Passion of London Fashion Week SS/25; Know The Themes & Trends
By Jo Phillips
Fashion week in London finished officially yesterday as all the fashion glitterati make their way to Milan, what did London have to offer? really in the swing, here are some highlights for you of a handful of the shows, and you can start to think about what to wear for next Spring and Summer. See more in Passion of London Fashion Week SS/25; Know The Themes & Trends
If you ever wondered why fashion shows happen, it’s quite simple really. In a 12 to 16-minute presentation /show/ event etc the designer is telling the world, that these are my chosen colours, fabric, styling and overall silhouette. I.e they are telling press buyers and ultimately customers what they are putting forward in their way of fashion ideas for next season. After all the internationally renowned shows in New York, London, Milkand and Paris, journalists and buyers will look at the trends from across the shows to see what they believe we will all want to wear.
London is still the most influential in way of new approaches styles trends but is not about big bucks, but important to see where fashion may well be going in near future seasons. It is the home of new talent and the city that trendsetters look to.
So far we have seen several trends emerge, just from this town. New York played it safe (they often do) but London bought a cornucopia of ideas. There was underwear on show, sheer fabrics, both long and short lengths, lots and lots of dresses, and surface decoration, from big flowers to tiny ones as embellishments to gowns.
There were definitely elements of deconstruction on show, from the big labels to the new smaller ones. From raw edges to garments worn slanted or exaggeratedly low, twisted pocked and taught.
Water as a theme ran through many shows alongside mothers and female heroines. Pared back was there, but opulence took the stage with much in way of decoration from placement to accessories. But again there was a lot of flesh on show; whether it be deep V fronts or low exposed backs and flesh exposed via pulls, tuck and pull strings showing parts of the body not usually exposed.
Colour was very present and unashamed of showing off, lots and lots of soft spring-like tones, a smattering of jewel colours neutrals and patterns from flowers to check via heritage prints.
All in all, London did feel a little bit celebratory it raised its head above the parapet and called out look at me, I’m the birthday girl and it’s my party. After all, this is the second part of the 40th anniversary of London Fashion Week; Long may she ‘Show Off and Out’.
Patrick McDowell presents their SS25 collection inspired by the Queer British artist, Glyn Philpot. Illustrating the brand’s commitment to multi-disciplinary creativity, the collection bridges fashion, art and culture. Patrick McDowell’s appreciation for history saw them dive into the Tate archives to explore the letters written by Glyn Philpot to close friends and family, helping to establish the life behind the artist’s work. McDowell sought out Glyn Philpot’s remaining relatives to gain a personal insight into the life of the eminent artist and bring a sense of authenticity to the collection. After discovering the two contrasting lives Glyn experienced, one of society and status and one of queer identity and true expression, it became clear that the collection should celebrate and fuse both. This season’s collection aims to highlight the reality of many queer people living a dual existence.
This season’s show takes place at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, continuing Patrick McDowell’s partnership from AW24. The immersive runway experience features performances from emerging classical musicians, creating a dramatic atmosphere. The combined fashion show and performance celebrates the arts in the same way Glyn Philpot did in his artworks, depicting varying performing arts from opera to ballet to avant-garde performance.
Ever since one American housewife by the name of Timmie Jean Lindsey became the first person to receive silicone breast implants in the distant year of 1962, plastic is everywhere. True as this may be (for silicone is indeed a plastic polymer) the fact remains that the ‘plastic’ we all know and love to hate in ‘plastic surgery’ comes from the Greek plastikos (from plassein ‘to mould’) and refers to the medical practice’s purpose of, yes, moulding; forming, altering the physical appearance of, giving shape and novel structure to the body. It is our modern zeitgeist’s radical appropriation of this ‘moulding’, whereby antiquity’s mutilated burn victim has, in some telling turn of events, been replaced by the contemporary individual dissatisfied aesthetically with her/his/their own healthy body, that Natasha Zinko dissects in her SS25 collection.
Seeing the fourty-seven looks side-by-side in their deadpan clinical bleakness, one thing is apparent: this is a bolder, more cynical Zinko, edging her playful brand of optimism into newfound satirical territory. INSERT TITS HERE read blatant graphic prints on several pieces— see Look 20’s grey dress, jersey, short, complete with sketched-on lines and arrows to direct the surgeon’s scalpel— all the while, plastic TIT ‘implants’ of sorts are 3D-printed and INSERT-ed visibly into tiny bra tops, protruding from each cup, out to be seen by God and all. Same goes for BBLs (Brazilian Butt Lifts); these too are recreated as 3D-printed globules to be put proudly on display in place of pockets on the rears of skimpy jeans and denim short- skirts with waists lowered à la ‘00s.
Variations on the all-white medical attire (Look 7’s wide and open-collar nurse’s shirt, for instance, paired pristinely with white spacious skirt and kitten heels) contrast form-fitting streamlined patient’s gowns, featuring upturned stiffened collars, corporate-blue branding for something aptly called The Plastic ClinicTM, and post-op open backs adjustable with elongated straps for sex appeal throughout recovery.
Elsewhere, bizarre shapes upon distorted tracksuits— hoodies superposed on one other; trouser-legs attached to trousers-legs— inverted, hardened tank tops; mules lacking in symmetry with curving toes, and shrunken denim jackets worn alongside warped jeans with undulating seams all reference the horrors of botched surgeries-gone-wrong, as do office shirts and cargo-pants rendered uncannily translucent by a layer of liquid silicone. Underwear— in the form of Zinko’s favourite men’s boxer briefs— returns once more in increasingly abstract configurations, appearing here not only as bags and hoodie-pockets but also as a gathering of sheer, black organza outlines coming together to form an unlikely evening dress.
From this year onward, HU BING SELECTS will become a recurring feature at London Fashion Week, showcasing his keen eye for innovation and emerging talent.With a career spanning over 30 years in fashion, film, and television, Hu Bing is not only a cultural icon but also an advocate for young designers and fashion innovation. Leveraging his vast social media following, with over 13 million on Weibo and 5 million on Douyin, he is fixture on best-dressed lists and a regular guest at luxury events such as those hosted by Ferrari, Louis Vuiton, and Rolls-Royce, HuBing seamlessly blends personal style with his commitment to supporting fashion.
A London Debut to Remember For their London debut, CONSISTENCE, founded in 2015 by Tien Lu and FangFang, will present their first womenswear show “Useless but Fabulous.” This UK debut follows successful showcases in Milan, Paris, and Shanghai and is expected to be a key milestone in their presence.As a married couple, Tien Lu and Fang Fang collaborate closely, FangFang, as both a designer and muse. If a piece doesn’t resonate with her, it likely won’t make it into the final collection. Tailoring, a signature of CONSISTENCE, is central featuring horse hair canvas, a material traditionally used as an inner layer on the outside of garments as a tribute to craftsmanship
HU BING SELECTS Consistence
Love, Community, Connection, Empathy and Unity
SABIRAH is a sustainably conscious Demi Couture Modest-Wear brand founded by Stylist and Creative Director, Deborah Latouche.
“I was inspired by recent family events where I truly saw what it means for a community to come together and show LOVE, UNITY and EMPATHY at a time of need. It’s so special and something that the world needs right now. Our house was 9full of cards and sweet smelling flowers that reminded me of Monet’s beautiful
painterly scenes of the French Countryside” Latouche says.
Inspired by the floral displays peppered around her living room, the colour palette this season consists of sweet hues in light rose, mint, aqua, sage lemon meringue, coco and cream. Latouche has welcomed a Paisley Rainbow print into her collection this season re-introducing print for the first time since 2022. Pieces for the modern bride are also encapsulated in Lovingly Modest Collection 1.8, a nod to the more literal theme of love. End-of-life Italian silk, taffeta and striped
organza adorn structured cream gowns, jackets and capes exploring femininity and form.
In true SABIRAH style, finishings are immaculate and feature beading by London-based embroidery designer Jodie Ruffle. Clear and glitter cut crystals diffuse scattered light on shoulders of capelettes and the statement Bell Jacket. Crystals are meticulously placed on a fully embellished head-piece by Piers Atkinson.
Sabriah – Collection 1.8 Lovingly Modest at London Fashion Week SS25 in partnership with Schwarzkopf Pro. 13th Sept 2024 ©Olu Ogunshakin
Home Sweet Home is a collection that captures the richness of memory, migration, and the desire/search for belonging—a universal tribute to the homes we carry within us.
Echoes of belonging, the pull of distant memories, and a secure sense of self—Ahluwalia’s SS25 collection serves as an homage to the profound ties that bind us to our roots. Inspired by the stories of those who have traversed continents, the collection reflects on the emotional landscapes of migration, the lingering call of ancestral homes, and the delicate balance between past and present. Through this exploration, the designer reimagines the concept of home, intertwining personal history with artistic expression to create a collection that resonates with one’s deepest longings.
Blending traditional and contemporary influences, the evocative offering centres on the recognition of home as both a basic human right; a sanctuary offering physical and emotional comfort. For Creative Director Priya Ahluwalia, a transformative trip to Jamaica prompted a reflective examination of her Indian-Nigerian heritage and family home upon her return. Moved by a woman in her ‘80s, whose abode, crafted by her late husband and filled with memories, left a profound impact, Priya’s reflections were further shaped by her Nana’s enduring emotional pull to India, despite living in England for over 50 years.
Influenced by the work of Peruvian artist and writer Jorge Eielson, much of the collection’s pieces feature panelled fabrics which have been drawn, knotted, pleated and pulled across the body, signifying the
emotional and physical pull of home that individuals experience as they navigate the world. Infusing Home Sweet Home with the nostalgic comfort of fluffy viscose yarn, SS25 offers a unique collection of pieces that intertwine personal history with innovative design.
Indeed, tailored suits crafted from deadstock Chloe fabric merge refined elegance with the brand’s commitment to sustainability, while embellished two-piece woven dresses introduce layers of intricate texture and depth. Tile and checkerboard patterns on jersey dresses add a fresh dynamic to classic
silhouettes; viscose dresses cascade with effortless grace. Meanwhile, the collection’s knits and tank tops deliver a playful nod to vibrant gradients and textured effects.
Elevating the narrative, new print designs—including floral and leaf motifs inspired by the wallpaper in Priya’s grandparents’ first home in the UK—infuse the range with personal history. Dresses are
distinguished by a unique lace-up detail along the open seam, while tops crafted from vintage doilies are adorned with beading. On the men’s side, the line features matching two-piece sets with home-inspired patterns, enriched by vertical stripes and tile and checkerboard motifs. The tactile allure of raffia in knit, woven, and jersey styles introduces visual and material variety, while beaded wigs and embellishments on evening shirts, tailoring, and asymmetrical draped tops evoke the traditional wooden curtains found in Nigerian doorways.
Shades of ecru, terracotta, amber, and browns draw from the earth and natural material; dusty pinks, bright khaki, sky blues, and blacks provide further balance, bringing a sense of tranquillity and grounding. Ombre effects and finishes add sophistication to the range, creating a collection that is both visually rich and reminiscent of the brand’s continued dedication to weaving together personal and cultural stories.
This Chet Lo SS25 collection, pays homage to a remarkable woman, Mai-Wah Cheung, and her extraordinary journey from pioneering the field of computer sciences to becoming a force in digital media, and eventually, an artist and educator. This collection commemorates my mother.
Mai-Wah Cheung’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and transformation. Beginning her career as one of the first women in Computer Sciences, she broke through the barriers of a male-dominated industry, paving the way for future generations. Her expertise in the digital realm led her to become the Chief Information Officer at Univision, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the future of news networks. Following her corporate success, she embarked on a new path, dedicating herself to teaching and painting.
“Mai’s Blossoms” captures this multifaceted journey through a unique interplay of strength and delicacy, mirroring the evolution of her personal and professional life. The collection draws on the structural elements of her powerful office wardrobe, reimagining them with a modern twist. Expect to see silhouettes that are both sharp and fluid, representing the dualities that defined her career and her life.
Key motifs include the “glitch” pattern, inspired by her digital expertise, which appears in both textural and printed forms, juxtaposed with a contemporary take on plaid. These elements symbolize the convergence of strength and vulnerability, with glitch patterns reflecting the digital precision of her earlier career, and plaid representing the structured elegance she often wore. This collection also introduces playful fruit motifs inspired by the delicate artworks she creates in her current life as a painter. These fruits not only reference her newfound passion but also serve as a metaphor for her transformation and the ephemerality of memories.
The palette transitions from deep, authoritative tones to lighter, more serene hues, echoing her journey from the high-powered world of technology to the calm of the art studio. Textures play a crucial role, with fabrics that range from structured and resilient to soft and flowing, capturing the essence of both her strength and her vulnerability.
Young people wearing old clothes.
Old people wanting to look eternally youthful.
Herein lies a delicate harmony that speaks to the instincts and impulses of Aaron Esh.
A low-octane sense of glamour permeates each look, from the exaggerated demi-tinted sunglasses – evocative of both Old Hollywood airport arrivals and morning-after London commutes – to bombshell silk and velvet dresses, fastened by bias binding or herringbone twill tape. Suggestions of formalwear are whispered throughout, a reflection of a generational predilection for vintage: the satin stripes of tuxedo trousers isolated as graphical outlines on backless halter-necks; jackets finished with satin-covered buttons and bugle-bead collars glistening beneath the décolleté.
The lexicon of 1930s couture and Savile Row tailoring – both institutional zeniths of dressmaking for women and men – are reconfigured for a generation more comfortable in denim and jersey. Precision-cut blazers in cross-grain satin, hand-stitched with layers of horsehair canvas – fitted countless times for months to achieve narrow shoulders, darted sleeves and subtly peplumed hips – are meticulously sharp, while sumptuously high-piled velvet is masterfully cut on the bias to achieve a molten softness, sensually mapping the geography of a woman’s body.
Every seam and razor-sharp finish is carefully considered as a gestural ode to the way that Londoners wear clothes, hands anxiously placed in pockets of trousers and jackets that are sometimes slouchy, sometimes shrunken. Just as in nineteenth-century Decadence, the obvious refinement belies an unprecious energy, hence the seams of silk blouses are frayed like embers of a flame and trailing hems are purposefully left unfinished.
Chevron-panelled biker leathers with concealed pockets, cashmere-supple bamboo jersey polos and tanks edged in ribbon seams, cigarette-cut denim treated with wax resin and ink, imprinting them with the sentimental warmth of your favourite decade-old jeans. High-waisted sailor pants, an oiled-leather cocoon coat, and worn-in pumps sourced on the second-hand market speak to the thrill of the thrift, of scrolling through resale platforms and trawling Portobello on Friday mornings for distressed classics.
The palette borrows from London’s skyline on its dreariest of days, a spectrum of concrete greys extending to the mink-coloured silk linings, occasionally interrupted by jewel-tone velvet akin to the nocturnal glow of neons reflected in glistening asphalt. Texture, opacity, and weight are just as much a part of the hues, informed by grisaille, a Renaissance painting technique whereby a picture is executed entirely in shades of grey to create the illusion of sculpture.
For a generation entering adulthood, breaking free from the playground connotations of London’s always-emerging reputation, there is a worldly sophistication to this collection. At its heart, this is a collection that speaks to the emotional hinterlands of London and its unparalleled attitude. Of growing up, dreaming big, and making something out of nothing.
Seeking harmony in the malleable and the tactile, Spring/Summer 2025 proposes a dreamlike blurring of the distinctions between the intractable and the unyielding, the frozen and the flowing. Across earrings, necklaces and rings, formal possibilities are usurped and juxtaposed: the rigid flows with the lightness of fabric, the adamantine becomes seemingly effervescent. From this point the collection shifts to grid-like pieces in a motif previously unexplored by Completedworks.
In a continuing expansion of the jewellery context through narrative association, creative director Anna Jewsbury once again commissioned an original work by author Fatima Farheen Mirza for the SS25 show entitled ‘A Stone is a Small Mountain” performed live at Gordon Square Park in Bloomsbury, London.
“When Anna approached me to write another piece for Completedworks, I’d just visited the Camille Claudel exhibit at the Getty and was haunted by her story. I knew I wanted to expand on last season’s monologue and write a micro play. The play that has emerged is about an art historian and biographer named Aliza, working on a book about Camille Claudel. I was interested in exploring the challenges women– and in particular, female artists– face and the echoes of their story across time. As well as the way they find freedom through mischief and play.” -Fatima Farheen Mirza
Yuhan Wang “In me the tiger sniffs the rose,” Siegfried Sassoon.
For Spring Summer 2025, Yuhan Wang unveils “The Rose Fist,” a collection that continues her tribute to the spirit of women. This season, she looked to trailblazing female fighters who made their mark on the world of boxing—Alaia Ali, Barbara Butterick, Bridget Riley, and Jane Couch, to be exact. These formidable figures didn’t just break barriers in a male-dominated arena; they reshaped culture and redefined empowerment on their own terms.
The collection balances strength with softness, featuring athletic leotards, biker shorts, and tank tops cut from sensuous Chantilly lace, paired with swinging skirts reminiscent of ballerina tutus. Silk tops with voluminous shoulder pads, some adorned with lace trains and 3D floral motifs, echo the protective gear of the ring. Meanwhile, waist-cinching corsets, decorated with ribbons and hand-drawn numbers reminiscent of competitive sports gear, add a twist of playful femininity—a Yuhan Wang classic. Boxing shorts, naturally, make their appearance in leather, silk, and lace. Completing the looks, boxing gloves—meticulously crafted from silk or butter-soft leather—underscore the harmony of power and elegance.
Drawing inspiration from the Fighting Cholitas—a group of female wrestlers who perform in El Alto, Bolivia—there are voluminous skirts with low-slung, exaggerated panniers in lace and nylon. Repurposed fabric off-cuts from dead stock are reconstructed into form-fitting slip dresses and mini skirts. As for the footwear, Dainty 19th century-inspired court shoes, another Yuhan Wang mainstay, take an athletic turn with block colour panels and mesh inserts.
It’s about embodying a duality: celebrating fierce determination intertwined with delicate femininity. The collection marries the audacious spirit of female fighters with Yuhan Wang’s romanticism, offering a vision of womanhood that is both resilient and graceful.
London Fashion Week SS25 – 13th Sept 2024 – Yuhan Wang – The Rose Fist – ©Olu Ogunshakin / Chris Yates Media
For Spring Summer 25 Dreaming Eli returns to Sicily to delve into the rich mythology steeped in her native enchanted island, drawing inspiration from the Greek myth of Scylla and Charybdis, two monsters that inhabited opposite sides of the Strait of Messina, the channel of water separating Italy from Sicily.
The collection gets its inspiration particularly from the figures of Scylla, described in the Odyssey Homer as a supernatural female creature, with 12 feet and 6 heads on long snaky necks, each head having a triple row of sharklike teeth, while her loins were girdled by the heads of baying dogs. From her lair in a cave, she would devour whatever ventured within reach, including six of Odysseus’s companions.
Dreaming Eli focuses her attention on the villainised character to give her back her humanity and softness. Monster and human, repulsive and beautiful, hard and soft; the sea-monster Scylla is characterized by a duality that first and foremost manifests itself in her physical hybridity. Through the exploration of this duality, Dreaming Eli’s aim is to give her muse the power to reclaim the narration around her own sexuality and fertility.
The references to the underwater are translated into the textiles with subtle powder blue making its entrance for the first time alongside shades of creams and champagnes to embrace the inside of an oyster, fading from one to the other and intermingling strong contrast visible in the ombré effect present, accentuated by the rich beading, encrusted fresh water pearls in white, pinks and blacks almost like shells growing one over the other. Distressed gauzes are embossed onto corsets and dresses, crawling up the body like sea moss on rocks and like waves on the sea the fabric travels up the models legs creating mermaid trousers and skirts. The fine Chantilly lace’s flowers are carefully cut out and blending into the skin, giving it a delicate texture, reminding of mermaid flesh.
Spring Summer 25 explores signature Dreaming Eli corsetry, vintage corsetry elements, such as crinolines, fan laces, busks and suspenders bring structure to the organic textures. The iconic Dreaming Eli triple corset is here deconstructed and developed in new intricate designs. The art of draping and layering makes each piece unique and one of a kind promoting Dreaming Eli ethos of handmade production, which alongside the continuation of exploration of upcycled denim which for the season is cut out and enriched with the delicate lace.
Bora Aksu, SS25 is the culmination of a life dedicated to the elevation of feminine beauty, a celebration of life in memory of his late mother. SS25 is a joyful elegy written in their shared passion for style and grounded in the profound love and admiration that Birsen Aksu continues to inspire in her son. The collection journeys through the amalgam of Aksu’s Turkish heritage and his mother’s relentless pursuit of style and beauty. The tapestry of Birsen Aksu’s life, and its impact on Bora, come to fruition through intricate weaving and the playful femininity that have become synonymous with his designs. Lush silhouettes and diaphanous fabrics partner with subdued explosions of colour to create pieces that retain Aksu’s signature demi-couture tailoring while allowing for the introduction of bold new elements that elevate the collection as a whole.
This season is a captivating homage to Aksu’s late mother, reflecting on the authenticity of her life and style. Drawing inspiration from his mother’s life, Bora weaves her style, character and uniqueness into a tapestry of craft. The inspiration for this collection is best summarised by Aksu himself:
“My whole identity as a designer comes via my mother. Growing up watching her elegance and style as well as her strength as an independent woman instilled in me a deep reverence for femininity and a love for the process of creation, to this day she is my greatest source of inspiration.” – Bora Aksu
Bora’s mother balanced life as a mother and paediatrician all while pursuing her love for design. Living in Turkey in the 1960s she found it difficult to find clothes that allowed her to express her individuality. As such, she began designing and creating her own clothes to celebrate her unique style. It is this pursuit of beauty, this celebration of the female spirit that carries through this collection. Central to SS25 are the dual ideas of lushness and the subdued explosions of colour that reflect the focus on colour and texture taken from early photographs of Birsen Aksu. This season Aksu blends traditional and modern in order to expose the sophisticated femininity that transcends decades; traditional embroidery and printing methods are paired with patterns that bring new ideas into a classic method of tailoring.
Silhouettes are rich and voluminous, encompassing cropped tailored jackets, draped shirting and layered skirts that can be worn together or as separates. In a striking play of contrasts, sharp tailoring meets soft detailing to deliver garments that pair metres of sheer pastel fabrics with rich floral embroidery reminiscent of mid-century detailing. Blazers combine strong silhouettes with softer, more feminine detailing in the form of laced shoulders and patterned over-sleeves.
Bora’s relentless pursuit of vintage fabrics from manufacturers continues this season as in the past. Uncovering hidden rolls of limited quantity fabric that is dotted throughout the collection as a celebration of conscious design. From hand-embroidered fabrics in shades of whites and sandy nudes to flowing designs in pale pink and contrasting black, creating striking effects that help to elevate the garments that they adorn. The addition of soft blues, egg yolk yellow, dusty pinks and loud shades of reds infuses drama and romance into the collection.
A captivating duality of innocence and subversion weaves through the collection, from fabric choices to colour combinations. All of this serves to bridge the gap between the eras of Birsen’s life, introducing vintage elements and enriching the collection with folk romanticism and heritage.
Aarti Vijay Gupta Spring / Summer 2025 Postcards from Kashmir
It’s called Heaven on Earth for a reason. Kashmir which sits on the northern belt of the country boasts an abundance of greenery, never-ending valleys, powder-coated mountains and lakes you want to float on. For the Spring Summer 2025 showcase, it stood as the singular inspiration for a collection that balances nature and fashion.
Gupta’s love story with Kashmir began in 2022 when she visited the scenic des%na%on to work with artisans to create Papier-mâché and Namda embroidery. But the landscape soaked her as she was pulled into the inescapable visuals. Gupta ensured to capture her journey and the images made their way to silhouettes in the collection. Additionally, Kashmiri miniature art also blooms alongside kashidakari motifs in a manner that’s beautifully sequenced to set off the modern with the traditional.
Linen was the fabric of choice, as the perfect canvas for the landscape prints and Pahari pairings, while silk and crêpe complemented the primary textile to enhance the flow and ebb of the lakes of Kashmir. The silhouettes came in as the ideal juxtaposition to nostalgia and were created to keep in line with contemporary fashion.
Gupta with Spring/Summer 2025 yet again stuck to her roots, with India—which has for the last eight seasons been her anchor—once again proving to be the perfect mood board for a successful collection.
This season’s design draws inspiration from the floral landscapes that emerge when drift plants reach the shore, symbolising the resilient spirit of the Taiwanese people. Among these plants, the Crinum asiaticum flower is the most representative. The designer discovered this flower during a summer jog in a park, which sparked further exploration of its unique qualities.
Crinum asiaticum is often seen as a symbol of wisdom, embodying nobility, elegance, and beauty—qualities that have long been admired. Its strong vitality perfectly aligns with the brand’s ethos. Additionally, this flower holds deep historical significance in Taiwan’s indigenous culture; for example, the place name “Makung” is derived from the Amis tribe’s pronunciation of Crinum asiaticum. This plant is also celebrated for its medicinal properties, such as its ability to disinfect and promote blood circulation.
In the SS25 collection, RAY CHU embraces this flower’s symbolic essence. It incorporates 3D printing technology to convey the bulbous beauty and add depth and dimensionality to the designs. Discarded wires are stripped, dismantled and then reassembled to create a structure brimming with vitality. Through its deconstruction and reconstruction, each layer of wire symbolises the process of giving new life to what was once considered waste. Two ends of the 3D printed flowers echo each other. The flower inspires seamless integration of brand identity and natural elements for ornament meets wearability.
This season’s colour palette revolves around RAY CHU’s signature accent colour, fiery red, complemented by icy yellow, classic black and white, and easy-to-wear tones. The silhouettes and statement details are grounded in practicality, with clever tailored touches like misaligned blazer lapels and subtle details in shirt designs. Playful elements like flared mini skirts and dress silhouettes reminiscent of flowerpots add a whimsical tenderness to the collection. The fabrics chosen include recycled fish scale made textiles, water chestnut yarns, and a higher proportion of natural materials, resulting in a collection that balances commercial appeal with innovative design.
14th September 2024. A model walks in the Ray Chu Spring Summer 2025 Catwalk show. ©Olu Ogunshakin/ Chris Yates Media
Entering a juxtaposition between the colliding worlds of the 2020s’ day-to-day corporate hustle and 1960s’ newfound expressionist lust for life, Ancuța Sarca plays upon her signature metamorphosis of different eras colliding together for her Spring/Summer 25 collection.
The piercing click of a pen, hustled keyboard thumps sounding in the soft distance, and corporate ring echoing overhead fluorescent lights engulf the designer’s inspiration for SS25 – finding a familiar comfort in the predictability of the everyday, mundane and beige corporate settings. Sarca’s curiosity and inspiration brought her out into the buzzing streets of London, and directed her attention towards what we all wear daily – dark-hued suits, monochrome tracksuits, black and grey t-shirts, paired within a personal spectrum of footwear – from comfortable Crocs in clinical whites to soft-suede Clarks Wallabees in earthy beige tones.
Going into contrasting inspirations, SS25 also looks out into enmeshing the 2020s corporate minimalism with its very own antonym – the animalistic burst of energy and lust of the 1960s. Sportswear styles are injected with animal prints across their core – a signature upcycled snakeskin high heel pump meets a masculine shirt collar, or oversized leopard print boots brought forward by sportswear stripes, all signatures of Ancuța Sarca’s work contrasting dualities that unveil the different roles we carry across modern-day life. New menswear styles bring forward sportswear and cycling inspirations by repurposing masculine loafer silhouettes into signature Sarca creations by combining velcro fastenings, all created in this season’s four signature SS25 offerings – faux snakeskin, chrome, black and white.
Announcing two special and sustainably-driven partnerships for Spring/Summer 25, Ancuța Sarca has partnered with celebrated footwear brands Crocs and Clarks, to reimagine their signature styles with the energy of juxtaposition that ignites the flame of collaboration.
BUERLANGMA the Beijing-born fashion house established by visionary designer QiqiYuan and Crystal Wang, and celebrated supermodel Yuan Bo Chao in 2020, enthralled audiences at London Fashion Week with its highly anticipated SS25 Capsule 5.
The brand’s name, ” BUERLANGMA,” carries significant symbolism—“ BUER” signifies uniqueness, while “LANGMA,” derived from the Tibetan term for Mount Everest, symbolises the pinnacle of achievement within the fashion industry. A legacy this collection, hosted by Fashion Scout, continued to strengthen.
For SS25, BUERLANGMA has developed a collection divided into five distinct yet interconnected sections – Desire, Power, Degenerate Peace, and Vold – reflecting the brand’s commentary on society through past, present, and future lenses.
Mark Fast’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection is a striking blend of couture craftsmanship and sportswear innovation, shaped by his passion for underground music. Fast’s designs channel the energy and thrill of discovering new sounds, reflecting the rush he gets from the deep bass lines that inspire his work.
This season’s collection highlights stone-washed denim reworked with a fresh, streetwear edge and bandage dresses in soft neutrals and electric neons, offering both elegance and attitude. The Stone Rose Crochet Dress, featuring bold fringing at the hips, captures Fast’s signature mix of intricate detail and modern design.
A hallmark of the collection is Fast’s renowned knitwear craftsmanship, where his mastery of intricate, body-hugging designs shines. From delicate open-knit weaves to tightly sculpted silhouettes, his innovative approach to knitwear pushes boundaries, showcasing both technical precision and artistic creativity. Each piece is meticulously crafted, blending traditional hand-knitting techniques with modern technology to create unique textures and patterns that reflect Fast’s avant-garde vision.
Colours shown were Orchid White, Mint Green, Caramel, Salmon Pink, Chrome Yellow, Shades of Blue. The fabrics for Spring/Summer ’25 are honest, natural yarns mixed with modern technical finishes and ultra-lightweight: Pure Irish Linen, Cotton Poplin, Crystal Pleated Tulle, Techno Tulle, Wadding.
Detailing with exclusive Printed Cotton Poplin, Exclusive Printed Crystal Pleated Tulle, Translucent Sequined Tulle, Manipulated folds of tulle sandwiched into layers and backed with wadding.
Nothing should be complicated. There should be a touch of fantasy, but always grounded. Like a flower in full bloom, we aim to showcase both fragility and strength—a reflection of the complex layers of personality.
The concept of a linen tuxedo reflects our appreciation for both masculine and feminine elements. Jackets and waistcoats are paired with elegantly long, lean skirts and padded sequined slippers.
Dresses are intentionally off-kilter and surreal, sometimes worn over other garments. They fall off shoulders, with skirts deliberately hitched up, knotted, or twisted with a nonchalant attitude.
Layered fabrics and colours subtly shift in and out of focus—tinted, hazy, and almost invisible. Some dresses are constructed on super-light tulle corsets, with hips gently rounded and padded, altering proportions.
An introspective collection inspired by the myth of Ariadne and Theseus, reframing the ancient tale to explore the labyrinth within the self, where desire, loss, and the search for love collide. Entitled “My Body is a Labyrinth” this season unveils a deeply personal journey, celebrating the divine power of female self-pleasure, the sensuality of faded summer memories, and the embrace of our darker selves.
At the heart of the collection lies the Minotaur, representing the darker side of human nature—the parts of ourselves that we hide, that yearn for love, that carry pain and mourning. Through the myth, DI PETSA imagines the labyrinth as the internal exploration we must take to confront our shadow selves. In this journey, self-pleasure becomes the thread guiding us through the twists and turns, leading us to the shape shifting Minotaur within, where we rediscover the purity of our primal desires and the pain of lost love.
The show opens with a new print for the brand—“The Tan Line” illusions that trace across the body, evoking the lingering memories of sun-kissed summer skin.
A central motif this season is period blood—a bold symbol of female power and the cyclical nature of life and creation. Prints inspired by period bloodstains adorn several pieces. A key piece being the “Blood Masturbation Denim“ trousers challenging narratives around female bodily fluids and celebrating the natural rhythms of the body.
A new introduction this season of the DI PETSA “Tama” bag with metal reliefs of hand carved metal hand sewn onto deadstock and vegan leather. The Tama bag is a Votive offering to the Sirens, a protective talisman of silver and gold – that features hand carved metal plates with esoteric etchings, made by the designer herself. The intricate hand carvings show the symbol of the Sea Gods of ancient mythology, a decorated Trident motif in the centre, taking inspiration from the spiritual and healing powers of the Sea.
This season marks the brand’s debut into gender fluid menswear – the brand signature iconic Wetlook has been reimagined for the male form in a burst of pastel gradient hues – and transformed for the everyday into a draped white cotton wetlook hoodie and tracksuit bottom set. Natural light weight linens have been used for draped trousers and open shirt looks – left open from a cool summer breeze.
The collection is infused with a sense of magical realism, with each piece transforming the ordinary into the mythical. Long, flowing silhouettes blur the boundaries between dream and reality, while the set design features 3-meter-long paintings, hand-painted by the designer herself. These artworks, depicting mythical creatures, offer a visual diary of Dimitra’s deeply personal moments—of finding and losing love, of pleasure and pain, of divinity and desire. DI PETSA’s SS25 collection is a bold exploration of vulnerability, desire, and the labyrinthine journey of self-discovery.
ROKSANDA’S Spring Summer 2025 collection draws inspiration from the work of Hungarian artist Agnes Denes, a pioneer of environmental art, and her conceptual art piece “ Wheatfield – A Confrontation“ planted in Lower Manhattan in 1982 as a symbol of nature versus industrialisation and the ever-growing disconnection between human desires and their actual needs. ‘It called attention to our misplaced priorities’ said Agnes, whose thought-provoking words have sparked the initial idea of this latest collection – a project which sees ROKSANDA embark on a journey where family and history, human and nature co-exist. Set within one of London’s architectural hidden treasures, Space House, designed by George Marsh in 1968, the collection perfectly resonates with Agnes’s work, set against the skylines of Manhattan.
Spring Summer 25 embodies the spirit of modern femininity, striking a balance between structure and fluidity, and connecting traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. Illustrative are dresses constructed from a luxurious blend of liquid velvet and silk, artfully draped to evoke a sense of sophisticated deconstruction. Elevated day dresses made from silk-twill and wool-melange tailoring fabric take this aesthetic further by revealing their inner construction inspired by men’s tailoring. ROKSANDA’s renowned volume is also ever-present, featuring recycled mixed-fibre taffeta. Panels of crisp fabrication are hand-pleated into asymmetric, sculptural bows creating shapes reminiscent of floral forms found in nature.
This season’s tailoring sees bold silhouettes interrupted with unexpected details. An emphasis on innovative designs that offer glimpses of the skin beneath through striking circular cut-outs, featured prominently in jackets and skirts alike. The coats in this collection adopt a similar modular approach, playfully blending heavy wool twill with silk organza. This highlights the importance of what lies beneath, a subtle nod to Agnes’s work.
This season prints have taken inspiration from Roksanda’s hometown Belgrade and the landscapes found on the shores of two powerful rivers: Sava and Danube. Tactile fill-coupe raffia section takes its inspiration from harvests in fields of native Serbia, while viscose somen threads resemble the fields found within the depths of the ocean.
Fabrics and colurs include
Silk Twill, Silk Satin, Liquid Velvet, Wool Coating, Melange Wool Tailoring, Silk Organza, Silk Duchesse, Cupro, Recycled Mixed Fibre Taffeta, Fil-coupé, Raffia Fil-coupé, Viscose Fil-coupe. Light-Flare, Iris, Peppermint, Rosa, Sunflower, Tropics, Rust, Hickory, Chalk, Persian Blue, Argenta, Heliotrope, Straw, Tangerine, Water-Chestnut, Ecru, Dhalia, Vermillion, Light-Aquamarine, Light-Moss, Merlot, Wisteria, Sage, Marinha, Noir, Dark-Indigo
Global footwear brand Crocs and luxury fashion house Simone Rocha have joined forces on the runway once again. This season, the third installment of their footwear collaboration unveils the Simone Rocha x Crocs Stomp Fisherman Sandal at the Simone Rocha Spring Summer 2025 runway show.
Like its previous iterations, the Simone Rocha x Crocs collection continues to fuse the unique design codes of each brand, combining the Simone Rocha aesthetic with Crocs’ iconic brand DNA. Drop 3 focuses on the new Stomp Fisherman Sandal silhouette; taking this exaggerated new Crocs style as a base, the Simone Rocha x Crocs Stomp Fisherman Sandal is adorned with Rocha’s signature crystal and pearl embellishments, elevating the sandal through the designer’s unique lens.
Fashioned in three colourways, Black, Cream and Hot Pink, this third installment of the partnership, unveiled on the Simone Rocha Spring Summer 2025 runway on Sunday, 15th September, will be available in Simone Rocha stores and online, Crocs online, and select retail stores in Spring 2025.
This season, Kuo Wei’s brain MRI images are reimagined and transformed into prints on the garments, creating a surreal yet meaningful vibe that echoes the brand’s abstract deconstruction approach. Beyond the prints, this collection also brings INF’s perspective on sustainable fashion to the forefront. Kuo Wei believes that while recycling old clothes and upcycling are great, he’s more interested in addressing fashion waste before it even happens. That’s why INF’s famous multi-wear series has reached its peak this season. Through innovative design, he gives a single garment multiple ways to be worn, such as turning a bag into a T-shirt or a skirt into pants. “By giving clothes multiple identities, we’re offering more than just a fashion item. Besides being stylish and functional, we hope it can adapt to various occasions and accompany the wearer for a long time, thereby reducing fashion waste.
Photography Janis Dzenis
For Spring Summer 25, Erdem explores the push and pull of masculine and feminine dressing and identity. Today ‘The Well of Loneliness’ is lauded as a queer tract of enduring relevance, relatable to new audiences exploring the boundaries of gender, self-expression and love. In the novel there are moments of great tenderness and timeless beauty alongside the anguish. One episode that stayed with Erdem is when Stephen is being measured for a suit on Savile Row; beyond a fitting it feels like an awakening.
Malone Souliers “The Pinps”
Spring Summer 25 collection at Somerset House, the original home of Fashion Week, as part of London Fashion Week’s official calendar. Malone Souliers SS25 collection draws inspiration from vintage magazines, classic billboards and cinema. Reflecting on the timeless allure of 1950s pin-up culture, we embrace old-school Hollywood glamour, burlesque and rockabilly aesthetics to evoke a flirtatious femininity while maintaining a sartorial edge.
Clothes that are built on labour, create beauty from order, and incorporate humour that gives a new perspective on life. I aimed for a process of firmly grounded clothes-making that is deeply concerned with shaping while conceptually addressing the body and landscape. I decided on a salon show for TOGA’s return to the runway because I wanted to create a space where people can look carefully and closely at the clothes, rather than simply be entertained.
Drawing from the adaptive techniques of the Bedouin desert tribes, Constantinou has crafted a collection built for the unpredictable. Expect versatile pieces that use fabric innovation to handle these extremes—airy bouclé for the heat, sturdy drills and insulated quilts for when the temperature drops. His signature approach blends functionality and design, creating garments that transition seamlessly between environments while staying rooted in reality.
The Seasonless’25 Collection underscores Maison Bent’s commitment to sustainable luxury. Designed for wear across all seasons, this collection defies the traditional fashion calendar, offering versatile, timeless pieces that are relevant year-round. Signature Maison Bent elements—cut-outs, spiral sleeves, exaggerated gatherings, and decorative yet functional rings—are reimagined to create the brand’s most ambitious and expansive collection to date.
Marques’Almeida presents their Spring/Summer 2025 collection, an evocative fusion of historic grandeur and rebellious modernity. Drawing on the lavish aesthetics of 17th-century Dutch paintings and Baroque influences, the collection transforms these traditional inspirations into something fiercely contemporary, raw, and unapologetically subversive. The pieces exhibit a palpable tension: a juxtaposition of fascination and respect for history, intertwined with a sense of defiance and freedom.
SS25 takes inspiration from Wolfe Von Lenkiewicz and his ability to bridge traditional oil painting with contemporary technology. His work masterfully preserves the soul of the Renaissance with a modern perspective. Curated masterpieces are reinterpreted through AI technologies, and rendered back to life with his oil painting artistry. The women he so meticulously depicts – powerful, regal and at times irreverent – are portrayed with the poise of French Romanticism and the resilience of the modern-day woman. The result is a harmonious balance between the digital and the tactile; a masterclass in converging tradition with innovation.
For Spring/Summer 2025, Sinead Gorey looks to the great British prom, reimagining the age-old tradition through her own, party girl lens. Leaning into her punk sensibilities, the designer departs from the silhouettes and templates of the late noughties and early 2000s teenage style, building a story whose main character is not so much the prom queen, but the prom anti-heroine.
“In Afrofuturism, we’re always talking about using the imagination to create new futures. But what makes Afrofuturism different from other takes on futurism is an emphasis on using imagination to also reimagine the past … It engages alternative views of looking at time, with the future, past, and present being one.”(Ytasha Womack, 2018)
The ImPossible Family Reunion in RPG Space’ series is a narrative of hope and belonging, a product of Afrofuturism. Through this lens, I reimagine my family members as characters in limitless realms, visually guided by the fantasy worlds I immersed myself in as a young person.
A pilgrimage through a transformative and pensive state, Philipp Dorner looks to a space in limbo for SS25, a liminal gap traversed by the passage from youth to adulthood. Defined by unspoken stipulations of uniform, dictated by societal rules – a boy scout’s uniform emulative of a preparatory adolescence, ministry dress code adorned in papal grandeur. The line in the sand between fantasy and reality becomes so blurred they represent an emblematic in-between of boyhood. Translating the naive and uncertain dissonance of pubescence through clashes of functionality yet fluid irregular movement, SS25 mirrors a push-and-pull of rigorous societal structures at odds with youths’ untainted freedom to express.
A fabricated study in tensions between idealism and realism through textile and silhouette, playful juvenility stands at the forefront through Phillip Dorner’s house-style of refined yet experimental surface embellishment and exploration. Semi-transparent prints, hybridised velvets confined within breaks and integrated briefs within trousers, tailored tent-like shapes, mirror an exuberance of a child dressing as an adult. The collection looks to examine the rigid frameworks that shape our early understanding of the world, whilst influenced by hopeful, borderless transitions and life outside expectational margins.
Underpinned by an amalgamation of evening-wear meets sportswear reconstituted as a daily uniform, stark tailored shapes are adorned by multi-pocket elements as well as Trompe l’oeil features of integrating three dimensional, pragmatic details into deceivingly 2D surfaces. Influenced by homoerotic undertones of male camaraderie in locker rooms and an awkwardness of sexual awakening, the discrepancy between softness and roughness ruminates both visually and conceptually, challenging conventional notions of masculinity and proposing a more nuanced and intimate view of identity.
Subverting the caveats of expectation and inventing new traditions whilst breaking from the old, Phillip Dorner SS25 creates a reality where fluidity and pragmatism, comfort and occasion, youth and adulthood are not mutually exclusive but are instead harmonised.
Jingdong
The show at Somerset House draws inspiration from JINGDONG’s signature red and its passion for creativity and innovation. As the show begins, the music gently rises, blending melodies rooted in traditional Chinese culture with modern elements, creating a fusion of both vintage and avant-garde atmospheres. In this show, HAZZYS reinterprets the aesthetics of classic and casual styles through simple yet refined designs. ELLASSAY explores contemporary urban fashion with an elegant touch, delving into themes of femininity. Marisfrolg introduces its ‘Glaze Art’ collection, advocating for the integration of high fashion into everyday life. PURE TEA combines Chinese aesthetic modern fashion, featuring embroidery and floral designs that evoke a sense of romance, showcasing the beauty of both vintage and elegance.
The JENN LEE Spring/Summer 2025 collection captures the essence of childhood nostalgia, offering a playful exploration of retro aesthetics. This collection is a celebration of intuitive creativity, as JENN LEE embraces a spontaneous design process that reconnects with the carefree spirit of youth.
By physically crumpling pieces of paper, she allows the organic shapes and silhouettes to emerge and form the basis of the designs. This approach infuses her creations with an unstructured, whimsical quality. Unexpected geometric shapes and seemingly carefree brushstrokes further evoke a sense of freedom.
Styled by Callum Smith, Lee’s signature deconstructed style is still present but reimagined with folds, exposed seams, and adorned with the iconic heart zippers, creating a dynamic interplay between structure, fluidity and function.
The accessories are equally imbued with a sense of wistful rebellion, designed to capture the sentimentality of finding long-forgotten treasures in an old pocket—whether a receipt or something random. These everyday objects are preserved in resin, transforming seemingly insignificant items into symbols of cherished memories.
Another key highlight of the collection is the collaboration with ATELIER MOWA, a French luneville embroidery artist who has participated in many haute couture collections in Paris. This partnership delivered 3D embroidered headpieces using the technique of haute couture, inspired by Chinese calligraphy. A craft rich in cultural tradition and precision, embodying the haute couture techniques of French métiers d’art. LEE and MOWA break away from the rigid conventions of calligraphy by merging her signature punk aesthetic and allowing the ink to bleed through, transforming the traditional art form into something more dynamic and expressive.
London, 16th September 2024, a model walks in the Jenn Lee Spring Summer 2025 Catwalk show. ©Maja Smiejkowska/ Chris Yates Media
Lithuanian designer Agne Kuzmickaite unveiled her SS25 collection at the Lithuanian Embassy in London for an exclusive showcase. Kuzmickaite drew on the relationship with her father, alongside the exploration of culture as the concept for this collection. Reflecting on the struggle for Lithuanian independence by reimagining traditional symbols.
The collection reintroduces the traditional Lithuanian woven band, a symbol of unity and strength, combining it with striking silhouettes that turn meaning into reality. The woven band is used in long lines with eye-catching geometric patterns to give a sense of movement and power.
The creative use of carved wooden boots and a handbag effortlessly blends fashion with art and showcases Kuzmickaite’s history as a costume designer. The pieces’ sculptural design merges craftsmanship with wearable aesthetics. Lithuania has a centuries-old woodworking tradition, seen in folk art, architecture, and everyday objects. By incorporating wooden elements into her fashion designs, she nods to this heritage and reinterprets her culture in a contemporary, avant-garde context.
Agne Kuzmickaite Lithuanian designer unveiled her Spring Summer 2025 collection at the Lithuanian Embassy for London Fashion Week. ©Olu Ogunshakin / Chris Yates Media
Ukrainian brands, Andrea Msokin, EPPS, Shevchenko
“Fashion from a bomb shelter” – collections of Ukrainian brands, which are created in shelters with the sounds of air raids, were presented on September 13 as part of London Fashion Week at a traditional show from the Ukrainian diaspora in London – UA in UK Fashion Show.
For the fourth time, the Ukrainian community in London – UA in UK Community, led by activist and entrepreneur Oleksandra Volkova, invited British and international influencers, representatives of the fashion industry to get acquainted with the creativity of Ukrainian brands as part of the UA in UK Fashion Show – an evening event on the official schedule of London Fashion Week
“Our social mission as UA in UK Community is to tell the world about talented Ukrainians and through cultural diplomacy to thank Britain for supporting such necessary support for Ukraine. This season we’ve once again supported new names that are thriving despite all the destruction in their cities! We hope that patrons will pay attention to our project next year, and we will be able to help draw attention to more brands,” comments Aleksandra Volkova, founder of UA in UK Community and Volkova PR&Fashion Agency.
Andrea Msokin, EPPS, Shevchenko. Images Daniel Turbert.
Emerging couture fashion designer ZHAOYI YU made his highly anticipated debut at London Fashion Week with his SS25 collection “GLIMPSE” on the 14th of September at the prestigious Waldorf Hilton hotel. The collection draws inspiration from the delicate and fleeting nature of the world around us.
The collection explores the interconnected fragility of the ocean, land, and sky, mirroring the vulnerability and emotional honesty of the human experience. Through his work, YU captures the essence of fragile beauty, reflecting a nuanced relationship between human emotions and the environment. Human fragility is both examined and admired as a conscious expression of one’s true emotions towards others, while the even more fleeting fragility of objects captures the essence of his latest work.
One of the standout features of this collection is ZHAOYI YU’s innovative use of traditional Chinese mother-of-pearl inlay craftsmanship. This technique, typically seen in decorative arts, has been reimagined into wearable art pieces that evoke the softness and strength of ocean shells. The result is a series of garments that embody the fluidity, vulnerability, and inclusivity that define the brand’s aesthetic. These pieces showcase the brand’s dedication to preserving cultural heritage while highlighting the designer’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of fashion through textile experimentation.
