London Fashion Week is back, and is celebrating 40 years in the industry. It may be the youngest of the big four fashion weeks, but it has produced a treasure trove of talent since its inception.
The first London Fashion Week featured 15 catwalk shows presented in the Commonwealth Institute’s car park in Kensington. Among the designers showing were Vivienne Westwood, David Fielden, Ghost and Betty Jackson. Also taking part that year was the recent Central Saint Martins graduate John Galliano who presented his graduate collection ‘Les Incroyables’ – a collection that was inspired by the French Revolution and the new romantic movement sweeping London’s club scene. The collection was an immediate success and in just one year, London Fashion Week had launched the career of one Britains most important designers.
This week, designers will showcase their latest collections for Spring Summer 2025. While there are a few regulars missing from the schedule, including Supriya Lele and Molly Goddard, there are plenty of exciting brands to keep an eye out for. Burberry’s Daniel Lee will present his fourth runway show on Monday 16th September for the brand and 2022 LVMH Prize winner SS Daley will present his first womenswear show. 16Arlington, Chopova Lowena, Erdem, KNWLS, Richard Quinn, Roksanda and Simone Rocha are also showing on-schedule.
Here is your roundup of the best collections from London Fashion Week…
Erdem
For Spring Summer 25, Erdem explores the push and pull of masculine and feminine dressing and identity. The collection references ‘The Well of Loneliness’ by Radclyffe Hall that tells the story of Stephen Gordon, a woman living as a man, and her relationship with Mary Llewellyn. The novel, published in 1928, explores the boundaries of gender, self-expression and love.
For the collection, the parameters of menswear and womenswear are blurred and juxtaposed. Masculine suits appear in dusky pink and pistachio. Tailoring merges with drop-waisted silhouettes of the 1920s. Slouchy men’s cardigans and blazers are worn over tea dresses. Cyanotype prints of flapper dresses on loosely structured garments are heavily embellished with jewels. The queer emblem of the carnation appears in different guises, both subtle and over-sized.
Images Courtesy of Erdem
S.S. Daley
What a way to kick off fashion week! Liverpool-born designer Steven Stokey-Daley showcased his debut womenswear collection at London’s Royal Academy. Attended by Harry Styles and Emma Corin, the show was concise with only 24 looks, proving that quality really does outweigh quantity. Antiquated blazers opened the show featuring intricate floral embroidery, slightly exposed shirt collars, and crotchet socks. Hand-beaded skirts that gave a pixellated effect followed and quickly became one of the many standout pieces of the collection.
Images Courtesy of S.S.Daley
More Fashion Week:
New York Fashion Week SS25 Highlights
Highlights From Copenhagen Fashion Week SS25
SS24 Runway Looks You Can Replicate
Richard Quinn
Quiet luxury? Richard Quinn doesn’t know her. For spring 2025, the designer was inspired by the old-school idea of dressing for an occasion with pieces that were “designed with the most meaningful moments of our lives in mind…the clothes are to be inextricably linked with the time, place and memory of the wearing.”
His signature 40s and 50s-style silhouettes were seen throughout in gown that were also adorned with rosettes, bows, sequins, or feathers. Opera gloves were a key accessory which only added to the dramatic, maximalist collection.
Images Courtesy of Richard Quinn
Nensi Dojaka
Nensi Dojaka made her highly anticipated return to London Fashion Week for Spring Summer 2025 as well as showcased her collaboration with Calvin Klein. Ruffled bralettes, form-fitting cuts and lots of tulle were back for this collection – all elements we have come to know and love about Dojaka’s designs.
As for her collaboration with Calvin Klein – it just makes sense. Both are highly-sexy brands, know for celebrating “the power of female sensuality.” Hopefully, this collaboration will help to spearhead Dojaka to make her designers even more widely recognised. The collection, is already available to purchase) via Calvin Klein and Nensi Dojaka’s websites.
Images Courtesy of Nensi Dojaka