Alexander McQueen returns to London Fashion Week 25 years after Paris

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London Fashion Week 2026 has centered on major brand returns, headlined by Alexander McQueen’s move of its runway shows back to London after 25 years in Paris. The brand’s creative director, Seán McGirr, staged a homecoming collection that fused severe tailoring with dark romanticism, featuring elements such as devil horns, lace corsets, and chainmail skull dresses.

Mulberry also marked a significant revival with its first show in nine years. Christopher Kane presented his debut collection for the label, which centered on the brand’s Baywater bag. The lineup went heavy on leather, including coats, skirts, and loafers, signaling a robust push for the spring/summer 2027 season.

Laura Weir, CEO of the British Fashion Council, described the McQueen move as a significant moment for the industry. She stated that the team’s primary mission this season was to re-platform London Fashion Week not just as a home for British design, but as an engine for creativity and commercial growth.

Beyond the headline returns, industry insiders identified several defining trends for the upcoming season. Elektra Kotsoni, deputy director for Vogue Business and Vogue Runway, noted that the "messy girl" aesthetic has emerged as the number one trend. She described this look as a reaction against the "clean girl" and "quiet luxury" styles that dominated recent feeds. Kotsoni suggested that this deliberate chaos, characterized by undone tailoring and messy updos, reflects a sense of resilience and rebellion in a "quite messy" world.

Designers including Chopova Lowena, Sinead Gorey, and Conner Ives exemplified this trend by pairing pastel colors, dreamy florals, and tactile materials to create what Kotsoni termed "crazy styling." The approach favors unexpected clashes and a rejection of polished uniformity in favor of a more organic, undone appearance.

Another prominent trend is "gardening-core," a new evolution of the cottage-core looks that gained popularity after the pandemic. While previous iterations featured gingham and wicker bags, this season’s interpretation focuses on functional, outdoor-inspired silhouettes. Kotsoni noted that the trend includes aprons, waterproof materials, and trench coats, making designers appear fresh from planting seeds.

This "gardening" aesthetic was visible on the runways of Erdem, Yuhan Wang, and Bora Aksu. Kotsoni highlighted Loewe’s recent launch of a watering can-shaped handbag as a precursor to this runway shift. She explained that fashion often reflects global happenings, and designers have successfully translated a practical hobby like gardening into tangible, high-fashion presentations.

The final major trend identified is the "modern goddess" style. This aesthetic draws inspiration from film and history, characterized by free-spirited silhouettes, organic draping, trailing ribbons, and delicately hitched slip skirts. Designers such as Dujancourt have led the charge in this direction, offering a romantic and fluid counterpoint to the structured leather and utilitarian elements seen elsewhere on the runway.