London Fashion Week (LFW) has propelled forward the careers of fashion legends like Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham and the late Alexander McQueen.
While a lot of those designers have taken their collections elsewhere – presenting at the likes of Paris Fashion Week – fortunately there still remains plenty of exciting British and international designers at LFW’s 40th anniversary.
Out of the so-called ‘big four’ – alongside New York, Milan and Paris – London has a reputation for being youthful and innovative, and incredibly welcoming to up-and-coming designers who soon might become big players.
And the upcoming spring/summer 2025 season – taking place from September 12-17 – will showcase just how much talent is in the UK. With new designers to watch alongside stalwarts like Burberry and JW Anderson, here’s what you need to know about this London Fashion Week…
New names
The British Fashion Council’s Newgen initiative was set up in 1993 to support the best emerging fashion design talents, and this season’s lineup certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Seven new designers will surface thanks to the scheme, including Steve O Smith, Pauline Dujancourt, and Yaku Stapleton. Stapleton won the prestigious L’Oréal’s Professionnel Creative Award for his MA ‘costume design couture’ collection at Central Saint Martins in 2023, featuring reptilian puffer jackets and moon boots made from recycled pattern paper and bin scraps: perhaps a nod to the industry’s wasteful track record.
Standing Ground, Karoline Vitto and Johanna Parv are also all staging standalone shows on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of London Fashion Week.
London-based Brazilian designer Vitto made history at Milan Fashion Week last year, presenting her spring/summer 2024 collection with a full curve cast featuring model Ashley Graham: the show was supported by Dolce & Gabbana.
The Newgen catwalk is taking on a new location this season, moving from The Old Selfridges Hotel to its former home at 180 The Strand. This move echoes a reversion to tradition, as the event celebrates its 40th birthday.
Sustainability spotlight
This year, LFW has made a conscious effort to listen to its critics and become more sustainable. The event continues to implement its ban on fur – which isn’t in place in the likes of Milan and Paris – reflecting a stronger commitment to animal welfare policies and sustainability.
Many designers are integrating eco-friendly practices such as publishing bespoke sustainability targets, with the British Fashion Council pushing for adherence to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This shift is central to the collections and events for SS24, and it will be interesting to see whether labels fully adopt standards to match their style.
Old faithfuls
As exciting it is to see new names appear on the schedule, London is holding firm to a handful of of old British faithfuls – including Richard Quinn and Princess of Wales’ favoured labels, Erdem, Burberry and Roksanda.
Returning designers and missing names
Designer Nensi Dojaka – who won the 2021 LVMH prize – has been absent for the past two seasons, last showing a collection for the spring/summer 2024 show via lookbook. The Albanian-born fashion designer established her namesake label shortly after graduating from the prestigious MA course at Central Saint Martins in 2019, and her designs have been worn by the likes of Hailey Bieber, Emma Corrin and Olivia Rodrigo.
This season, Dojaka returns to the schedule in a big Saturday night slot, bringing her signature aesthetic of sheer styles and figure-hugging silhouettes back to London.
British-American designer Harris Reed – who also helms French fashion brand Nina Ricci – is also officially on the schedule for the first time, after making a name for himself with his legendary Thursday night shows over the past few years, featuring appearances from the likes of actor Florence Pugh and model Ashley Graham.
While they’re welcome additions, a few big names are missing – like Molly Goddard (known for her voluminous tulle designs) and Dilara Findikoglu.