London Fashion Week September 2025: The Designers Putting British Fashion Back on Top

London Fashion Week September 2025 arrived with something to prove. Running from 18–22 September, the SS26 shows felt less like a routine season and more like a reset for a city that has battled Brexit fallout, rising costs and a talent drain to Paris.

Under new British Fashion Council chief executive Laura Weir, the schedule leaned into what London does best: risk-taking design, new names and a strong message about sustainability and inclusivity. This edition also followed the decision to ban exotic animal skins on the LFW runways, reinforcing the city’s move toward more ethical collections.

For Niche readers, here’s how London Fashion Week September 2025 set the tone for the new season.

A reset season for London

The mood around town was noticeably more optimistic. The British Fashion Council scrapped listing fees for designers, lowering the barrier to entry and encouraging a broader mix of young labels and established houses to show in the capital.

Government support for the industry also increased, with London framed again as a creative engine and export opportunity rather than a niche scene. That translated into packed front rows, international buyers back in the city and a programme that spilled beyond the official tents into galleries, clubs and pop-up spaces across the East End and Soho.

Runway highlights: four SS26 shows to know

Simone Rocha: romantic rebellion

Simone Rocha doubled down on her signature mix of fragility and strength. Her SS26 collection explored awkward girlhood and performance – think pearl-encrusted details, sheer organza and sculptural silhouettes that looked part ballerina, part armour.

For the season ahead, expect Niche’s fashion crowd to borrow from her styling: heavy embellishment against bare skin, tough boots with princess-adjacent dresses, and jewellery worn almost like protective gear.

Erdem: high drama with a historical twist

Marking his label’s 20th anniversary, Erdem Moralıoğlu turned to the world of 19th-century spiritualist Hélène Smith for inspiration, translating her visions into gowns that felt like costume and couture at once.

Structured bodices, sweeping skirts and rich prints made this one of the week’s most cinematic shows – a reminder that London still delivers pure fashion fantasy when it wants to.

Roksanda: sculptural elegance

Roksanda Ilinčić continued her exploration of architecture in motion. Fluid dresses with bold colour blocking and carefully engineered volume moved like wearable sculptures down the runway.

Her pieces felt designed for the woman who moves between gallery openings, boardrooms and red carpets – exactly the Niche reader’s universe. Tailored coats with soft shoulders and cape-like backs are likely to be the key investment pieces from this collection.

Ahluwalia & the new guard

Among the younger names, Ahluwalia stood out with a show that fused Bollywood colour, London streetwear and upcycled materials. Sustainable denim, graphic knits and sharply cut tailoring proved that circular fashion can still feel aspirational.

Other buzzy labels included Chopova Lowena – bringing their punk-meets-folk pleated skirts back to the runway – and Johanna Parv, whose technical outerwear is designed around the realities of city commuting.

Street style: British fashion’s real runway

Outside the shows, London’s SS26 look was clear:

• Gender-fluid tailoring – oversized blazers, waistcoats and wide-leg trousers were worn by every gender, often styled with sheer tops or lingerie-inspired layers.

• Club-ready details – reflective fabrics, metallic leather and rave-coded accessories nodded to the city’s nightlife culture.

• Upcycled and vintage pieces – from reworked trench coats to deadstock denim, guests embraced the same sustainability message seen on the catwalks.

The overall effect? Less polished than Paris, but more personal – exactly why street style from London still drives social media moodboards worldwide.

Sustainability, ethics and the LFW ban

London Fashion Week’s earlier move to ban exotic animal skins – on top of most major labels already dropping fur – continued to shape the conversation this season.

Designers responded with:

• Plant-based and recycled materials in accessories and outerwear.

• Repair, rework and rental activations around the city, encouraging guests to think about the lifespan of their clothes.

• Transparent storytelling in show notes, where brands detailed carbon footprints, sourcing and social impact projects.

For UK consumers who care about ethics but still want drama, London is positioning itself as the fashion week where you can have both.

Why London Fashion Week September 2025 matters

With Paris still considered the luxury powerhouse, London Fashion Week September 2025 was about proving that the UK remains a serious player – creatively and commercially.

• The mix of heavyweight names (Burberry, Erdem, Roksanda, Simone Rocha) and disruptive independents (Ahluwalia, Chopova Lowena, Johanna Parv) showed that the pipeline of talent is intact.

• Government backing and BFC reforms signalled that the industry is being treated as part of the UK’s cultural and economic strategy, not an afterthought.

• The sustainability and animal-free stance gives London a moral edge at a time when conscious luxury is more important than ever.