Change was in the air at London Fashion Week. The five-day extravaganza, which ended on Monday night with Burberry’s Hyde Park takeover and saw the fashion set flock between the British Library (for upcoming star Paolo Carzana), the Royal Opera House (Mithridate), Battersea Power Station’s control room (Patrick McDowell) and Mansion House (Simone Rocha), was defibrillated with a fresh wave of optimism, resilience and creative expression.
Starting at the top, the British Fashion Council has been energised by its new chief executive, Laura Weir, who opened the week with a breakfast and rousing speech: “This is not just a reset for the sake of it — the time is right and the time is now,” she told a packed room of designers, editors and public relations execs. “London Fashion Week is a sensational showcase of creative fashion design talent. I have an ambition to make it fashion’s most magnetic exposition of excellence in the world.”
And on the ground, as independent designers fight to survive the luxury slump, their creative heads battled on. Priya Ahluwalia, whose label mixes her Indian-Nigerian heritage with her London roots, summarised the mood best: “I’m tired of all the conversations that go, ‘Is London worth showing in?’ Of course it is. Look at all the support there is from our community here today, and think of all the designers and talent we have here. It’s not our fault that everything’s going wrong in the world and the economy’s crashing. I love this job, and I love this city.”
It was with that same Blitz spirit that the shows rolled on — and provided plenty of dressing tips for the spring/summer 2026 season. Here are six ways to get the London look, new and improved.
1. Gothic bodices
Dilara Fındıkoğlu, the Turkish designer and Central Saint Martins graduate, has fast risen to be London fashion’s dark queen — and attracts the coolest crowd and models of the plethora of upcoming designers that show in the city. She continues to usher in her unique aesthetic: all gothic, corseted living-dead Victoriana. Her Cage of Innocence collection, shown late on Sunday night at the Barbican’s Ironmongers’ Hall, further compounded that vision, which harks back to the savage beauty of Alexander McQueen.
Scarlet boned dresses were paired with stacks of bangles and knife-point stilettos as models — including Naomi Campbell, Jean Campbell and Amelia Gray — stalked through rooms like predators of the night. Sticks were stuck in matted locks, while other gowns came covered in real cherries, and latex was distributed freely. Fans of the brand — which include Kim Kardashian, Madonna, Kylie Jenner and Dua Lipa — will be seen in the distressed looks soon.
Elsewhere, Italian designer Elisa Trombatore, who founded Dreaming Eli in 2021, doubled down on her signature lace corsetry, handmade to measure in London using natural fibres, deadstock and upcycled materials. In a similar vein to Fındıkoğlu, Trombatore’s show notes read: “It’s the power of a woman who gets what she wants. Flushed cheeks. Hungry eyes. She’s the predator and the prey.” Go full busty corset, or channel soft-goth with dark eyes and black lace detailing.
2. Tie-neck collar shirt
White shirts remain a staple — see Edeline Lee, Erdem and Mithridate — however it was Talia Byre, the Warrington-born rising star, who sent out the most sophisticated: brightest white with slightly pooling sleeves, and an architectural tie-neck collar, which sat somewhere between a huntsman’s stock and the Mad Hatter. Charming, in other words — and reminiscent of the statement bow detail Jonathan Anderson has introduced in his menswear at Dior. On the party circuit, models have been seen wearing similar high, structured stand-up collars twisted camply. Expect to see more.
3. Leather drainpipes
In March 2024, Vogue heralded the return of the skinny jean — but this season saw designers not only double down on the trend, but go one step further: tight leather drainpipes dominated the catwalks. Most notably, it was led by Burberry, where a design shift from Daniel Lee saw the British luxury powerhouse move away from velvet suits and chintzy prints seen last February and towards a young, festival-going feeling: all bright yellow and pink leather suits, boho culottes and snake-print sandals. But it was Lux Gillespie, the model son of Bobby Gillespie and stylist Katy England, who best embodied its new look: narrow, soil-brown leather slacks worn low with a lilac satin bomber, shirt and skinny tie — indie sleaze style. It was the same story at rising designer Aaron Esh, who works closely with England on his collections and who has been a loud voice in the return of tight trews and tall heels. Opening Esh’s show, Lux had the same attitude, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, worn over a black button-down shirt and slick charcoal trousers. Scowl optional.
4. Bedazzled trench
Showstopping overcoats were the jewel in the crown of collections from some of London Fashion Week’s veteran stars — notably at Erdem, the label which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, where one emerald satin trench came bedazzled with silver crystal appliqué and was worn with a striking lace ruff. At Simone Rocha, a voluptuous red knee-length coat featured a statement dapper detail alongside a stem of lilies, while Roksanda, who is also toasting two decades in the game, sent out a billowing, cobalt-blue cape-coat complete with hood — and melodrama.
5. Add a splash of neon
Don’t shy away from vibrant pops of colour, was the message at American designer Conner Ives’s collection, a feel-good society fest hosted at the Saatchi Yates gallery in Mayfair. He was flying from the success of his “protect the dolls” slogan T-shirt, which raised more than $600,000 for Trans Lifeline, a US-based charity providing life-saving services to transgender people. A highlighter-orange rugby shirt opened proceedings, followed by a pink iteration with matching leggings and an electric yellow-green piano shawl fringe skirt. Elsewhere, Jawara Alleyne, known for his jersey draping and innovative use of safety pins, sent out similar neon pink trousers paired with an open orange cardigan and a windbreaker, followed by frocks trimmed with slashed, chartreuse slivers of floating fabric. Look to add playful touches — from socks to statement bags — to avoid clown-like results.
6. Let them wear tiaras
With the seminal Marie Antoinette retrospective swinging its doors open at the Victoria and Albert Museum this week, regency and pomp has settled down in the capital. And some brands took note. At Rocha, standout squiggle Alice bands were set with diamantés that caught the light, and looked like brooches set on the head. They would add evening-wear glamour to any outfit. Others had more transgressive approaches: Ashley Williams made a pink crown of gates, while at Natasha Zinko it was a headpiece made of cigarettes that stole the throne.
