London Fashion Week SS25, these were your best bits

Though we say this every season, I promise we really mean it this time: London Fashion Week’s SS25 edition was one of the most interesting yet. There were the blockbuster events, like JW Anderson taking over Old Billingsgate on the bank of the Thames, or Daniel Lee taking over the National Theatre for Burberry’s latest offering, or even Mowalola’s ostentatious catwalk show turned personal gig.

As well as all that, there were the smaller but equally show-stopping affairs, like Jawara Alleyne’s ode to the Cayman Islands, or Paolo Carzana’s intimate, tear-jerking show held in his own back garden. Elsewhere, Chopova Lowena brought the Wild West to east London, KNWLS was haunted by the ghosts of fashion past, Aaron Esh was slinky and slaggy in all the right ways, while fetish and faux-fur collided on the Fashion East runway. But for everything else you might’ve missed, scroll down for all the best bits from London Fashion Week SS25.

On day one of London Fashion Week, Talia Byre had us up at the crack of dawn to check out her SS25 collection. Eschewing a runway show for the second season in a row, the Liverpudlian designer stayed true to her literary venue roots by taking over rare book store and events space Reference Point to debut another stellar collection that cemented her status as one of the most important names to know right now. Over strong coffee and pastel de natas, Byre pulled out her moodboards and talked us through her inspirations, which ranged from artworks by revered artist Pipilotti Rist to actor and David Lynch muse Laura Dern.

This translated into huge furry shearling gilets cinched severely at the waist with thick leather belts, faded leopard prints splattered across lightweight jersey leggings, and more of her signature adaptable dresses: a “Dennis the Menace-inspired” striped red and black version could be knotted a number of ways to create a different silhouette, for example. Meanwhile, another Talia Byre cornerstone, in the form of the louche rugby shirt, was transformed into an evening look via the use of a rippling metallic fabric which shimmered as its wearer sashayed between the bookshelves. More playful than past seasons, the mish-mash offering was finished with little veiled hats, which we also spotted on a couple of other runways this season. Is the much-maligned fascinator back? If Talia Byre says so, we might be tempted to give it a try.

Ancuta Sarca’s models took a load off this season, as they settled themselves into the kind of apparatus you’d more likely find in a gynaecologist’s office than at fashion week. All the better to see the shoes, which took the form of yet more of her signature sneaker heels, turned out for SS25 in poppy pink and chartreuse suede and affixed with silver keyring charms. Boots also took a starring role, with second-skin pointy knee-high ones crafted from shiny snake and leopard fabrics and finished with her logo detailing to the toe.

Men’s football boots were reimagined in chrome and closed up with chunky Velcro fastenings, and there was a very special collab getting its grand debut, too. Following in the footsteps of Simone Rocha last season, Sarca is the latest London creative to join forces with Crocs. Drawing inspiration from school-y duffle coats, the designer reimagined the divisive style in brown wool and stacked it on top of a chunky heel, completing the look with a wooden toggle and tie. Expect to see a fair few people stomping about in them as we head back to the AW25 shows in February.

It was easy to understand why Michael Stewart was awarded the LVMH Savoir-Faire Prize for 2025 just last week as the Irish designer presented his first solo offering after graduating from Fashion East. Drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources – from Ancient Egyptian artefacts to HR Giger’s formidable aliens – he turned out a swathe of the sweeping evening gowns he’s become known for, imbuing them with accents and details that spoke more of Paris couture than London’s typical punky, DIY approach.

In hues of deep chartreuse, vivid red, and moody silver velvet came a succession of second-skin dresses, the skirts of which were pintucked and painstakingly embellished with beads to the point they resembled extraterrestrial tails. Stewart also took on leather for the first time: in his hands, the buttery-soft material was shaped into sculptural coats with subtly jutting hips and padded collars, their back seams studded with black goo-like liquid beads, or otherwise crafted into cropped, boxy numbers with angular shoulders. With no plans to launch ready-to-wear any time soon, fans of Stewart will have to make a private appointment to get their hands on his clothes – so it’s time to start saving.

Chet Lo’s SS25 collection paid homage to someone very dear to him: his mother, Mai-Wah Cheung. Having climbed the ladder to become a leading figure in New York’s computer sciences industry, Cheung was one of the first women to enter the field during the 1990s. The collection featured slinky, floating fabrics, alongside classic office wear staples such as tailored shirts and ties. Of course, Lo’s instantly recognisable spiked silhouettes were present too. Accents of cobalt blue punctuated the collection, as did playful clip-in hair pieces. As a show, it was more mature than what we’re used to from Lo – who, in previous seasons, has sent models bounding down the catwalk, sticking out their vibrant, dyed tongues. Still very much a Chet Lo collection, his SS25 offering was elevated, refined and more mature than anything we’ve seen from him before. Boat necklines and column dresses gave the collection a heightened level of sophistication, no doubt due to the influence of his mother. Heartwarmingly, the designer and his mum took their final bow on the runway together.

After sitting out the past two seasons, Albanian designer Nensi Dojaka returned to London Fashion Week on Saturday evening with a barely-there collection and a Calvin Klein collab too. Evening wear for party girls everywhere, models strutted down the catwalk in skimpy dress after skimpy dress. Form-fitting styles included Dojaka’s signature triangle bra motifs and cross-body straps, delivered via a subtle colour palette – maroon, lapis, beige and black. Sat front row was model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley, Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford and a slew of other It-girls, including Cheyenne Maya Carty and Olivia Neill. The hottest looks of the show, no doubt, were the mesh lingerie and see-through corset moments. In keeping with Dojaka’s usual themes, this collection was strappy, leggy, frilly, and ready for a night out.

Showing at 10am on the Monday of London Fashion Week is somewhat of a poisoned chalice for an emerging designer. It’s the slot that no one wants, namely because it’s the fourth and final day and, by then, everyone is utterly exhausted. However, Estonian NEWGEN designer Johanna Parv used the timing to her advantage. Inspired by the morning commute, Parv’s own voice narrated the show, speaking in Estonian and calling out our daily utterances: “Where are my keys? There’s no seat on this Lime bike! I can’t park here!” Once they’d walked, models remained on the catwalk to emulate London’s busy streets at rush hour.

In true Johanna Parv style, the clothes were as sexy as they were functional – which the models proved in small movements, adapting their looks on the go. Devoted to combining natural fabrics with technical finishings, Parv produced a pristinely tailored collection in fresh colourways, featuring her bestselling asymmetrical skirts, cycling-style jerseys and floating jackets. Notably, the models wore no makeup whatsoever. Just clean skin framed by headbands, holding back any flyaway hairs. Her SS25 show marked a big moment for Parv; breaking away from talent incubator Fashion East for the first time and making her on-schedule debut. And while her designs may look as though they’re designed for athletes, even the least sporty of women want to be seen in them.

Just as Chet Lo paid tribute to family, Priya Ahluwalia took us home with her for SS25. Held inside Church House, nestled within a picturesque courtyard behind Westminster Abbey, guests emerged through beaded curtains, onto the soft ground of North African and Turkish rugs. Titled Home Sweet Home, the collection was a love letter to Ahluwalia’s Indian and Nigerian roots, but also an exploration of “home” as an ever changing concept. Based on the idea that “home” is a feeling and a mood rather than a physical space, the show was joyful, vibrant and put a smile on even the sternest of editors’ faces. Consistently bringing us one of the best soundtracks on the London Fashion Week schedule, this season Ahluwalia enlisted the help of Afrobeats artist Adekunle Gold and MassiveMusic, though the show opened with a performance from Syrian refugee Shaza Manla, who played a kanan – a Middle Eastern string instrument. Among the models were rapper Wretch 32 and former Dazed cover star Debra Shaw, who closed the show ethereally in a glinting, peach-toned dress, decorated by a web of pearls strung across her torso.

What better way to celebrate Arsenal’s big win against Tottenham on Sunday afternoon than with a Labrum fashion show at the Emirates stadium the next day. Not only was the show held inside the Gunners’ stadium, Labrum also enlisted cheeky chappy and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice to walk in the show – making his catwalk debut in a navy, double-breasted suit featuring white fabric woven between the eyelets. Rice stepped onto the pitch moments after London rapper (and recent Supacell star) Ghetts opened the show with a heartfelt, spoken-word performance. A lifelong Arsenal fan, creative director Foday Dumbuya’s relationship with the football club runs deep. And earlier this summer, the brand (alongside adidas) was asked to design the team’s official away kit. Fellow Arsenal supporter, radio host Clara Amfo also walked in the show. As for the clothes, one jacquard print revealed itself to be stamps from Dumbaya’s mother’s old passport, celebrating the work of immigrants, as echoed in many previous Labrum shows as well as in Ghetts’ poem: “Designed by an immigrant; defined by resilience.”

Titled Rain Check in ode to the wettest summer the UK has seen in years, Luke Derrick’s entire SS25 collection was subtly waterproof – ideal then, for a British summer. Showing on Friday, Derrick’s menswear collection included a throwback trouser silhouette: low-crotched and baggy until the ankle, where they become tight and legging-like. A hybrid of sportswear and precise tailoring made from technical Japanese fabrics, Derrick provided the menswear equivalent of Johanna Parv’s womenswear show (as seen on Monday morning). Both designers prioritise functionality in their work, and both, surprisingly, drew inspiration from the morning commute. Strangely, both also deviated from their usual dark colour palettes to bring us bright lilacs and shades of green – though Derrick’s burnt orange motifs were nowhere to be seen at Parv’s show. His SS25 offering was a simple, elegant collection for the modern man.

Like Derrick the day before, Feben found inspiration in London’s dreary weather. Ironically, the autumn sun shone blissfully through the windows. The Ethiopian, London-based designer titled her SS25 collection ‘Reign’, putting an optimistic, powerful spin on our miserable British summer. Feben also took inspiration from the Spanish-born Romani flamenco dancer, Antoñita Singla – or simply, La Singla – who became one of flamenco’s most influential performers, despite being deaf since infancy. Spanish-style dresses swished along the catwalk as rippled, satin fabrics reflected the blaring sun. Seductive off-the-shoulder necklines, layered skirts and polka dot stilettos made for a collection built on flamenco’s greatest hits. Playful crisscrossed tights and skirt-suits added an air of business casual, meanwhile jumpsuits and feather boa-style scarves transported us from day to evening. A refined, energetic collection that displayed Feben at its very best.

Designer to New York’s ‘It’ crowd and party girls, Carly Marks intends for her collections to “make fun of fashion”, even going as far as to describe them as “meta” – a sentiment shared by Demna during his early days at Vetements. Marks showed her final ready-to-wear collection in the Big Apple in February this year, bringing an end to Puppets and Puppets’ clothing line in order to focus solely on accessories instead. Hopping across the pond to make her debut at London Fashion Week this weekend, Marks ditched the clothes altogether, sending underwear-clad models down the catwalk, carrying with them the new accessories range. Peaked caps, bowler hats and black veils concealed models’ eyes, while gloves – short and long – decorated the arms, most carrying a leather handbag of some sorts. Like the keys of a piano, the collection was monochromatic and bare, though somehow, still managed to hit the right notes.