Is London Fashion Week standing at crossroads this F/W 25 season?

Following the nine-day interlude post NYFW, the industry was poised to re-engage with London’s distinct blend of homegrown talent and heritage brands. As the week unfolded, the most compelling runway moments came with Florence Pugh’s opening monologue at Harris Reed’s show and the dissection of this season’s aesthetics with a seemingly slimmer schedule. 

This season saw several designers strategically adopting an annual showcase over a biannual presence with the standard Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter appearances—reflecting a shift towards a more deliberate brand storytelling and experience. Labels such as Chopova Lowena and Knwls opted to return for the next season in September, aligning with this evolving approach. Instead of traditional runway shows, London Fashion Week regulars JW Anderson, Ahluwalia, 16Arlington, Aaron Esh, and Feben chose more intimate formats like hosting exclusive dinners to engage their audiences through curated, experiential moments.
 

With fashion week content primarily consumed online, designers are no longer reliant on physical runways to generate press and attract buyers—a big reason why fashion weeks take place. Private previews, digital releases, and experiential events allow for more personalised interactions with key industry players. Major brands like Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga have set a precedent by shifting to off-calendar, highly exclusive presentations. This model is now trickling down to premium brands looking to differentiate themselves within an increasingly crowded landscape.

Despite a more distilled lineup, the week delivered a rich mix of narratives. The season opened with collections from S.S. Daley, Dilara Findikoglu, with a snowy Richard Quinn runway on Friday last week, setting the tone with a dynamic mix of heritage craftsmanship and avant-garde subversion. Established brit favourites like Burberry, Emilia Wickstead, Simone Rocha, and Erdem also followed, reinforcing London’s legacy as a hub for both refined elegance and conceptual edge through their details. 

The countryside holiday 

We love London’s deep-rooted romance with the countryside that has long influenced its cultural and sartorial landscape—a sentiment echoed across multiple collections this season. Burberry’s Daniel Lee paid homage to pastoral escapism, weaving elements of rural charm into his 2025 collection. It was a nod to the enduring appeal of weekend retreats beyond the city’s bustle and a touch of that papped glam seen with the star studded FROW and model lineup. 

 

This dialogue between nature and artistry was further explored by S S Daley’s Steven Stokey-Daley, who found inspiration in the Scottish Colourists—a group of 1920s painters renowned for their bold, expressive use of colour. The result was a fusion of historical artistry and contemporary craftsmanship, proving that London’s fascination with the pastoral is as much about aesthetic reinvention as it is about nostalgia on the background score of the Pet Shop Boys. 

Artistic revivals 

London’s stalwart designers—Roksanda, Simone Rocha, and Erdem—remained steadfast in their distinct creative signatures, delivering collections that felt deeply rooted in their brand identities. Roksanda drew inspiration from the late British visual artist Phyllida Barlow, embracing unexpected colour pairings like copper brown and blue, alongside vivid, painterly prints that echoed Barlow’s artsy approach to form and tinsel texture.

 

Similarly, art has always been a cornerstone of Erdem’s design language, and this season was no exception. The designer collaborated with painter Kaye Donachie, known for her ethereal figurative works, translating her hand-drawn illustrations onto delicate, gauzy fabrics. The effect was mesmerising—models drifting down the runway like living watercolor paintings, seamlessly merging fashion with fine art.

Winter wonderland

Stepping in from the relentless London rain, those who attended Richard Quinn’s show found themselves transported to a familiar yet romanticised vision of the city. In true theatrical fashion, the designer recreated a cinematic streetscape, complete with powdery snow, vintage street lamps, and the stately facades of chic townhouses. Dubbed a ‘love letter’ to the capital, the immersive setting set the stage for a collection steeped in nostalgia and drama. Models padded down the snow-strewn runway in floral capes, opera gloves and old hollywood crystal-lace gowns.

 

Mithridate’s runway was a masterclass in juxtaposition and the art of layering—perfectly suited for the modern hustler navigating the holiday season with effortless sophistication. For women, delicate, feminine silhouettes peeked out from beneath oversized blazers and sweeping coats, paired with monogrammed fluffy knits that balanced comfort with polish. Menswear embraced a relaxed yet refined aesthetic, featuring wide-leg trousers teamed with untucked Oxford shirts, layered under pastel-hued cable knits and finished with sleek leather jackets. The collection seamlessly fused practicality with statement-making style—ideal for those moving between festive soirées, winter travels, and city hustle without missing a beat.

New private formats

The rise of private formats during London Fashion Week reflects a broader shift in how designers engage with audiences and present their collections. Hosting private dinners, intimate presentations, or digital showcases allows brands to cultivate a sense of exclusivity, aligning with the luxury sector’s growing emphasis on tailored, high-touch experiences. This may also allow them to allocate resources more strategically across design, production, and marketing.

 

Although LFW celebrated their 40th anniversary last season, ultimately these alternative formats have signalled a broader evolution in fashion week structures, where visibility is no longer dictated solely by grand runway spectacles but by the depth and uniqueness of a brand’s storytelling approach.

Lead image credit: Getty Images

Also read: The new and old code of trends at the 2025 New York Fashion Week

Also read: Designer Priya Ahluwalia and photographer Nick Sethi talk about their creative process and the need to innovate