At London Fashion Week SS26, rebellion and romance reigned supreme. From shredded lace and pierced bustiers to neon plaid and sequined minis, the week was charged with a spirit both more democratic and more urgent—furthered by newly appointed British Fashion Council CEO Laura Weir’s decision to waive participation fees for emerging designers. Established names doubled down on their signatures, while rising talents seized the spotlight with unfiltered energy. We share the sharpest statements from the runway.

Dilara Findikoglu
A savage elegance was meticulously achieved as thrashed princesses clad in nude latex and white lace walked the runway, a departure from the designer’s typically darker palette. The collection, titled Cage of Innocence, explicitly played with the tension between purity and transgression as baby-doll ruffles clashed with horse-bit headpieces, silver spikes, and sheer corsetry. Despite starting over an hour late, the mood at the show was hypnotic, and her signature deconstructed, haunted-gothic aesthetic proved tantalizing.

Simone Rocha
For SS26, Rocha conjured a dreamy, rococo-esque ode to those awkward girlish years—post-childhood, pre-womanhood—studded with sequins and adorned with flowers. Inspired by Justine Kurland’s Girl Pictures, Rocha juxtaposed gentle notions of girlhood with defiant energy. Skewed crinolines and sequined bras slipped off-shoulder, while clear vinyl overlays distorted delicate silks and large satin florals appeared to sprout from waistbands. As a final flourish, the words “Sweet Dream” were stamped across models’ lips.

Chopova Lowena
An emo cheerleader is the mascot of our times. With clashing colors and textures, deliberate discord clicked in Slavic-folkloric pleated skirts and pierced bustier dresses. The show, Cheerlore, fused Bulgarian Karakachani costume references with American high-school sport uniforms. Pom-pom jackets, multi-layered pleated skirts, carabiner belts, football-jersey bras, and track pants strode to a soundtrack of death metal, cheer chants, and pulsing bass—spirit fingers, middle fingers.

Burberry
Daniel Lee closed LFW with Brit-punk on a dirt runway at Kensington Palace Gardens. Signature checked trenches, rugged denim, and sequined minis met combat boots, skinny scarves, and slouchy bags. Lee framed the collection as a British summer-festival fantasy—staged beneath a gabardine tent printed with clouded sky, with Elton John, Twiggy, and Skepta looking on from the front row.