LFW SS26: A reset filled with milestones and debuts

London Fashion Week’s spring/summer 2026 season officially kicks off on Thursday, September 18, and is being billed as a bold reset to drive the “next British fashion era,” spotlighting emerging talent such as Oscar Ouyang and Joshua Ewusie, alongside fashion week stewards Burberry, Erdem and Richard Quinn.

This season marks the British Fashion Council’s new chief executive, Laura Weir’s first season in charge and will feature 18 percent more designers showing on-schedule, as LFW looks to implement “a designer-first approach” that is “ambitious, purposeful and rooted in the creative energy of London.”

While technically scheduled for five days, from September 18 to 22, London Fashion Week’s off-schedule events kick off tonight, September 17, with American fashion designer Jeff Garner bringing his sustainable fashion brand Prophetik to the iconic Tower of London to showcase his latest collection of plant-dye designs. The catwalk showcase coincides with the premiere of his new fashion documentary, ‘Let Them Be Naked’, exposing the hidden toxins in clothing.

Designers celebrating milestones this season

The SS26 season is also marking several milestone moments, from Roksanda celebrating her 20th anniversary to David Koma hosting an anniversary dinner for his 15th year in business, to Patrick McDowell hosting a catwalk show before celebrating his 30th birthday.

Talent incubator Fashion East, led by Lulu Kennedy, is also marking its 25th year with a line-up featuring Barcelona-born designer and recent Central Saint Martins MA graduate, Jacek Gleba, making his Fashion East debut, alongside fellow newcomer Mayhew, the eponymous label by UK-based designer Louis Mayhew, styled in collaboration with longtime creative partner Lara McGrath.

Fashion East will also be creating a London Fashion Week Hub, in partnership with Dazed and Nike, at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, including a retrospective exhibition, panel talks open to the public, and film screenings, designed to engage students, fashion enthusiasts and the wider creative community from September 20 to 21.

Other designers marking milestones include Taiwanese designer Jenn Lenn, returning to LFW to celebrate her 10th anniversary. Lee will be showcasing a collection inspired by the Eastern literary classic ‘Dream of the Red Chamber,’ exploring themes of fragility, nostalgia, and emotional intensity. Her presentation on September 21 promises to blend “fashion, performance, and technology into an unforgettable showcase”.

British fashion brand Rixo will also be hosting a presentation for its 10th anniversary and to showcase its SS26 collection, which will include designs featuring Liberty fabrics. The vintage-inspired label will also be celebrating with a limited-edition charity T-shirt to support War Child. The T-shirt comes in two colourways and was inspired by anti-war posters from the revolutionary 60s and 70s, as well as the distinctive illustration styles of artists like Picasso.

The SS26 presentation will also start a year-long programme of celebrations for Rixo and a branded bus outside the venue, which has been transformed into an exhibition charting the brand’s journey.

Debuts not to be missed

There are a number of newcomers to the LFW SS26 schedule, including Oscar Ouyang, an emerging designer who is redefining knitwear in menswear, who joins the NewGen line-up, alongside Joshua Ewusie’s eponymous label Ewusie, Aletta, Louther, and Liza Keane, as well as jewellery brands The Ouze and Octi.

There will also be catwalk and presentation debuts from Dreaming Eli, Kseniaschnaider, Kyle Ho, Lucia Safdie, Rory William Docherty and adaptive label Unhidden.

In addition, LFW will welcome Indian designer Anamika Khanna to the schedule to mark her inaugural appearance on the international catwalk circuit for her contemporary label AK|OK.

On joining the line-up, Khanna said in a statement: "London represents a fearless creative expression, a natural outcome of its rich cultural diversity. I cannot envision a more appropriate platform for AK|OK to meet the world."

Hungarian contemporary fashion brand Nanushka will also make its LFW debut with a catwalk showcase on September 22, featuring womenswear, menswear, and accessories. The Budapest-based label has previously showcased at New York Fashion Week and its local Budapest Central European Fashion Week.

Stepping away from the catwalk

While JW Anderson might be hosting a catwalk show this season for his signature label, the Northern Irish designer has instead decided to stage a "special evening event" in collaboration with the BFC on September 19 to celebrate the relaunch of the brand into a lifestyle label centred around “objects of elevated craftsmanship”.

Anderson is also collaborating with Google Pixel for the exclusive dinner to connect the “worlds of technology, creativity and fashion”. He will use Gemini on Pixel to bring to life product imagery through animated art to highlight the creativity of his ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ and tell the story of the brand’s new direction.

The BFC adds that the partnership aims to empower the future of British creativity in the age of AI, “equipping designers with the right tools and knowledge to embrace tech innovation during their creative process”.

London Fashion Week SS26 runs from September 18 to 22

Other highlights for SS26 include Patrick McDowell, this year’s winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, who will be unveiling his new brand identity as he repositions his namesake brand for “continued growth and creative exploration,” and BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund winner Conner Ives, who will also be returning to the catwalk.

Swedish fashion giant H&M will also return to the schedule with a “fresh and exciting runway format,” as it looks to continue to reinforce its “elevated design direction”.

Completing the on-schedule line-up includes Bora Aksu, Mithridate, Noon by Noor, Harri, Labrum London, Edeline Lee, Kent & Curwen, Talia Byre, Susan Fang, Malone Souliers, Ashish, Aaron Esh, Charlie Constantinou, Johanna Parv, Karoline Vitto, Kazna Asker, Lueder, Pauline Dujancourt, Steve O Smith, The Winter House, Tolu Coker, and Yaku.