Backstage at the Erdem FW26 show. Photo: Acielle / Style Du Monde Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story London Fashion Week (LFW) is fast approaching, and the schedule is tight, bolstered with a slew of activations, parties and dinners. Comparative to New York , it’s a lighter load, but the mix of big-ticket shows and emerging independents — many eschewing the runway format for experiential events — continues to position the city as a springboard for hot, young talent and heritage stalwarts.
“We are opening up London Fashion Week to new energy, new ideas and new ways of engaging with fashion,” says Laura Weir, the British Fashion Council's CEO. “Alongside traditional catwalk formats, the schedule features everything from [Californian brand] 5000’s multisensory sound bath to AllSaints ’s zine launch. That breadth is deliberate. London Fashion Week is a global platform for designers and businesses, but it is also a way of demonstrating the wider cultural and economic value of fashion. By bringing together fashion, art, music, technology, retail, and culture, we are demonstrating the sector’s reach, relevance and ability to create value far beyond the catwalk.”
London fixtures such as Burberry and Simone Rocha will attract buyers, editors and content creators from across the globe, as will the return of Alexander McQueen — led by creative director Seán McGirr — to its native city. Christopher Kane’s Mulberry debut will also create waves among industry figures, putting his creative talent to good use following the protracted closure of his own label in 2023. “[Christopher’s] creativity has been missed, and Mulberry, which is already building momentum with Gen Z via their handbags, is ripe for a bigger moment,” says Ida Petersson, co-founder of creative agency Good Eggs and former Browns buying director.
“London Fashion Week represents a regrouping of what British fashion means to the UK, and internationally,” says Vogue Runway ’s chief critic Sarah Mower. “Mulberry’s hiring of Christopher Kane — a major talent known for his unpredictable takes — adds another layer of anticipation around the subject of how he’ll re-see a much-loved British fashion institution.”
Elsewhere, cross-category retailer Marks & Spencer’s “see-now, buy-now” runway debut, and Barbour’s first on-schedule event at the Saatchi Gallery, have set the stage for a thoroughly British weekend. Among the smaller and midweight labels, Chopova Lowena , Erdem , Ashley Williams, Natasha Zinko, Keburia, Emilia Wickstead, Harris Reed , Knwls , Ahluwalia, Roksanda , and Richard Quinn will hold the fort, while fresher talents such as Aaron Esh — AllSaints’s new creative director — and Paolo Carzana promise standout shows.
Fashion magpies should also look out for new BFC NewGen sponsorees Petra Fagerström , Francesca Lake, and Gui Rosa. Sweden’s Fagerström — a recent Central Saint Martins (CSM) MA graduate and LVMH Prize 2026 finalist — will be debuting on the runway, while Lake and Rosa are doing presentations.
Additionally, a batch of returning NewGen (2026-2027) fund recipients — including Liza Keane, Octi, Charlie Constantinou, Pauline Dujancourt , Ewusie, Johanna Parv, A Letter, Oscar Ouyang, Steve O Smith, The Ouze, and Yaku — will share their latest collections. Plus, talent incubator program Fashion East, which receives continued investment from the BFC, is a perennial highlight, featuring returning designers Jacek Gleba and Traiceline Pratt’s Goyagoma…