LONDON — Seán McGirr presented his debut collection as creative director for Alexander McQueen, marking the brand's return to showing in London after 25 years of showing in Paris. The presentation was a central feature of London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2027, which included runway shows and presentations by designers such as Mulberry, Burberry, Aaron Esh, Simone Rocha, Erdem, Edeline Lee, Pauline Dujancourt, Chopova Lowena, Sinead Gorey, Conner Ives, Yuhan Wang, Bora Aksu, Justin Cassin, Enny Atelier, Vin + Omi, A Letter, and Steve O Smith.

The British Fashion Council CEO Laura Weir stated that McQueen's return to London Fashion Week was 'a statement of confidence in British creativity at its most fearless and distinctive'. The Alexander McQueen brand previously showed in London before moving to Paris, with its last show on the official London Fashion Week schedule being 'What a Merry-Go-Round' in February 2001. Alexander McQueen is scheduled to stage a runway show on 20 September as part of London Fashion Week, marking Creative Director Seán McGirr's first Alexander McQueen show in London.

Alexander McQueen CEO Gianfranco D’Attis stated that the brand will remain in London for the foreseeable future. London Mayor Sadiq Khan attended the Alexander McQueen show. "One of the reasons we support the British Fashion Council is we see it as an investment," Khan said.

Khan added that the event reflects the city's broader cultural output. "London Fashion Week is a showcase of our city. It’s about our culture, our creativity, our values, [and] innovation. You’ve had a tough few years, so thank you for persevering. Thank you, Laura [Weir], for supporting the next generation, for bringing McQueen back, but also for supporting those who stayed through thick and thin," he said.

Christopher Kane presented his debut collection for Mulberry, marking the brand's return to the runway after a nine-year absence. Burberry presented a collection featuring offbeat prints, badged designs, tailoring, track jackets, and denim. Rapper Central Cee made a cameo appearance in the Burberry show, while Jason Statham, Stephen Graham, Kano, and Tems attended the presentation.

Victoria Starmer appeared in the Edeline Lee show. Dickon Bowden and Adrian Joffe of Dover Street Market congratulated Pauline Dujancourt backstage after her debut show. Alexa Chung, Skepta, Joe Locke, and Tems attended shows during London Fashion Week.

Amiri hosted a cocktail event and afterparty during the week, attended by founder Mike Amiri. Skims co-founders Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede opened the brand's first European flagship store during London Fashion Week, with Troye Sivan and Kim Petras attending the opening event.

The UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport pledged £3 million for the next three rounds of the NewGen support program for emerging design talent. British Fashion Council chair David Pemsel will leave his role on September 30 after ten years on the board. Pavita Cooper is succeeding David Pemsel as British Fashion Council chair.

Why It Matters

The return of Alexander McQueen to the London schedule after a quarter-century signals a shift in how major heritage brands view the city's fashion infrastructure. The commitment from the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport to fund the NewGen program reflects the state's role in sustaining the pipeline of emerging talent that feeds the wider industry. Leadership changes at the British Fashion Council, with Pavita Cooper succeeding David Pemsel, occur alongside these institutional investments.

The presence of global figures such as Kim Kardashian and international brands like Skims opening flagships demonstrates the commercial draw of the event beyond the runway. The identification of specific aesthetic directions by buyers and editors provides a roadmap for retail strategy in the coming year. The convergence of government funding, corporate presence, and creative output defines the current scope of London Fashion Week.

What's New

Elektra Kotsoni identified orange as a major color trend for the upcoming year, featured in shows by Mulberry, Justin Cassin, Enny Atelier, and Vin + Omi. Elektra Kotsoni identified ballet as a trend for 2027, noting the prevalence of ballet flats and small shoe silhouettes.

Elektra Kotsoni identified the "messy girl" aesthetic as the number one trend of the season, characterized by unexpected clashes of pastel colors, florals, and tactile materials. ""The number one trend for this season is messy girl. We're going to be having a messy girl summer,"" she said.