London Fashion Week came to a close yesterday, marking the end of 5 days of frantically hopping into cabs and train carriages between shows in an attempt to catch them all. And while London Fashion Week doesn't necessarily lend itself to wearable trends – owing to the fact that it's largely made up of independent designers with clothes that you probably wouldn't see down the shops or the pub – there's still plenty to talk about and pick apart.
From established brands like Burberry and Simone Rocha to the emerging designers setting the newest trends and fashion movements, LFW lets us peek into their minds to see where fashion is going.
Sometimes, the best action is off the catwalks.
So, without further ado, here are the top trends from this London Fashion Week season.
Unlike Milan and Paris, the British capital has female creativity at the forefront. Join us in celebrating the minds who make things happen ahead of its AW26 season.
Practical glam
A particularly noticeable trend this season was how practical, utilitarian staples were transformed to give them more of a romantic, glamorous feel. For instance, Simone Rocha collaborated with Adidas this season, bringing us a track jacket with puff sleeves. Johanna Parv, on the other hand, finished her show with cycling-jacket-turned-dress, a glamorous silhouette made from ergonomic material.
Fancy trench coats
While trench coats have been trending since last year, this season brought us a new development. Trench coats are going fancy. From ruffles at Burberry to floral panels at Fashion East, look out for trench coats that are more adorned than you're used to.
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Khaki
Since khaki is a neutral autumn tone, it's never really out of style in the colder months. But there are times when it feels more on-trend than others. Personally, I remember how popular it was in 2016, when khaki bomber jackets were all the rage. Now, the shade back in full force.
Corsets
You could call it the Wuthering Heights effect, but corsets have actually been gradually rising in popularity for years now. They've been a design staple for many emerging designers in London, perhaps drawing inspiration from British designers of the past like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.
Hardware
Possibly leading on from the corset trend, this season has brought with it an influx of hardware like eyelets and hooks: parts of clothing that usually remain hidden. Eyelets are the holes used to thread ribbons and strings through when lacing something up: including trainers and corsets. Instead of being overlooked as a practical part of the garment, they're being highlighted in their own right.
Belt charms
If 2025 was the year of the bag charm, this year is bringing us belt charms. There were girly staples like rosettes at Simone Rocha and a lacy bow at Jawara Alleyne, but Sinead Gorey brought it to a more punk place with a beer bottle hanging off one of the model's belts.
Funky denim
The last few years in fashion have been dominated by discourse about jeans: are they wide, are they skinny… Forget all that. Now, it's all about funky jeans. Whether adorned with some sparkly hardware, tie dyed, or adorned with appliqués, jeans are going from a quiet wardrobe staple to a statement of their own.
Drop waist
Drop waisted silhouettes started popping up last year, but this season has truly cemented them as a trend in fashion. There's something very vintage-feeling about a drop waist – probably the fact that they were massive in the 1920s.
Blue velvet
Yes, like the song. Velvet in general is on the rise, but blue velvet in particular has reared its head at the recent shows. From trousers at Burberry to a dress at Conner Ives, we're calling it now: we'll be wearing blue velvet next winter.
