeezing the London Fashion Week into a measly three days, or even worse, out of the schedule altogether, would be a disaster.

Just a quick glance at the other schedules is proof of just how influential London has been in the past, and will be in the future. How many British names can you spot on the New York, Milan and Paris schedules? Matthew Williamson in New York - tick. Alexander McQueen in Paris - tick. Christopher Bailey for Burberry in Milan - tick. John Galliano for Christian Dior in Paris - another tick. The list is endless and begs the question: would these designers have reached the pinnacle of their careers had they not started out in our humble capital?

Is it not the allure of their innovative and often eccentric training (more often than not at the place that lures national and international talent, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design) that the international industry finds so appealing and entirely infectious?

If London's moment in the spotlight is to be reduced, the other fashion capitals may inadvertently repress what has so far been a highly fruitful bloodline. Granted, London doesn't attract the kind of revenue that New York promises (New York Fashion Week attracts 100,000 visitors) but it does provide the talent.

Furthermore, London Fashion Week is, and has been over the past handful of seasons, growing in commercial clout. Topshop and Swarovski are two examples of significant and internationally revered sponsors.

Those designers who are based in London and opt to show in the capital have strong businesses behind them - Luella Bartley and Alice Temperley have both swapped the New York schedule for London, and neither has suffered commercial damage as a result.

We can no longer refer to London's showcase as a group of young fledgeling designers, particularly when the “big name” designers decide to flaunt their talents on the London arena. Giorgio Armani, arguably one of the most important men in fashion, chose to bring his Emporio Armani line for a one-off show in London last year. Marc Jacobs, arguably one of the trendiest men in fashion, followed suit a few season later. Now that the ball is rolling, it is important that the momentum is maintained. Allowing London to maintain a full week of shows will mean it can continue to attract high-calibre and influential designers and continue to act as a breeding ground for young talent. And that must be good for the whole industry.

It's a mutually beneficial cycle, one it would be foolish to break.

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