The terrifically tailored pieces at London-based designer Tolu Coker’s fall/winter 2026 show last Thursday were equally as noteworthy as the fact that King Charles was seated in the front row.
Yaku’s collection was inspired by the discipline and focus of martial artists.Morgan L Williams/Supplied
The ensuing days of London Fashion Week brought even more major moments for guests to gawk at, including the casting of notable activists as models, Yaku Stapleton’s stellar runway presentation and a handful of standout LFW debuts. Here are the key occasions worth paying attention to.
Fight club
Some designers have an exceptional way of synthesizing the current moment with their personal inspirations. London label Yaku, helmed by Yaku Stapleton, did so with aplomb for its latest collection, The Possible Family Reunion in RPG Space – Chapter 7: Evolution of Combat.
The show – which featured the brand’s signature streetwear silhouettes accented by aggressive details such as fabric cutlass embellishments – was inspired by the role-playing games that Stapleton often uses as a thematic jumping-off point. The designer’s intention, as stated in a press release, was to explore “what happens when history is repeatedly ignored by those who have a fundamentally different relationship to growth and survival.”
Simone Rocha revealed her first collaboration with Adidas.BEN BROOMFIELD/Supplied
Mannequins with faces obscured by hoods were stationed around the room, creating an eerie, apocalyptic atmosphere and setting the tone for the ominous poetic soundtrack, staggering movements of the models and outsized garments accessorized with theatrical items such as shields and sabres.
Even through the bold, brash look of the clothes, Stapleton’s design prowess was evident. Each ensemble reflected a sense of intention and care, amplifying the reasons he has earned prestigious accolades such as a design residency at Paul Smith’s Foundation and an LVMH scholarship in 2022.
Good sports
Yaku also unveiled an official collaboration with Nike, and it wasn’t the only sportswear partnership that popped up at LFW.
Simone Rocha, the London designer known for her romantic pieces, celebrated her first collaboration with Adidas. The union saw Rocha’s textural garments – often crafted with ribbons and tulle – styled with track jackets, running shorts and jerseys to achieve a “London punk” effect.
Similarly, at menswear label Denzil Patrick, dandyish designs were grounded by Puma’s Suede sneakers.
An ensemble with a sporty twist from Denzil Patrick.Francesco Zinno/Supplied
The trend of pairing elaborate apparel with fuss-free footwear is an aesthetic feat – and a potent rebuke to the formalized homogeneity of fashion design’s history.
Anniversary parties
Two labels helmed by London-based Canadians, Edeline Lee and Erdem Moralioglu, celebrated their brands’ milestones alongside their newest collections.
To recognize her label’s 15th year in business, Lee, known for timeless, refined womenswear, hosted an intimate gathering on the top floor of the Peninsula hotel. As a jazz duo perked up the vibe of the breakfast-time event, each guest received a keepsake book documenting the brand’s evolution.
Meanwhile, Moralioglu marked his label’s 20th year – a testament to the Montreal-born designer’s staying power.
American model Guinevere Van Seenus closed out the Erdem show.Jason Lloyd Evans/Supplied
Erdem’s fall/winter 2026 collection gathered the important silhouettes, fabrications, influences and collaborations of the past two decades such as floor-sweeping frocks and luxe opera coats produced with iconic English outerwear label Barbour. Though fans of the label have seen iterations of these pieces before, the designer still managed to surprise with looks that paired denim with dressier tops.
Moralioglu asked Guinevere Van Seenus, the American model who has been a feature of his shows since the beginning, to close the collection. After all, a creative’s cachet is only as strong as the community they cultivate.
Role models
While the King’s presence at the Tolu Coker show the same day as the arrest of his brother Andrew likely gave spectators pause, one designer who showed later in the schedule paid homage to the courage of sexual assault survivors.
Writer and climate activist Aja Barber models for Phoebe English.Asia Werbel/Supplied
German-born, London-based designer Marie Lueder featured actor and activist Rose McGowan, who made headlines for exposing the crimes of Harvey Weinstein during the #MeToo movement. McGowan strutted across the room in a motosport-inspired outfit and dark sunglasses, and later joined Lueder on the catwalk at the end of the show.
At Phoebe English’s sublimely subdued presentation at the Indra Gallery in Shoreditch, Aja Barber – the American-born, London-based writer and climate activist – modelled one of the 10 alabaster-hued looks. Given the collection’s botany theme, it was a perfect match.
Dynamic debuts
LFW saw some new names added to the schedule this month, including Vancouver-based designer Allison Dunne’s emerging label Dunne Cliff, which made its international debut at the Global Fashion Collective’s showcase on Sunday.
A look from Vancouver-based brand Dunne Cliff’s London Fashion Week debut.Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com/Supplied
The designer delighted attendees with thoughtfully made and succinctly articulated separates in the form of knitwear and patterned pants. Dunne describes her brand’s philosophy as “clothing as essays” – garments that tell the wearer’s story.
Meanwhile, Indian label Raw Mango made a splash with its first LFW show. Designer Sanjay Garg’s inaugural collection featured a gorgeous mix of heritage-specific gestures and techniques. Sari silks and strands of bobbled textiles – meant to recall decorative flower garlands – got a contemporary update with avant-garde silhouettes and a clever blend of traditional and modern references.
