Alright, darlings, gather round, because it’s that time of year again! London Fashion Week is sashaying into town from September 18-22, and honestly, can you just feel the sartorial electricity in the air? It’s like the whole city just collectively decided to trade in its joggers for something a little more… editorial.
So, what is this glorious spectacle, you ask? Well, as the name oh-so-cleverly suggests, it’s where the fashion industry’s best congregate to show off their latest creations. Think of it as a fancy parade, but with more ridiculously expensive outfits and fewer clowns. There’s a rather strong spotlight on British designers, which is terribly patriotic, isn’t it? And naturally, all the fashion journalists and those elusive “style icons” will be elbowing each other for a spot on the FROW (Front Row, for those not in the know, darling), ready to deliver their oh-so-important verdicts. Because, really, what’s a fashion show without someone whispering “meh” from behind oversized sunglasses?
Now, this particular LFW is quite the buzz, because the British Fashion Council has a new head honcho, Laura Weir. She’s been chatting with Qtrly Edition News naturally, saying her “core priority is to dial up London Fashion Week again.” Apparently, she thinks “sometimes we forget quite how wonderful it is.” Bless her heart. She’s aiming for a layer of fresh magnetism. Which, frankly, sounds a bit like something I’d try to sprinkle on a dull party to get the conversation flowing.
With New York Fashion Week all wrapped up like a chic present, it’s now London’s turn for the Spring/Summer 2026 shows. And, predictably, a veritable flood of models, actors, musicians, and it girls have already descended upon our fair capital. Thursday saw buzzy presentations from the likes of eBay, H&M, and Harris Reed. Friday gave us starry front rows at Daniel Fletcher’s Mithridate, Fashion East, and Labrum, with big names turning out for Completedworks and Ahluwalia on Saturday. We’re still holding our breath for Simone Rocha and Burberry. Oh, Burberry! They’ve commandeered the Prince and Princess of Wales’s private garden at Kensington Palace and are building a tent the size of a minor airport. Darling, if that doesn’t scream fashion, I don’t know what does!
But the real drama, my dears, isn’t on the catwalk; it’s in the boardroom. Laura Weir, our new BFC CEO, has a herculean task ahead. She’s trying to convince government ministers to embed fashion into trade deals, lure back famous brands from Milan and Paris, and discover the next generation of British talent. Apparently, Brexit hammered competitiveness, Covid destroyed supply chains, and the cost of living has shrunk demand. And government ministers? Well, they’ve told her straight out “your sector is not going to get more money, because there is no money.” Ouch. Meanwhile, Milan got a cool €250m stimulus package. Carlo Capasa (her counterpart in Milan) was on record saying, it’s nice but it’s not enough and I just thought, wow, Weir says. It certainly puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? Our fashion industry contributes a rather significant £68bn and supports over a million jobs, so fashion literally makes us look better as a nation!
While we’re all terribly excited, one can’t help but miss the likes of the true supermodels back in the day. I am sure Naomi Campbell will make an appearance to bring back some glamour, along with a cheeky nod to the current wannabes to show them this is how it’s done. Because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a bit of old-school fabulousness?
Burberry aside, some of the hottest tickets, like Dilara Findikoglu, have minimal name recognition outside the industry. And our dear Victoria Beckham? She moved her show to Paris three years ago. Weir, however, isn’t one for a guilt trip, bless her. But she’s got her sights on McQueen, currently showing in Paris, as a target. “I think the nation would celebrate the return of that brand to the city that inspired it,” she says. And honestly, she’s not wrong.
So, as London gears up for another spectacular fashion fête, let’s raise a glass (of champagne, naturally) to the designers, the models, the FROW, and the sheer audacity of it all. London’s already one of the world’s fashion capitals, and over the next few days, the city’s style credentials will hit new heights as the biggest names in fashion flock here for Fashion Week. It’s going to be fabulous, darling, simply fabulous.
