Notorious for exhibiting some of the most outrageous fashion designs on the market, London Fashion Week, which ran Feb. 19-23, left spectators with much to be excited about.
Attention-grabbing headwear, novel outerwear and over-the-top trousers are a few of the standout trends set to take over our closets next season. Here’s what those in the know will be wearing come fall.
Taking cover
Emerging designer Charlie Constantinou looked to military uniforms of the past to inform his collection’s toppers.Jasmine Engel-Malone/Supplied
Outstanding outerwear was front and centre on the London runways. Designers had a field day with coats and jackets, creating moments of interest in wardrobe workhorses from tailored trench coats to flight jackets.
Emerging designer Charlie Constantinou looked to military uniforms of the past to inform the polished, distinctive silhouettes of his collection’s toppers. Storm flap details –pieces of fabric attached to a garment for additional protection – were in abundance, accentuating the shoulders and upper backs of sporty zip-ups and featuring on long and short coats with asymmetrical snap closures.
At Yuhan Ao’s presentation, an elegant duster coat had a line of peekaboo buttons along the back for maximum dramatic effect. Luscious, lightweight organza trenches and a coat with a split-tail detail resembling the style favoured by concert pianists were also on view.
Meanwhile, at Montreal-born designer Erdem Moralıoglu’s label Erdem, opera coats (one of the brand’s signatures) were electrifyingly eclectic. Made in collaboration with British outerwear brand Barbour, the voluminous pieces were patchworked with swaths of tartan and crystal-embellished jacquard.
Hats on
A feline-inspired bonnet by punk-forward label Chopova Lowena.Christina Fragkou/Supplied
Creative headwear choices abound for fall/winter 2026, from bold balaclavas to a host of fanciful hats featured in London-based Swedish designer Petra Fagerstrom’s presentation.
At Labrum London, local milliner Lucy Barlow crafted a range of punchy yet wearable toggle-topped toques. Two excellent animal-inspired examples of the trend were a feline-inspired bonnet by punk-forward label Chopova Lowena, and Vancouver-based designer Alex S. Yu’s whimsical take on the snood featuring a black scarf-hood combination adorned with long rabbit ears.
Flower power
Taiwanese creative Claudia Wang's outfits featured floral motifs.Claudia Wang/Supplied
A typical trope of warm-weather wares, florals and greenery cropped up in several collections, including that of London-based sustainability-focused designer Phoebe English. Her luscious pieces were rooted in representations of botanicals, with all-white ensembles festooned with fabric renditions of plants such as ferns and foxglove.
Taiwanese creative Claudia Wang added anthurium-shaped brooches and other floral motifs to outfits, while designer Pauline Dujancourt’s textured knits appeared from afar to be crafted from a wealth of blossoms.
Top bottoms
Leo Prothmann gave leather trousers a twist by belting them at the knee.Leo Prothmann/Supplied
Loud trousers were touted as the key investment piece of the season, and almost every show shored up the appeal of pants, skirts and shorts that make a statement.
Simone Rocha put prim grey pencil skirts on models of all genders in notable contrast to the confectionery-coloured tulle designs typically favoured by the brand.
At Marques’Almeida, founded by designers Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida, denim was dressed up with crystal and sequin embellishments. It was the same at Conner Ives, where jeans featured tiny gold tassels running down the legs.
Upstart label Yaku, helmed by London-based designer Yaku Stapleton, paraded an array of avant-garde slouchy trousers down the catwalk. And Leo Prothmann, another champion of exceptional outerwear, gave leather trousers a twist by belting them at the knee.
What a waist
Designer Yasuko Furuta fastened a selection of wide criss-crossed leather belts to models’ mid-sections.Emily White/Supplied
Belts and other hip- and waist-accentuating elements staked a claim for the most novel trend of the season, with Raw Mango – the New Delhi-based label that made its London Fashion Week debut this year – featuring a highly-textured bottle green cummerbund detail.
At Toga Archives, designer Yasuko Furuta fastened a selection of wide criss-crossed leather belts to models’ midsections. In addition to their innovative shapes, the belts were further brought to life by multicoloured sprays of bugle beads on top.