London Fashion Week FW26/27

While it is still early days with Laura Weir at the head of the British Fashion Council, and the cause to reinvigorate London Fashion Week, there did seem to be a rising energy in the London FW26 shows. From Erdem's 20th anniversary celebration to Conner Ives' lessons in sensuality, Simone Rocha's Adidas collaboration launch to Mithridate's whimsical Wisteria, London designers were noticeably making their mark this season.

Simone Rocha

Simone Rocha continues to balance the unusual and the beautiful. To say textures were layered abundantly would be somewhat of an understatement; materials varied from shearling and faux fur, delicate lace, crystal embellishments, shimmying organza and countless ribbons, yet all masterfully interwoven to create a rich and eclectic display that was unequivocally Simone Rocha.

Coats were a mainstay with several oversized bomber styles alongside heavy shearling. A new collaboration with Adidas introduced more athleisure wear and stripes, executed with a familiar Simone Rocha twist that played with cropped lengths, pearls, lace and voluminous sleeves.

The tailoring was perfection. Deep grey skirt suits, trousers and cut-out dresses unexpectedly complemented baby pink satin and khaki green fur-lined hoods, while delicate lace, tulle, sequins and satin ribbon floated elegantly between.

As testament to Rocha's design acumen, there were also a handful of simple, yet sublime, knitwear pieces that could easily have been overlooked amongst the excitement of other designs, but actually embedded a timeless reality into the elegant chaos.

Far from a feeling of overwhelm at what, on the face of it, sounds like overindulgence - the sportswear, the lace, the tulle, green with pink, cut outs, ribbons and more - the discipline Rocha demonstrates in the design, and the precise balancing of proportions and textures in the styling of each look, leaves you wondering how nobody has thought to put these wonderful contrasting pieces together before.

Erdem

Erdem celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Tate Britain with a FW26 collection that felt like a reimagination of its true self.

So many of the familiar Erdem codes were present, overpronounced feathers bounced bountifully, delicate lace layered to become decadent, gently contrasting colours, bows and brocade patterns merged wonderfully, whether on the tailoring, full-length coats or overtly feminine silhouettes.

As with any celebratory occasion, it can be easy to lean into excess, and there were a number of showstopping pieces that elevated Erdem's usual codes to feel particularly lavish. The exquisite diamanté embroidery glistened delicately, while the green and red tinsel floor-length dresses twinkled as they swished down the runway. There was a familiar play with volume, shape and texture that felt more exaggerated with this collection, from dresses that bulged over themselves in an elegant pleated ivory and black, to the contrasting bows, fringing, lace and tulle, to the enlarged architectural silhouettes that swept down the runway.

The lasting impression was, however, still one of joy. An exaggerated but celebrated joyful femininity, but a femininity that is rich and complex, and includes a multitude of different, and sometimes contrasting, layers.

Conner Ives

The Conner Ives show was a lesson in sultry, understated glamour. The American designer presented a sleek collection with such strong sensuality infused into each look, generating an untouchable confidence that felt almost electric. Ives teaches that skin does not have to be on display to achieve this, as lengths were long, below the knee at least.

Soft silks and draped velvets sashayed down the runway while layers of sheer and slinky patterned fabrics clung to form. The deep V-cut kimono with tassels was absolute perfection.

It was not all about the body either. More androgynous looks, such as the back-to-front shirt, the rugby shirts and even low-slung jeans added a slouchy, nonchalance which, especially when paired with those gorgeous feather-adorned heels, screamed this woman can do what she wants.