Another London Fashion Week has come and gone, and while the thrill of the shows might be over, the runways gave us plenty to look forward to come spring/summer 2026.
This season's showcase promised to be the start of something new. British Fashion Council's newly appointed CEO Laura Weir kicked off the week with a speech heralding a new era of LFW with greater support for existing and new designers showing on the calendar and incentives for international buyers and press to attend.
There were plenty other reasons to celebrate. London's favourite demi-couturier Harris Reed marked his 10th anniversary at the Gothic Bar in St Pancras, showcasing his extravagant gowns and crinoline skirts, while Roksanda also celebrated 20 years of showing at LFW with a dreamy show that christened the newly-opened Chancery Rosewood Hotel.
Rising female design stars from Johanna Parv to Pauline Dujancourt nabbed the spotlight with their technical prowess while the cast of Wednesday like Georgie Farmer (Ajax) and Evie Templeton (Agnes) graced the FROW of Mithridate and Richard Quinn respectively.
As for the runways, designers clearly had their childhoods on their minds. Dollhouse-inspired looks flooded the catwalks of Simone Rocha and Yuhan Wang, while bubble skirts continue to be the silhouette of choice come spring, this time in shorter, sexier hems. Indian designer Anamika Khanna behind one of the recent sold-out H&M collabs showed her collection in an actual toy shop, taking over the top floor of Hamley's for her runway, and Susan Fang's models wearing her airy, technicolour gowns glided through the Barbican Conservatory with giant inflated balloons overhead.
Of course, there were plenty of pieces for “adults," too. Flirty fringe dresses sashayed their way down the catwalks at dozens of brands like Ahluwalia and George Trochopoulos, and an unusual shade of green is emerging as the colour-of-the-season. Below, take a look at the five runway trends from the SS 2026 runways we can't wait to wear next spring.
It's been a long time coming. From ballet flats to the Labubu craze, childhood nostalgia has been seeping into fashion for a several seasons and this London Fashion Week, the dollhouse aesthetic was on full display. Simone Rocha had models literally walk the runway with pillows in their arms, dressed in her signature romantic looks with an edgy twist. Yuhan Wang's models wore lace stockings, baby tank-tops and ruffled knickers, while Pauline Dujancourt played with ethereal fabrics for her fairy dresses. Instead of dressing up our dolls, the dolls are dressing us.
You know that in-between colour that you and your friends can't quite determine if it's more lime or pistachio? Apparently, it's called chartreuse and it's coming for your spring wardrobe. Interestingly, it's the designers best known for their elegant gowns that are championing this tricky hue. Erdem included a draped, asymmetrical frock in this off-green colour in the midst of his collection inspired by the globe-trotting imaginings of Swiss medium Hélène Smith, while Simone Rocha added a dash of chartreuse to her lineup of floral PVC raincoats and lantern skirts. Is this colour an acquired taste? Maybe. But does it add a bit of zest to a dress? Absolutely.
Where once technical sportswear was left off the catwalks and kept in a separate category, althleisure has increasingly crept onto the runways at luxury and emerging fashion houses alike. But this season, designers like Johanna Parv are taking it one step further with pieces you could quite literally wear to scale a mountain—while still looking incredibly chic. Behind one of Parv's vests were two pockets that she placed water bottles in, perfect for the thirsty triathlete, while Jacek Gleba of Fashion East deconstructed pieces that were inspired by those worn by ballet dancers.
While fringe has always been a favourite statement look in fashion, every season, a new iteration emerges. Where last year saw shaggy fringe looks or dramatic, head-to-tow coats in layered fringe, next season is all about delicate, stringy fringe that provides plenty of drama when you walk. You could lean into the look with a full gown like at Ahluwalia or dip a toe in it with an accessorised belt from Nanushka to add texture to an outfit. Either way, be prepared to see plenty of noodley looks come spring.
Who would have thought that the bubble skirt trend that took off last summer would have such legs? Yet here we are. Love it or hate it, next spring, the flouncy frock is back on trend, this time with an even shorter hem, according to brands like Mithridate and Keburia. Sweeter than the Space Barbie trend of the past but sexier than the ankle-skimming summer dresses everyone wore to weddings, this trend is like wearing a cloud on the hips. The best part is? There's plenty of pocket room.
