LFW SS26: Homegrown talent offers a renewed sense of energy

There was an energised and optimistic feel to London Fashion Week amongst designers_ brands_ media and buyers this season_ as the bi-annual showcase started a new chapter under the British Fashion Council_s new chief executive_ Laura Weir_ whose ambition is to make LFW “fashion's most magnetic exposition of excellence_ in the world”.

At the opening speech_ Weir stressed that her goal for this September edition of LFW was to add “new energy_ new thinking and new ideas_” while removing resistance_ and supporting the message “that fashion matters”.

Weir_ former editor and creative director of luxury department store Selfridges_ replaced Caroline Rush in April and has already made significant progress in the reinvention of LFW_ including adding 18 percent more designers to the schedule_ following a lacklustre February edition_ as she looks to turn LFW into a “sensational showcase of creative fashion design talent”.

While designer names including Burberry_ Richard Quinn_ Roksanda_ and Simone Roche_ as well as high street retailer H&M will probably take all the social media glory_ at the heart of the renewed energy this season was the emerging talent that LFW is so renowned for_ with a new crop of designers looking for their chance in the spotlight_ including Maximilian Raynor and Patrick McDowell_ this year_s winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design_ as well as newcomers Oscar Ouyang_ an emerging designer who is redefining knitwear in menswear_ and Joshua Ewusie_s eponymous label Ewusie_ who both joined the NewGen line-up of talent.

“It feels like there_s a renewed sense of energy in London right now_” British designer Daniel Fletcher told FashionUnited backstage_ after showcasing his second collection for the Chinese brand Mithridate.

While Maximilian Raynor_ who opened proceedings on September 18_ said that London “always has been and always will be a hotbed for exciting_ boundary pushing designers who question the status quo of fashion through subversive design and thinking outside the box_” while adding that “London designers have proven they can marry innovation and spectacle with luxury and quality".

Patrick McDowell launches ready-to-wear

Liverpudlian designer Patrick McDowell_ who is based in London_ put on a celebration of British heritage and craftsmanship to launch his latest collection_ 'The Lancashire Rose_' at Battersea Power Station_ which was one of the designer_s most intimate collections to date_ and a love letter to his grandmother_ who taught him how to sew.

“Creating this collection was a form of therapy_ of grieving and celebration for my grandmother_” McDowell told FashionUnited backstage_ and added that the finale wedding dress was the starting point_ drawing inspiration from a photograph of his grandmother as a bride.

“My grandmother getting married in the 40s is such a key moment in the story she told me_ and obviously her life_ she was married 52 years_ and had eight children_ and she actually wore her friend's wedding dress as she couldn't afford her own_” added McDowell. “With this one_ we actually sourced four or five vintage wedding dresses_ in need of help_ from the 40s_ took them apart_ reconditioned them and remade it into this. It has over 200 hand-stitched organza flowers_ all made in London.”

The 40s cinched-in waist silhouette is also predominant throughout the collection_ which McDowell states his clients “love_” with other key looks including faded red rose printed gowns_ deconstructed trench coats reworked into corset tops embellished with floral appliques_ and sleek tailoring with embroidered rose detailing.

This season_ McDowell also made his ready-to-wear debut_ as he looks to drive what he calls “conscious growth” of his label_ but stressed that the launch isn_t about mass producing his designs_ as his label is still “rooted in sustainable innovation and British craft heritage”.

“We are launching ready-to-wear in a very limited way_” explains McDowell. “So far_ we_ve done bespoke_ and now we_ll do ready-to-wear piece that are available in additions of between five and 60_ so its super small. The idea is just to give our clients accessible pieces in the in the regions they live in.”

The ready-to-wear will run alongside its dedicated bespoke and made-to-measure clients at its London studio.

McDowell also developed a limited-edition capsule collection of accessories in collaboration with Aspinal of London_ including 16 bags_ a silk scarf_ and a pair of black velvet slippers. Highlights included the reimagining of the British accessories brand_s _Mayfair_ bag in harlequin-embroidered velvet_ sheer beaded tulle_ raffia_ and custom floral silk damask crafted by historic Suffolk silk mill Stephen Walters_ producers of the silk for Princess Diana's wedding dress. The styles perfectly matched up with key looks from the designer_s collection.

“As a kid_ I used to make bags in my bedroom_ so it felt like going back to the beginning and Aspinal were a dream to work with_” said McDowell. “My Grandmother also matched everything when she wore outfits_ so it was important to create matching outfits to each bag. We actually started with the bags and then did the outfits.”

Maximilian Raynor draws inspiration from family heritage

One of the brightest fashion talents in the UK at the moment has to be Derbyshire-born Maximilian Raynor_ a Central Saint Martins graduate_ who marked his on-schedule LFW debut this season_ with his sophomore collection backed by the Hidden Fashion Initiative (Hi-fi)_ a London-based non-profit programme that nurtures emerging creative talent.

“I am eternally grateful to Liam Gleeson_ the founder of Hi-Fi_ who has created a support programme dedicated so passionately to uplifting_ platforming_ but to be boldly truthful_ most importantly_ financing young talent_” explained Raynor in the show notes. “In these early years he dedicates profits from his own agency Hidden_ to help us fulfil our dreams. I hope as Hi-fi finds its feet_ corporate businesses can invest in his vision to help others like me bridge the gap between buzzy graduates and genuine brand owners who can sustain a label long-term.”

Known for his clothing blending drama_ storytelling_ romance and character_ his SS26 collection_ called _I_ll Cry If I Want To__ drew inspiration from different archetypes_ including 40s Royal Air Force pilot parties_ 60s Mods and a skeletal 20s flapper girl_ as well as delving into what he calls his “ordinary British roots” and the characters within his family.

The result was a retro birthday party-inspired immersive theatrical experience in Shoreditch_ complete with birthday cake and dancing. Highlights from the collection included a bold silver ribbon-crocheted gown_ a gold bow-inspired dress_ an elastic-band jumper_ and even a two-piece look inspired by the colours of Wolverhampton Wanderers_ the football team Raynor_s great-great-grandfather played for.

This season_ Raynor also showcased two collaborations_ knitted polos and cardigans with British knitwear brand John Smedley and eyewear featuring details that evoke the metal-capped toes of his signature shoes and punk hardware with Antwerp-based Komono Eyewear. Both collaborations will be available in early 2026.

“I am excited to distil the creativity of the Maximilian Raynor brand into pieces that can easily be adopted into anyone_s wardrobe_” said Raynor. “With John Smedley_ I fulfil a childhood ambition of collaborating with one of my home county_s most respected heritage brands. Growing up in Derbyshire_ I knew that Smedley is the Rolls-Royce of knitwear and I_m proud to give my spin on their classic polos and cardigans. Thank you to Jess McGuire-Dudley and everyone at John Smedley for your support of emerging talent and commitment to the preservation of British manufacturing.”

When asked what the biggest challenge is for a fashion brand like his? Raynor stated it was “finance”.

Raynor told FashionUnited over e-mail: “Money is finally coming in for me_ but it's going straight back out. The running costs are very high_ not least thanks to astronomic London rent_ and my challenge is to be as nimble and dynamic as possible.

“This is why I have a three-pronged business approach. The first being traditional retail sales (with my stockist Machine A in Soho)_ the second custom-made one-off garments for celebrities and private clients and the third being rental_ where I charge a hire fee on garments from my studio.

“My aim is to double the number of custom looks we do per year and add a second stockist for my ready to wear.”

Daniel Fletcher continues to develop Mithridate aesthetic

Chester-born_ London-based contemporary designer Daniel Fletcher_ who has been carving a niche for himself in menswear with his eponymous label Daniel W. Fletcher_ continued to develop his vision as creative director of Chinese luxury brand Mithridate this season.

In February_ Fletcher had only months to relaunch the label_ design a new logo and creative direction_ to support the label_s ambitions to become a “global luxury brand”. For his sophomore collection_ _Edge of Seventeen__ he is strengthening an aesthetic and approach that marries British heritage with Chinese craftsmanship with sleek daywear and discerning eveningwear with a touch of eccentricity.

Fletcher told FashionUnited backstage at the Royal Opera House: “The first collection for me was really about establishing what Mithridate is today_ because I basically started from scratch_ with a new logo_ new label_ new patterns_ everything was new.

“So_ for the first season_ I really wanted to cement what was the foundation of the brand_ while also allowing me to build into that and tell me the story and have some more fun with it.”

For SS26_ Fletcher was inspired by 1980s city revelry with British sporting heritage_ and the mix between the “two very different worlds_” of country folk and the town dwellers. This fusion was manifested in rugby jerseys worn with business shirts_ sequins paired with cotton stripes_ cable knits layered over wool-silk tailoring_ and glamorous party dresses styled with Oxford shirts.

“The heritage of the collection comes from the country manor_ with the cable knits and riding boots_ but then there is something glamorous by mixing materials_ such as cotton stripe poplin shirts with sequin dresses. It_s a clash that shouldn_t really work but somehow does.”

This season also saw the introduction of more accessories to the label_ adding oversized bags inspired by classic luggage with details borrowed from the interiors of trunks and decorated with embossed luggage tags_ while tasselled leather footwear made its way from the golf course to the King's Road and riding boots are given new angular proportions.

Commenting on the development of the accessories_ Fletcher said: “It takes a longer time to develop accessories_ like footwear_ bags_ and jewellery. In the first season_ we kind of gave a taste of it_ but I really wanted to make sure we got that right and I'm very happy with what we got to this season.”

With the collection making a statement_ Fletcher explained that the label is now looking to drive growth through wholesale and its own stores_ with the designer heading to China later this month to open the first new retail format under his creative direction.