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They're just not making London Fashion Week like they used to.
The FW25/26 shows just wrapped across the pond, and it was a slimmer year than most. Cut to just four days of runways (half the number of Paris), LFW seems to have suffered from the luxury industry's overall slowdown. Burberry was the single heritage brand to carry the marquee, anchored by British mainstays like Erdem, Roksanda, Emilia Wickstead, and Simone Rocha. Though the floor has opened up to fashion newcomers, save for a few collections (Huishan Zhang had a stunning '60s-inspired show), we were left wanting a lot more.
In September, we declared Simone Rocha the resounding winner of LFW SS25, both because it was a truly beautiful collection and also the only thrilling show in a sea of drab. But not even our beloved Rocha could raise our heart rates for FW25/26. The Tortoise and the Hare-themed show didn't quite win the race with its heavy leather, padlock belts, and faux-fur bras. A far cry from her signature sophisticated whimsy.
The lack of big names has opened up space for smaller brands to shine. We were especially enthralled by Completedworks' performance-art production of a live shopping channel, in which actress Debi Mazar played the host on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It was campy and creative but also a tongue-in-cheek commentary on consumerism. “On a shopping channel, they’re often selling products that promise transformation. They thrive on layering value onto objects, whether it’s through an exaggerated description or add-on offers. There’s always a sense of urgency that makes the product feel like a must-have—which is something that pervades the whole fashion world, so it’s been fun to play with that,” Completedworks founder Anna Jewsbury told Vogue.
In a climate where luxury is becoming increasingly out of reach and superfluous, it makes sense to slow down. Perhaps LFW's decline is a sign of the times when designers are scaling back on flash, and shoppers are purchasing with more focused intention. With the two biggest Fashion Weeks to come, we'll be watching to see if London is a canary in the proverbial coal mine.
Above: Completedworks FW25/26 via Getty Images
