London Fashion Week Proved It Still Sets the Global Agenda

"With major anniversaries, a surge in star power, and a renewed focus on cultural narrative, the city’s SS26 shows were a calculated reset for British fashion"

24 Sept, London —  This season, London Fashion Week had more to prove than usual. After the cancellation of the June menswear edition, all eyes were on new BFC CEO Laura Weir to see if she could reclaim the city's fashion authority. Her debut season proved decisive, bringing global attention back to London through strategic cultural programming and renewed brand participation.

The numbers told the story clearly: an 18% increase in designers showing on schedule, a mix of established names and emerging talent, with official London Fashion Week hashtags appearing on over 1.5 million Instagram posts and more than 43,000 TikTok videos.

"BFC CEO Laura Weir, Edward Enninful and Donna Karan at LFW. Credit: Getty Images"

"London showed up, and the world was watching," Weir said, capturing a week that marked the calculated reinvention of British fashion."

The week unfolded as a cultural convergence, with fashion positioned in dialogue with wider cultural spheres. H&M's return after seven years drew a crowd including the likes of Central Cee and Emily Ratajkowski, whilst Burberry closed at Kensington Palace with Elton John, Raye and an impromptu Ab Fab reunion.

Naomi Campbell embodied London's magnetic pull by opening Richard Quinn and closing Dilara Findikoglu. These appearances reflected Weir's recalibrated approach; from waiving show fees to investing in international guests, she created space for both designers and cultural figures to participate in the same conversation.

"Central Cee and Raye at Burberry’s SS26 finale at Kensington Palace. Credit: Getty Images"

The influence of TikTok on how audiences now encounter both music and fashion was palpable across the week, with many designers using live performance to give their shows an added dimension of cultural context. This was most evident in the week's major sonic moments; Lola Young performed her viral track at H&M's opener, Nigerian artist Obongjayar brought poetry and live instrumentation to the LABRUM LONDON show, and Skepta's garage-inspired soundtrack for MAINS grounded the collection in a specific London subculture.

Burberry's festival-style staging also explicitly celebrated this connection, proving that sound has become central to storytelling. This approach creates moments built not just for the runway, but for the digital ecosystems where collections now find their audience.

"Musician Lola Young, whose sound was part of the week's fabric. Photo by Getty"

This focus on rich, narrative-driven experiences extended beyond sound and into the season's core aesthetic. In the face of economic pressures, many designers opted for deeply personal collections over overt commercialism. Simone Rocha's intricate constructions and Ashley Williams's homage to everyday workers, for example, demonstrated how individual stories could offer a form of creative fortitude.

VIN + OMI SS26 explored sharp tailoring and deconstruction. Credit: MSA/Press

VIN + OMI SS26: distressed textures and surreal detail. Credit: MSA/Press

VIN + OMI SS26 opened with sculptural gowns and satire. Credit: MSA/Press

"VIN + OMI’s SS26 triptych stages satire, surrealism and sculptural drama, using recycled materials to push silhouette and spectacle. Credit: MSA/Press"

This resulted in a shared mystical undercurrent that appeared across runways, from the poignant meditations on death in Genaro Rivas's 'A Golden Shroud' to the sci-fi fantasies of Susan Fang. This mood was reflected on the streets, where a mix of tartan, punk plaids, and sculptural silhouettes demonstrated a public appetite for the week's creative propositions.

This focus on narrative also informed how designers engaged with heritage, from the personal to the institutional. The week was anchored by major public milestones, with Fashion East celebrating its 25th anniversary with a retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and Erdem marking two decades in business.

"Erdem SS26 runway paired tartan with dark romanticism. Credit: Erdem/Press"

On a more intimate scale, Patrick McDowell paid tribute to his Lancashire weaver grandmother, incorporating recordings of her voice into his soundtrack. This use of cultural and personal history was often staged in the city's iconic venues; Harri showed at the Barbican and Burberry claimed Kensington Palace, physically embedding their collections within London's cultural geography.

This dialogue between past and present extended to the question of the industry's future, where sustainability appeared as a structural principle. VIN + OMI's collaboration with King Charles III on textiles made from Sandringham plant waste literally wove royal heritage into a sustainable fabric, whilst eBay's second pre-loved fashion show reframed the archive as a forward-thinking resource. These approaches, once treated as secondary, now feel central to the identity of modern British design.

Models wait backstage at Ahluwalia SS26, which featured the brand's signature modern denim looks

A model backstage at the Ahluwalia presentation

"Backstage at Ahluwalia SS26 mixed denim tailoring with logo sportswear and bold prints. Credit: Getty Images"

After a fragmented previous season, this edition of London Fashion Week was a convincing argument for a new way forward. By embracing a more inclusive and culturally integrated model, the event proved its continued relevance.

Commercial challenges persist, but the week demonstrated that the British fashion industry thrives not in isolation, but when it is placed at the heart of the cultural conversation, once again helping to set the global agenda.