McQueen and Mulberry make their return to London Fashion Week in 2026
Five designers, two long-awaited comebacks and a city that never stops reinventing itself: London Fashion Week spring/summer 2027 is shaping up to be one of the most consequential seasons in years. Between the return of storied houses and the rise of emerging talent, the London calendar is offering a rare creative density this season.
The comebacks reshaping London Fashion Week
The strongest signal of the season comes from McQueen. For the first time since Sean McGirr’s appointment in 2024, and after more than two decades away, the house is officially rejoining the London Fashion Week calendar. Under former creative director Sarah Burton, McQueen had limited itself to occasional presentations in the British capital without ever firmly anchoring its schedule there. McGirr, by contrast, appears intent on breaking with that Parisian logic and reconnecting with the house’s London roots on a lasting basis.
In a statement, the designer said that London has always been at the heart of McQueen, pointing to the city’s visceral energy and its deep ties to the house’s history. This return is therefore not simply a change of scenery: it reflects a genuine desire to embed the label within the creative community that shaped its identity.
Mulberry, meanwhile, is making an equally significant pivot. Christopher Kane, whose closure of his eponymous line in 2023 dealt a serious blow to the London scene, is returning as the British house’s creative director. His appointment in March follows six years of in-house design work at Mulberry, giving him an intimate knowledge of the brand. His instantly recognisable aesthetic, which blends fluorescent neons, rubber and gingham, should inject fresh energy into this heritage label.
The new generation keeping London Fashion Week on its toes
Alongside these institutional comebacks, several emerging designers are cementing their place on the London scene. Aaron Esh, a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2023, has established himself as one of the most closely watched names of the moment. His approach fuses the precision of Savile Row tailoring with the raw energy of British subculture. He arrives this season with a dual status: that of a recognised independent designer and that of creative director of AllSaints, a role he has just stepped into with a debut collection to show for it.
Petra Fagerström, a Central Saint Martins graduate, is presenting her very first runway show. A finalist for the 2026 LVMH Prize, the Swedish designer works with contrasts between the digital and the handmade, notably through hand-sewn lenticular pleating techniques that create optical illusion effects. This debut show marks a decisive step in a trajectory that has already attracted considerable attention.
- McQueen rejoins the official London Fashion Week calendar for the first time in more than two decades.
- Christopher Kane takes over as creative director of Mulberry following the closure of his own label in 2023.
- Aaron Esh, a 2023 LVMH Prize finalist, is balancing his own label with his new role at AllSaints.
- Petra Fagerström, a 2026 LVMH Prize finalist, is debuting her first runway show with lenticular pleating techniques.
- Talia Byre is broadening her audience through pieces worn by Harry Styles and Gracie Abrams.
Talia Byre, from London’s inner circle to celebrity wardrobes
Talia Lipkin-Connor, who designs under the name Talia Byre, has crossed a threshold this season. Her colourful, wearable designs, which strike a careful balance between a touch of originality and a great deal of practicality, have won over figures including Harry Styles and Gracie Abrams. Abrams wore a piece by the designer on the cover of her album Daughter from Hell: a rugby-shirt, bralette and legging set in purple and red bias stripes, finished with a fringed floral brooch.
This move from London’s cool inner circle to celebrity wardrobes neatly captures Byre’s trajectory: a designer building her reputation on the strength of her pieces alone, without sacrificing wearability for originality. For those watching London Fashion Week, it is precisely this kind of profile that keeps the British scene so alive.
What this season says about London
London Fashion Week spring/summer 2027 maps out a scene in motion. On one side, heritage houses seeking to re-root themselves in their home city or to reinvent themselves through a fresh perspective. On the other, a generation of designers trained at the world’s best schools, recognised by international bodies such as the LVMH Prize, and building immediately distinctive creative universes. Far from pulling in opposite directions, these two dynamics reinforce one another, making this edition one to watch closely for anyone with an interest in contemporary British fashion.
