UK Fashion News: British Fashion Council takes Fashion Britain beyond London with nationwide September programme

The British Fashion Council (BFC) is taking its fashion agenda beyond London this September with the launch of Fashion Britain, a nationwide initiative designed to broaden participation in the UK fashion industry and strengthen regional creative economies. 

The move comes against the backdrop of a wider political push to rebalance economic and cultural activity beyond the capital, following the Prime Minister's announcement earlier this summer of plans to establish a new government base in Manchester, dubbed “No10 North”. In this context, the BFC's decision to take fashion into cities and creative communities across the UK reflects a growing recognition that the country's creative and economic potential extends well beyond London.

UK long-standing retailer Marks & Spencer will unveil its debut London Fashion Week (LFW) collection to a global audience in September 2026, as it celebrates 100 years in the fashion industry. Image: Marks and Spencer Inc.

The Fashion Britain programme will bring more than 1,000 cultural events and experiences to cities across the UK, including London, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol, as well as Edinburgh and Dundee in Scotland. The initiative forms part of the BFC's new BFC 2030: Access, Creativity and Growth strategy and is intended to decentralise fashion by creating greater opportunities for designers, creatives, businesses, educators and audiences outside London.

Rather than positioning London and the capital's established fashion infrastructure as the sole centre of British fashion, Fashion Britain seeks to connect the country's different creative communities and highlight the contribution of regional talent to the industry's cultural and commercial landscape.

The September programme will combine public designer conversations, exhibitions, cultural collaborations, retail activations, live performances and other fashion-related experiences. More than 100 BFC designer members are involved alongside cultural institutions, retailers and other partners, underlining the Council's intention to make fashion a more accessible and geographically representative industry.

A central element will be the National Designer Panel Series, developed in partnership with ELLE UK. The series will bring designers and industry figures into direct conversation with audiences in different cities, providing insights into creative careers, regional identity and the development of fashion businesses.

Among the announced panels are a conversation between Nicholas Daley and Charles Jeffrey at V&A Dundee, an appearance by Aitor Throup at Manchester Art Gallery, and a London panel featuring Saul Nash, Clio Peppiatt and Luke Derrick at the National Gallery. In Liverpool, designers Patrick McDowell and Talia Byre will discuss their connections to the region and their creative journeys at the Walker Art Gallery.

The initiative represents a significant shift in the BFC's role. Announcing Fashion Britain in July, BFC Chief Executive Laura Weir said that participation in British fashion had for too long been concentrated in too few places. She described the initiative as a move towards recognising British creativity as a national asset and creating opportunities "wherever it exists" across the country.

Building the industry's regional infrastructure

For the fashion industry, the significance of Fashion Britain extends beyond a month of public events. The BFC says the longer-term objective is to strengthen local creative economies, develop the next generation of talent and establish pathways through which designers and creatives can build sustainable careers in their own cities.

This approach also reflects a broader effort by the Council to combine talent development with commercial resilience. Its recent programme of financial and business support has included the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, which awarded London-based designer Bianca Saunders £150,000 in June, alongside bespoke business mentoring and professional services. Saunders' label, launched after her graduation from the Royal College of Art in 2017, is recognised for its reinterpretation of menswear through a diasporic perspective rooted in her British-Caribbean heritage.

In June, the BFC also announced the 2026 recipients of its Fashion Trust programme: Clio Peppiatt, Conner Ives, Nicholas Daley, Paolo Carzana, Patrick McDowell and Tolu Coker. The grant-giving programme is designed to support designers at pivotal stages of business growth through financial investment and tailored industry guidance. Since its launch, Fashion Trust has supported 59 designer businesses with more than £3 million in funding.

The Council is simultaneously pursuing a stronger international commercial platform for British designers. In May it announced a four-year commitment to expand LONDON show ROOMS in Paris, with the programme designed to give British designers greater access to international buyers, press and markets during the Paris fashion calendar. Confirmed dates extend through 2026 and 2027, covering both menswear and womenswear periods.

Taken together, these initiatives point to a two-track strategy: widening the domestic foundations of British fashion while strengthening its international commercial reach.

Fashion Britain therefore arrives at an important moment for the UK industry. As London Fashion Week prepares to take place from 17–21 September 2026, the BFC is simultaneously seeking to broaden the definition of where British fashion happens and who gets to participate in it.

For regional designers and creative businesses, the test will be whether the September programme can translate visibility and cultural engagement into longer-term opportunities — including education, networks, investment, retail access and sustainable business growth. If it succeeds, Fashion Britain could become more than a nationwide celebration around London Fashion Week: it could represent a structural shift in how the UK's fashion ecosystem is developed and connected.

For Fashion Britain full programme, click HERE.

Interiors: Where Fabric Meets Form: Planted and Sgrinhouse Celebrate British Craft

British upholstery house Planted has collaborated with hand screen-printing studio Sgrinhouse to create Alice, a chair in which the fabric is not simply a covering but a defining element of the furniture's design.

Planted, the British upholstery house built on old skills, has launched the Alice chair
 made in collaboration with hand screen-printing studio Sgrinhouse.

The collaboration brings together two complementary craft disciplines — traditional upholstery and hand screen printing — resulting in a piece that demonstrates how textile creativity can influence furniture form as well as surface.

Named after Sgrinhouse founder Alice Smith*, the Alice chair is upholstered entirely in Sgrinhouse's hand screen-printed Stripes design, including its legs. Printed in a rich rust colourway, the pattern creates an uninterrupted visual surface around the chair, emphasising its sculptural silhouette while retaining the irregularity and character associated with a handmade textile.

The Alice chair - named after Sgrinhouse founder Alice Smith  - is upholstered entirely in the studio’s
hand screen-printed “Stripes” design.

Planted, the British upholstery house built on old skills, has launched Alice — a new chair made in collaboration with hand screen-printing studio Sgrinhouse.

For Planted co-founder Daisy, it was the quality of the fabric that provided the starting point for the collaboration. She first encountered Sgrinhouse at Chelsea Harbour in London during its Focus on Design event and immediately recognised a shared approach to craftsmanship.

“The fabric was clearly hand-printed — you could see straight away the difference that quality makes,” she says. “We recognised the same standard in each other’s work immediately.”

Fabric as a starting point for furniture design

The partnership developed as Planted was working on a contemporary, armless bedroom chair. Rather than beginning with a fully resolved furniture form and subsequently selecting a fabric, the company allowed the textile to influence the design itself.

“The fabric gave us the answer,” says Daisy. “Simple from the front, with a hidden detail in the side shape — the print shaped the proportions, right down to covering the legs.”

This approach places the textile at the heart of the design process. The scale, rhythm and repeat of the Stripes pattern become part of the chair's architecture, rather than functioning as a decorative layer applied once the furniture has been designed.

For the upholstery market, it is an interesting distinction. Patterned fabrics are traditionally selected to complement a furniture shape; in Alice, the relationship is more integrated, with the printed textile helping determine how the furniture is conceived and ultimately experienced.

Developing a fabric for upholstery

The collaboration also required Sgrinhouse to adapt its textile practice to the technical requirements of furniture.

Both studios trace the collaboration to a shared belief in traditional skill, applied with a modern eye.
See Alice chair being hand-built, from screen-printed cloth to finished chair on the Planted x Sgrinhouse collaboration page.  Click HERE.
 

The studio developed a new heavyweight fabric specifically for upholstery, while adapting the positioning of the pattern pieces to minimise waste as the chair took shape. The result is a closer relationship between textile development, cutting and upholstery than would normally be possible when working from an existing roll of furnishing fabric.

Sgrinhouse describes its approach as bringing “craft and modernity together” to create durable, timeless textiles, with designs developed and hand printed in-house.

The Stripes pattern draws on the work of artists including Anni Albers and Agnes Martin, while its rust colourway reflects the maritime landscape that informs the wider collection. In the finished chair, the graphic simplicity of the stripe provides a strong contrast with the tactile construction beneath it.

Sgrinhouse founder Alice Smith was recently recognised by Homes & Gardens as its “Best Newcomer in Fabric”, underlining the growing profile of a new generation of British textile designers working across traditional printing techniques and contemporary interiors.

Traditional upholstery meets made-to-order production

Every Alice chair is hand-built to order in Planted's Cotswolds workshop. Rather than producing furniture for stock, the company makes each piece only after an order has been placed.

Every Alice chair is hand-built to order in Planted’s Cotswolds workshop.

The construction reflects Planted's emphasis on traditional upholstery and natural materials. Each chair uses a solid FSC-certified beech frame, hand-tied springs and a natural filling incorporating latex, wool and coco fibre. Polyurethane foam and chemical treatments are excluded.

The upholstery is built from the frame upwards, with each upholsterer signing the finished piece.

“Each upholsterer builds a piece from the frame up, and signs their name to it,” says Daisy. “That’s the accountability we build every piece on.”

The approach also makes the chair suitable for future reupholstery. Rather than treating the finished product as disposable, Planted designs Alice to be recovered and passed on.

There is, inevitably, a trade-off. Producing a bespoke chair around a hand-printed fabric is slower and more costly than purchasing an existing stock fabric and manufacturing furniture to a standard production specification. But it also gives the designer considerably greater control over the relationship between textile, construction and finished form.

In this case, the amount of fabric required is determined by the chair itself, rather than the chair being designed around an existing industrial production system.

A wider British craft movement

The Planted/Sgrinhouse collaboration sits within a broader UK interiors landscape in which hand-printed textiles and traditional upholstery are being brought together to create highly individual furniture.

Pukka Print Linen, for example, has collaborated with British furniture maker Boura & White, whose sofas, armchairs and footstools are crafted in the UK. The partnership places Pukka Print's hand block-printed linens and woven fabrics directly onto the furniture, demonstrating how a strongly crafted textile can alter the character and visual language of an upholstered form.

Another example is Bonfield Block Printers, whose West Dorset workshop produces furniture upholstered in its own hand block-printed linens. The company combines the printed textiles with traditional upholstery techniques and natural materials such as horsehair and calico, producing highly individual pieces rather than standardised furniture.

At a larger design-house level, Soane Britain similarly brings furniture, upholstery and textile design together. Its fabrics are produced in British mills and workshops using traditional techniques including block and screen printing, while its custom service allows designers to commission fabrics for specific projects.

The UK also retains a small but significant network of specialist textile printers. Rapture & Wright, for instance, is among the British studios continuing to use hand-printing techniques for interior textiles, while Thorp of London produces hand screen-printed fabrics in small batches from its Norfolk workshop, alongside woven jacquards produced in Suffolk.

For designers and specifiers, such practices offer something increasingly valuable: textiles with a visible relationship to the hand, rather than anonymous surfaces produced solely for volume manufacture.

For Planted and Sgrinhouse, the significance of Alice ultimately lies in the connection between the two disciplines.

For an industry increasingly interested in provenance, materiality and the value of skilled making, Alice illustrates another important proposition: when textile design and furniture design begin with each other rather than operating separately, the fabric can become the architecture of the product.

* Sgrinhouse founder Alice Smith was named “Best Newcomer in Fabric” by Homes & Gardens in 2025 for her textile design work.

 

International Trade Fair: Première Vision Paris signals fashion's next transformation through AI, advanced materials and beauty convergence

When Première Vision Paris opens its doors from 1-3 September 2026, the world's leading textile and fashion sourcing event will be presenting far more than the trends for Autumn/Winter 2027-28. The exhibition offers a snapshot of an industry undergoing profound technological and commercial transformation, with artificial intelligence, material innovation and cross-sector collaboration becoming central to future competitiveness.

Bringing together almost 900 international exhibitors to Parc des Expositions in Villepinte, this September's edition reflects how fashion's priorities are shifting beyond seasonal collections towards smarter product development, greater supply chain transparency and new business partnerships. The result is an event that increasingly serves as both an innovation platform and a sourcing marketplace.

The exhibition's Innovation-Tech theme underlines the industry's transition from traditional manufacturing towards digitally enabled production and product creation. Artificial intelligence, advanced software, automation and sustainable technologies are no longer presented as future possibilities but as practical business tools capable of shortening development cycles, improving forecasting accuracy and reducing waste throughout the value chain.

For brands facing rising production costs and increasingly complex consumer demands, these technologies represent opportunities to improve efficiency while responding more quickly to changing market conditions.

One of the strongest messages emerging from this edition is that innovation in materials has become inseparable from sustainability. Rather than focusing solely on recycled fibres, exhibitors are showcasing a broader generation of alternatives including leather made from food waste, mycelium-based biomaterials, PLA fibres, closed-loop recycled polyester and plant-based substitutes for fur.

The emphasis reflects growing investment across the textile sector in developing commercially viable materials capable of reducing environmental impact without compromising performance or aesthetics.

Equally significant is the continued emphasis on transparency and circularity. As regulatory requirements continue to evolve, particularly within Europe, manufacturers and brands are increasingly seeking systems that enable product traceability, certification management, digital product information and the recovery of surplus materials. Première Vision's exhibitors demonstrate how digital technologies are becoming essential in helping companies meet both regulatory obligations and consumer expectations.

Artificial intelligence continues to emerge as one of the defining themes throughout the exhibition. From trend forecasting and demand prediction to 3D design, virtual sampling and supply chain optimisation, AI is moving beyond experimentation into everyday commercial application. Solutions presented by technology specialists illustrate how brands can accelerate product development while reducing sampling costs and improving decision-making across the design process.

Performance textiles also remain firmly on the agenda. Responding to continued growth in sportswear, outdoor apparel and technical clothing, exhibitors will present innovations including PFAS-free membranes, bio-based fibres, responsibly sourced down and advanced performance fabrics engineered to improve breathability, waterproofness and durability. These developments reflect the increasing demand for materials that combine technical performance with more responsible manufacturing practices.

Simultaneously, Première Vision Paris is expanding its role as a knowledge-sharing platform through an enhanced conference programme featuring more than 100 international speakers across dedicated Innovation & Technology and Fashion & Beauty stages. Sessions will examine the commercial implications of emerging technologies, changing consumer behaviour, sustainability, creativity and future market developments.

Among the presentations are discussions exploring subjects such as When Technology Shapes the Silhouette: Between 3D Printing and Material Craftsmanship and Agentic Commerce Is Already Shopping for You, highlighting how automation and AI are beginning to reshape both product creation and the retail experience.

Perhaps the most strategically significant development this season is Première Vision Paris's growing commitment to strengthening links between the fashion and beauty industries.

Building on its partnership with COSMETIC VALLEY, the exhibition is launching the Cosmetic Village, a dedicated area bringing together laboratories, manufacturers, packaging specialists, research and development teams and beauty innovators. The initiative recognises that fashion and beauty increasingly share common priorities around colour forecasting, consumer lifestyle trends, sustainability, branding and technological innovation.

The partnership with Kolmar Korea, one of the world's leading cosmetic manufacturers, further reinforces this convergence. Within the Prospective Area, the company will present its vision for cosmetic innovation while unveiling an exclusive make-up palette and lipstick inspired by Première Vision's Autumn/Winter 2027-28 colour forecasts.

The collaboration illustrates how trend intelligence is increasingly extending beyond apparel into adjacent creative industries, creating new opportunities for brands to develop more cohesive lifestyle propositions.

Speaking ahead of the event, Florence Rousson, Managing Director of the Fashion Division at GL events, said the exhibition reflects "the spirit of innovation currently driving the fashion and creative industries", pointing to the expanded conference programme, new partnerships and the technologies being presented by exhibitors as catalysts for business transformation.

As global supply chains continue to evolve, Première Vision Paris is positioning itself not simply as a venue for sourcing fabrics and components, but as a strategic forum where fashion, technology, sustainability and beauty increasingly intersect. For companies preparing Autumn/Winter 2027-28 collections, the event offers valuable insight into the innovations likely to influence both product development and future business strategies.

Photos by Lucia Carpio at Première Vision Paris February 2026 edition

Design Graduates: TEX+ winners secure Première Vision Paris showcase as charity celebrates UK's emerging textile talent

Three of the UK's promising emerging textile designers will exhibit at Première Vision Paris this Autumn, from 1 - 3 September, after being awarded the TEX+ International Exhibition Prize during the TEX+ Showcase at Chelsea College of Arts in London on 15 July 2026.

Left to right:  Lili Mizuno, Twig Searle and Christie Shannon
Credits: Tex+

The international exhibition awards were presented to Twig Searle,  of Falmouth University, Christie Shannon from Glasgow School of Art and Lili Mizuno of London College of Fashion, UAL.  They are all 2026 graduates.

The trio will exhibit at the influential Paris textile trade fair alongside previous International Exhibition Prize recipients Ruth Kent and Nikki Kewley (2024 cohort) and Freya Booth (2025 cohort), providing them with an opportunity to present their work to an international audience of fashion and textile buyers.

The announcement formed part of the annual TEX+ Prize Awards, which recognise exceptional creativity, technical excellence, innovation and craftsmanship among the UK's graduating textile designers. As well as celebrating emerging talent, the awards provide financial support, professional development opportunities and valuable industry connections designed to help graduates establish careers within the textile and fashion sectors.

Building on the 50-year legacy of Texprint, the TEX+ charity brings together education and industry through exhibitions, mentoring, networking and career development initiatives. Former participants have gone on to work with leading brands including Chanel, Nike and Liberty.

Jeremy Somers, Chair of TEX+, said: "The TEX+ prizes recognise the outstanding creativity, innovation and technical excellence emerging from the UK's textile graduates today. We're incredibly grateful to our sponsors and supporters, whose generosity enables us to celebrate exceptional talent while providing meaningful opportunities that help graduates take the next step in their careers."

2026 TEX+ Prize winners (for details of the winners, click HERE)

Among the principal awards, Maia McLaren received the Pentland Prize, worth £1,000 together with a work placement.

The two Liberty Fabrics Studio Prizes, each worth £500, were presented to Grace Holden and Xavier Theobald.

Lisa Rogerson won the Worshipful Company of Weavers Prize (£1,000), while Roisin Foster received both the Juliet Vogel Colour Prize (£1,000) and the Pattern Cloud Support Award, which includes one year's complimentary access to The Pattern Cloud Plan.

Molly White and her printed textile designs.
Photo: Lucia Carpio

The Bay & Brown Support Award, comprising a Beginners Complete Surface Textiles Print Online Course, an Online Floral Print Course and a portfolio session with Tracey Brown, was presented to Molly White.

Printed textile designs by Harriet Letts.
Photo: Lucia Carpio

Harriet Letts received the Sahara Prize, including £500, a one-month placement at Sahara and a potential design purchase opportunity.

The Inge Cordsen Craftsmanship Prize (£1,000) went to Zoe Noble, while Lili Mizuno also received the TEX+ Industry Prize for Technical Excellence (£1,000).

The TEX+ Sustainability & Ethical Practice Prize (£1,000) was awarded to Ruby Bolt.

The Helga Goldman Legacy Prize, recognising Innovation and Creativity and accompanied by a £1,000 award, went to Belén Fernández, while Twig Searle also collected the John Miles Legacy Prize (£1,000).

Additional industry awards included the Kvadrat Prize, a trip to the company's Wooltex mill in Huddersfield, presented to Lola Bate, and the London Embroidery Studio Prize, a six-month studio residency, awarded to Kate Crilly.

Supporting graduates into industry

Tex+ 2026 Finalists
Credits: Tex+

This year's awards come as many textile graduates continue to face significant barriers when entering the creative industries.

Research commissioned by TEX+ found that 56% of textile graduates are not currently working in a full-time textile role, while 36% are balancing multiple jobs. More than half (51%) have relied on financial support since graduating.

The findings highlight the continuing importance of initiatives such as TEX+, which connect emerging designers with employers, mentors and industry professionals through practical career development opportunities that help bridge the gap between education and employment.

Through its network of designers, educators, industry partners and alumni, TEX+ continues to strengthen pathways into the textile industry, ensuring that the next generation of creative talent gains the experience, confidence and professional connections needed to build successful careers.

Trade Fair Report: Scoop strengthens its international credentials with landmark Italian Trade Agency partnership

As UK retailers continue to look beyond volume sourcing in favour of originality, craftsmanship and premium quality, Italy remains one of Britain's most influential fashion trading partners. Worth an estimated £3–4 billion annually*, UK imports of Italian clothing, footwear, textiles and leather goods continue to perform strongly, driven by sustained demand for luxury womenswear, premium footwear, leather accessories, sustainable textiles and high-quality fabrics.  Against this backdrop, Scoop International's latest collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) reflects both the continuing appeal of 'Made in Italy' and the growing appetite among British buyers for distinctive international brands.

From Italy, clockwise from top left: Ripani, Serienumerica, Sayyou
Credits: Scoop International

The partnership marked one of the standout features of Scoop International's Spring/Summer 2027 edition, held at Olympia National, London, from 19–21 July 2026, and completed the show's major trade calendar following its whimsical Autumn/Winter 2026 edition earlier in the year.

Jewellery from Angela Caputi Giuggiù of Italy at SCOOP International
Photo: Lucia Carpio

Making its Scoop debut, the Italian Trade Agency presented an exclusive collective of 32 contemporary Italian designers and brands spanning womenswear, knitwear, accessories and lifestyle collections. With the majority of the exhibitors not yet represented in the UK, the showcase provided buyers with a rare opportunity to discover a new generation of Italian labels seeking distribution within one of Europe's most influential fashion markets.

Scoop International July 2026 edition featured a vintage circus theme for the Spring/Summer 2027 showcase.
Featured were fun-house mirrors, mannequins on rope swings, and a red-and-white striped Big Top Café.  Entertainment was provided by live piano music and an onsite tarot card reader.
Photo: Lucia Carpio

The initiative also demonstrated Scoop's growing role as a gateway for emerging and family-owned Italian manufacturers looking to expand internationally. Many of these businesses produce collections distinguished by exceptional design, craftsmanship and manufacturing expertise, yet often lack the commercial infrastructure and distribution networks needed to establish themselves overseas.

The collaboration represents a natural evolution for Scoop according to Scoop founder and Creative Director Karen Radley. Throughout the show's history she has successfully introduced carefully curated Italian collections to the UK market, and the partnership with the Italian Trade Agency enables Scoop to showcase the depth and diversity of contemporary Italian creativity on a significantly larger scale. It also lays the foundations for an even stronger Italian presence at the show's Autumn/Winter 2027 edition, which returns to London's Olympia National from 7–9 February 2027.

From France, clockwise from left: Vanessa Bruno, Aurège and Zag Studio.
Credits: Scoop International

While the Italian contingent attracted considerable attention, it formed part of an increasingly international exhibitor line-up. French brands including Vanessa Bruno, Aurège, Zag Studio, Ma Petite Capsule, Travaux En Cours, Minuit Douze and Julie Sion exhibited alongside Spanish labels Dr Bloom, Sophie + Lucie and Rita Row, Scandinavian names Masai and A-View, together with British designers and brands from Australia and the United States.   New exhibitors this season included JC Sophie, Resume, MRP Star, Alessandra Salvatore and Kore Collections.

Jewellery made in Paris by Julie Sion.
Photo by Lucia Carpio

The show's international appeal was reflected in the calibre of buyers attending. Retailers including Liberty London, Fenwick, Cream, The Dressing Room, Galeries Lafayette, El Corte Inglés and Printemps were among those searching for fresh collections and new brand discoveries.

 Anna Berkeley hosted daily Style Spotlight presentations at Scoop.
Photo: Lucia Carpio

Alongside the buying opportunities, Scoop's content programme added further value for visitors. Stylist and former fashion buyer Anna Berkeley hosted daily Style Spotlight presentations together with her Behind the Curtain sessions, guiding buyers through key Spring/Summer 2027 trends and helping retailers translate seasonal direction into commercial buying strategies.

With its expanding international exhibitor base, influential retail audience and successful debut partnership with the Italian Trade Agency, Scoop has further strengthened its position as one of the UK's leading contemporary fashion trade events. The collaboration not only showcased the enduring strength of Italian creativity but also highlighted the growing importance of international partnerships in connecting emerging brands with new markets. Those relationships are expected to continue developing when Scoop returns to Olympia National for its Autumn/Winter 2027 edition from 7–9 February 2027.

*HMRC commodity data

Announcement: British Fashion Council unveils provisional London Fashion Week September 2026 schedule. McQueen, Mulberry and Marks & Spencer among highlights of London Fashion Week SS27

 The British Fashion Council (BFC) has unveiled the provisional schedule for London Fashion Week (LFW) September 2026, which will take place from 17-21 September and feature a mix of established British fashion houses, emerging designers and retail activations.

The SS27 edition marks the return of several major names to the official schedule, including Alexander  McQueen, where creative director Seán McGirr will stage his first London runway presentation featuring both menswear and womenswear collections. Mulberry also returns to the schedule, with Christopher Kane set to present his debut collection for the British leather goods brand.

Other established labels confirmed for the week include Barbour, Burberry, Emilia Wickstead, Erdem, Harris Reed, Richard Quinn, Roksanda and Simone Rocha. Contemporary designers Aaron Esh, Ashley Williams, Chopova Lowena, Knwls and Paolo Carzana are also among those showing.

The schedule continues to highlight emerging talent through the BFC NEWGEN programme, supported by Pull&Bear. Newcomers Francesca Lake, Gui Rosa and Petra Fagerström will make their London Fashion Week debuts as NEWGEN recipients, joining returning designers Charlie Constantinou, E.W. Usie, Liza Keane, Octi, Oscar Ouyang, Pauline Dujancourt, The Ouze and Yaku.

Fashion East will once again present its showcase following the BFC's recent commitment to increase investment in the talent development initiative. The programme will also feature a showcase from Birmingham City University, reflecting the organisation's continued focus on supporting creative talent from across the UK.

Several brands will appear on the official schedule for the first time, including British menswear label Geordie Campbell, womenswear designer Joyce Bao, Indian fashion label Lovebirds and demi-couture brand Onalaja.

Alongside runway shows, the SS27 season will feature a series of presentations, installations and cultural events. J.L-A.L will unveil its latest collection through an immersive presentation, followed by an event celebrating the launch of its collaboration with Puma. Meanwhile, Paul Smith Foundation designer-in-residence 5000 will present its new collection through a sound bath experience combining fashion, music and art.

Retail brands continue to play an increasingly prominent role during London Fashion Week. Marks & Spencer will make its LFW debut by presenting its first exclusive runway collection, adopting a "see now, buy now" format for menswear and womenswear as part of the retailer's centenary celebrations. Dover Street Market will host an in-store jewellery showcase, while H&M is collaborating with photographer Nick Knight and SHOWstudio on a reimagined fashion presentation. eBay will return with its Endless Runway pre-loved fashion show, which will be shoppable via eBay Live, and Selfridges will spotlight London Fashion Week designers through dedicated in-store installations and curated retail edits.

Commenting on the programme, British Fashion Council chief executive Laura Weir said the September schedule reflects the "confidence and momentum" of British fashion, bringing together established brands, emerging designers and industry partners while reinforcing London's position as a centre for creativity, innovation and commercial opportunity.

London Fashion Week September 2026 runs from Thursday 17 to Monday 21 September.  

Click HERE to explore the London Fashion Week September 2026 Schedule.

Awards: British Fashion Council strengthens support for emerging fashion designers and businesses with 2026 funding awards

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced the recipients of its 2026 designer support programmes, with Bianca Saunders, LABRUM and six independent fashion businesses receiving funding to accelerate growth and strengthen the UK's creative fashion sector.

Bianca Saunders has been named the winner of the 2026 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, receiving a £150,000 grant alongside a tailored programme of business mentoring and professional services. The award, delivered in partnership with British Vogue, supports established British designers with the potential to achieve long-term international growth.

Since launching her eponymous label following graduation from the Royal College of Art in 2017, Saunders has earned widespread acclaim for redefining contemporary menswear through the lens of her British-Caribbean heritage. Her collections explore identity, culture and masculinity, combining innovative tailoring with thoughtful storytelling.

The BFC has also named LABRUM as the recipient of the 2026 BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund. Founded by Foday Dumbuya in 2014, the menswear label will receive a £100,000 grant, a year-long business mentorship programme, pro bono legal support from Sheridans and access to a network of specialist business advisers.

Drawing on Dumbuya's upbringing in Sierra Leone, Cyprus and London, LABRUM has established a distinctive identity by blending African cultural narratives with British tailoring. The brand has gained international recognition for collections that celebrate migration, identity and the African diaspora while presenting a contemporary vision of British menswear.

Alongside the two flagship awards, the BFC has revealed the latest recipients of the BFC Fashion Trust, its grant programme designed to support designers at key stages of business development. The 2026 recipients are Clio Peppiatt, Conner Ives, Nicholas Daley, Paolo Carzana, Patrick McDowell and Tolu Coker.

Established in 2011, the BFC Fashion Trust has distributed more than £3 million through the BFC Foundation, supporting 59 designer businesses with investment across areas including production, merchandising, e-commerce and product development. The initiative was recognised at The Fashion Awards 2025, where founder Tania Fares received a Special Recognition Award celebrating 15 years of the programme.

Commenting on the announcements, BFC chief executive Laura Weir said the awards reflect the organisation's commitment to supporting commercially resilient British fashion businesses through its BFC 2030 strategy. She described Bianca Saunders and LABRUM as designers whose creative vision and cultural storytelling exemplify the strength of British fashion, while noting that the Fashion Trust continues to play an important role in helping independent businesses scale sustainably.

The BFC's portfolio of prizes and funding programmes forms part of the BFC Foundation, which provides financial support, mentoring and business development opportunities to designers at different stages of their careers, with the aim of strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the British fashion industry.

Obituary: The Campaign for Wool announces the death of its Chairman, Peter Ackroyd MBE

The Campaign for Wool announces with sadness the death of its Chairman, Peter Ackroyd MBE.

Peter Ackroyd MBE was appointed Chairman of the Campaign for Wool* in January 2025, succeeding Sir Nicholas Coleridge CBE, having previously served as Chief Operating Officer since joining the organisation in 2009.  His appointment recognised more than five decades of distinguished service to the international wool and textile industry, as well as his unswerving devotion to championing wool as one of the world's most remarkable natural fibres.  

“Peter was a lifelong Wool Man of the highest calibre, who knew every mill, every player and wool champion in the UK and beyond. He was a Great Man, a gentleman and a friend to so many of us. He will be profoundly missed by the entire wool community," Sir Nicholas Coleridge CBE.  

Throughout his career, Peter earned enormous respect across the global textile community. He served as President of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), was Global Strategic Advisor to Australian Wool Innovation and Woolmark, and was formerly the Vice President of the Strategy Committee for Premiere Vision and former President of the Bradford Textile Society. Peter devoted much of his professional life to promoting wool through innovation, education, international collaboration, and responsible manufacturing. In 2006, he was awarded an MBE for services to the textile industry. 

As Chairman, Peter had the privilege of serving the Campaign under the Patronage of His Majesty King Charles III and provided steadfast leadership at a key time for the international wool sector. He was passionate about championing wool's environmental, technical and economic importance, helping to strengthen relationships across farming, manufacturing, fashion, interiors, retail and government while ensuring the Campaign remained focused on its founding purpose: promoting wool as a natural, renewable and biodegradable fibre for future generations. 

Those who worked alongside Peter will remember not only his remarkable knowledge of the global wool industry, but his humour and ability to lighten any room with one of his speeches and fluency in many languages, along with his generosity, kindness and steady determination. He had an outstanding ability to bring together people from across the international supply chain, earning the admiration of colleagues, growers, manufacturers, designers and retailers alike. His counsel, integrity and lifelong devotion to the industry leave a permanent legacy that will continue to shape the future of wool for years to come. 

The Campaign for Wool extends its deepest sympathies to Peter's family, friends and the many colleagues throughout the international wool community who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him. 

Additional announcements regarding funeral arrangements and the governance of the Campaign for Wool will be made in due course.

*The Campaign for Wool is a not-for-profit international organisation that aims to raise awareness amongst consumers about the unique and sustainable properties of wool as a natural fibre and to promote the many ways it can be used and the products in which it can be used. His Majesty King Charles III first conceived the initiative in 2008, when he was HRH The Prince of Wales, and it was formally launched to consumers in 2010. As a committed environmentalist, His Majesty believes wool's natural, renewable origin and highly technical structure offer fashion and interiors many superior benefits.

Exhibition: Florals Bloom Beyond Fashion as Paris Unveils a Monumental New Design Experience

Florals are reigning supreme this year, but not in the traditional sense. Across fashion, contemporary art and interior design, flowers are being radically reinterpreted as sculptural, immersive and thought-provoking creations.

Sculptural dress and shoes by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, for her "18th Century Punk" Haute Couture Collection,  as presented at Weaving, Embroidering, Embellishing: The Skills of Fashioning exhibition at Palais Galliera in Paris 
Photo by Lucia Carpio

Fashion designers are moving beyond delicate botanical prints, instead embracing structural 3D appliqués, sheer romantic detailing and bold, contemporary tailoring. Flowers are no longer decorative motifs confined to fabric. They are challenging conventional garment silhouettes through texture, three-dimensional craftsmanship and surrealist forms that transform clothing into wearable works of art.

Chanel evening dress by Karl Lagerfeld, Haute Couture SS 2019
as presented at Weaving, Embroidering, Embellishing: The Skills of Fashioning, at
Palais Galliera in Paris 
Photo by Lucia Carpio

The resurgence is also being celebrated institutionally.  Currently at the Palais Galliera in Paris is exploring the enduring influence of the floral motif in haute couture through its landmark exhibition, Weaving, Embroidering, Embellishing: The Skills of Fashioning which runs until October 2026. Bringing together more than 350 garments, textile samples, tools and archival materials, the exhibition examined the extraordinary craftsmanship behind weaving, embroidery, lace-making, artificial flowers and decorative embellishment, all united by a single theme: the flower.

Le Grand Bouquet
from Uchronia at Le Grand Palais, Paris

The same creative evolution is taking place in the worlds of art and design. Florals are experiencing a major renaissance, shifting from subtle background decoration to commanding centrepieces. Contemporary artists are using botanical forms to explore themes of climate, identity and material innovation, creating monumental site-specific installations rather than traditional paintings.

This creative movement will take centre stage during Paris Design Week 2026 (10 to 19 September 2026 ), when the Grand Palais becomes home to one of the festival's most anticipated installations. Created by design studio Uchronia, Le Grand Bouquet is a monumental sculptural flower that appears to emerge from the Rotonde d'Antin, transforming the historic setting into an immersive world of colour, form and architecture.

In a recent interview, Uchronia founder Julien Sebban explained that the project was inspired by the architecture itself.

"Discovering the Rotonde d'Antin at the Grand Palais, one thing became clear: to create a work that would not merely fit into this space but would emerge from it," he said. "Le Grand Bouquet was born from this intuition. A monumental flower blooms there, drawing its lines and curves from the surroundings."

Sebban revealed that every architectural detail influenced the design, from the mosaic floors and floral ornamentation to the vegetal mouldings and circular geometry of the rotunda.

Colour, a defining characteristic of Uchronia's work, plays a central role in the installation, while its monumental scale has been carefully conceived to enhance the visitor experience rather than overwhelm it.

Outside the Grand Palais, an inflatable sculptural structure extends the experience before visitors even enter the building.

For Uchronia, Le Grand Bouquet blurs the boundaries between architecture, design, scenography and contemporary art.

The project also celebrates craftsmanship through collaborations with Atelier François Pouenat, Chromatic and PPG, Tréca Paris, Prelle, Tiptoe, Fenix and Material Bank, each contributing specialist expertise to create the layered, immersive installation.

Ultimately, Sebban hopes visitors leave with something simple yet profound.

The experience continues beyond the installation itself, extending into the Grand Palais concept store where Uchronia has created a collection of distinctive design objects inspired by the project.

As Paris Design Week transforms the French capital into a living atlas of contemporary creativity from 10 to 19 September 2026.  While Le Grand Bouquet promises to be one of its defining attractions - a spectacular dialogue between colour, shape, architecture and craftsmanship  - Paris Design Week will transform the Left Bank into a vibrant showcase of creativity, inviting visitors to explore a carefully curated trail of galleries, studios, showrooms and cultural venues around the Luxembourg Gardens. Blending newly opened spaces with long-established design institutions, each destination offers fresh inspiration and unexpected discoveries in the heart of Paris.

Fashion News: Levi's enters Paris Haute Couture with Christelle Kocher capsule

Levi's is making its Paris Haute Couture Week debut with a capsule collection created in collaboration with French designer Christelle Kocher, marking a significant step in the denim giant's continued push into premium fashion and cultural collaborations.

The 10-look collection reinterprets some of the brand's best-known silhouettes – including the 501® jean and Type II Jacket – through the techniques and craftsmanship associated with French haute couture. 

Developed with Kocher, who is Artistic Director of Maison Lemarié and founder of the KOCHÉ label, the capsule combines Levi's heritage with couture-level textile innovation and hand craftsmanship.

The collection transforms denim through featherwork, hand embroidery, sculptural fabric treatments, floral construction, plissé draping and resin-coated finishes, demonstrating how one of fashion's most commercially recognisable fabrics can be elevated for couture presentation. 

Alongside reworked denim separates are black denim gowns, feather capes and statement headpieces, while the Levi's Baby Brooklyn Bag has also been reimagined as a couture accessory.

The project reflects Levi's growing focus on positioning its heritage beyond traditional denim, following a series of collaborations spanning fashion, music and culture. Showing during Haute Couture Week places the American brand alongside some of the industry's most prestigious luxury houses, underlining its ambition to explore new creative territory while reinforcing the craftsmanship behind its products.

Christelle Kocher

"It was a privilege to bring these two teams together and see this collection come to life," said Kocher. "This capsule reflects my life between the United States and France, two countries that fuel my creative energy."

Mathilde Vaucheret, Vice President, Europe Marketing & Brand Experience at Levi's, said the collaboration represented a milestone for the company.

"Bringing Levi's to Paris Haute Couture for the first time is a major moment for us," she said. "With over a century of history behind the brand, partnering with Christelle Kocher felt like a natural fit. She brings a distinctly Parisian perspective with a modern edge that complements our denim heritage. Her Couture-à-Porter vision is the perfect way to elevate the craftsmanship of denim."

A key feature of the collection is the level of textile experimentation undertaken during its development. Research carried out at Levi's Eureka Lab at the company's global headquarters explored new applications for denim, including feather construction, sculptural volumes, hand embroidery and advanced fabric manipulation. Campaign imagery by photographer Kayla Connors focuses on these technical processes as much as the finished garments, highlighting the craftsmanship behind each piece.

For Kocher, whose career has combined luxury fashion with contemporary streetwear influences, the collaboration continues her long-standing interest in bringing couture techniques into everyday wardrobes. A graduate of Central Saint Martins, she has worked with Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten, Chloé, Martine Sitbon and Giorgio Armani. Since 2010 she has served as Artistic Director of Maison Lemarié, one of CHANEL's Métiers d'Art houses, while her own label, KOCHÉ, has earned a reputation for blending couture craftsmanship with modern sportswear and inclusive design.

The collaboration also reflects a broader trend within luxury fashion, with heritage brands increasingly using couture craftsmanship to reposition familiar products for high-profile cultural moments, celebrity dressing and red-carpet appearances. For Levi's, whose history stretches back more than 150 years, the collection signals that denim remains a platform for innovation as well as commercial appeal.

The Christelle Kocher x Levi's capsule debuts during Paris Haute Couture Week this July.

Fabric Trends: Iluna Group Reveals Three New Creative Themes for AW 2027/2028 at Milano Unica

The 43rd edition of Milano Unica will take place from 7–9 July 2026 at Fiera Milano Rho, Milan, Italy, bringing together leading textile manufacturers from around the world to showcase their latest innovations and creative developments.

Among the exhibitors, Iluna Group will present its new Autumn/Winter 2027–2028 lace collection, unveiling three creative themes that explore contemporary femininity through advanced design, innovative materials and responsible manufacturing.

For the AW 2027/2028 season, Iluna Group celebrates the many expressions of femininity with elegance, sensitivity, personality and style. Through three distinctive themes, the company continues to shape its global vision of contemporary lace design.

Whispers of Romance

Inspired by the timeless elegance of Versailles and the legacy of Marie Antoinette, Whispers of Romance reimagines romance for the modern woman. Delicate yet confident, the collection reflects a femininity where innocence meets self-awareness and sweetness evolves into quiet strength. Soft shades of ivory, blush, pale pink and pearl create an ethereal, dreamlike palette.

Nature's Embrace

Celebrating authenticity and harmony with the natural world, Nature's Embrace expresses a femininity rooted in serenity and resilience. Organic textures and understated sophistication transform fragility into strength, while tones of grey, sage green, sand, petal pink and deep green evoke peaceful landscapes and a sense of wellbeing.

Opulent Soul

The third theme, Opulent Soul, explores femininity in its fullest and most conscious expression. Here, luxury becomes an emotional experience, combining light, texture and soul. Rich transparencies and refined detailing create an opulence that is intimate rather than ostentatious, enhanced by a sophisticated colour palette of gold, red, burgundy, peacock blue and deep green.

Many of the new lace developments incorporate fibres and blends with enhanced sustainability credentials, including EVO® by Fulgar bio-based polyamide and ROICA™ V550 degradable stretch fibre, complemented by Lurex and dope-dyed viscose.

These versatile lace fabrics are suitable for a wide range of applications including apparel, shirting, lingerie, outerwear and beachwear. Offering exceptional softness, stretch and comfort, they are naturally wrinkle-resistant, rainproof and exceptionally lightweight.

EVO® by Fulgar is a 100% bio-based yarn produced from renewable castor oil and industrial corn, resources that require significantly less water and do not compete with food production. The fibre is ultra-lightweight, highly breathable, quick-drying, naturally odour-controlling, thermoregulating and requires little or no ironing.

ROICA™ V550, developed by Asahi Kasei, is a degradable stretch fibre that partially biodegrades under ISO 14855-1 testing conditions conducted by OWS, decomposing into carbon dioxide and water. It is also the world's first Cradle to Cradle Certified™ elastane yarn to achieve Material Health Gold Level certification, offering enhanced degradability compared with conventional stretch fibres.

Reflecting its ongoing commitment to innovation, Iluna Group has also recently launched a redesigned corporate website. The refreshed platform better reflects the company's evolving identity, product portfolio and service offering, while providing customers with improved access to information about its collections and sustainability initiatives.

A pioneer in sustainable lace manufacturing, Iluna Group has consistently invested in research and development to reduce environmental impact while maintaining the highest standards of quality and design. Since 2018, the company has held Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification for its Green Label collection, demonstrating a responsible approach that combines innovation, aesthetics and full supply chain traceability. From polymer to finished lace, Iluna Group monitors every stage of production, measuring its sustainability performance through the Higg Index.

The company's environmental progress continues to deliver measurable results. During 2025, Iluna Group saved approximately one million litres of water through the use of recycled fibres, which require around 40% less water than conventional alternatives.

Visitors to Milano Unica are invited to discover Iluna Group's latest innovations and experience how creativity, technical excellence and sustainability continue to define the future of contemporary lace.

All images from Iluna Group

Retail Event: African Fashion Takes Centre Stage at Paris' Galeries Lafayette with Africa Now Showcase

African fashion continues to cement its place on the global stage, evolving in recent years from a niche regional industry into a recognised force within international luxury fashion. Increasingly visible on major runways, in high-end retail spaces and across mainstream popular culture, the continent's designers are attracting growing international attention.

Adama Paris

Today's African designers are known for their unique blend of heritage with modern tailoring, minimalist design and global fashion trends, creating garments that appeal to both African and international markets, often favouring  bold colour palettes, layered textures and striking contrasts.

Building on the success of  previous years' AFRICA NOW pop-up, Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann has once again opened its doors to some of Africa's most exciting fashion talent. Running from 17 June to 8 July 2026, the showcase reflects the iconic Paris department store's longstanding commitment to promoting cultural exchange and creative collaboration with Africa.

Located on the third floor of the Coupole store, beneath Galeries Lafayette's celebrated Art Nouveau glass dome, the exhibition presents a curated selection of contemporary ready-to-wear, jewellery, handbags and accessories that highlight the diversity and innovation of modern African design. With its luxury boutiques and panoramic rooftop overlooking Paris, Galeries Lafayette provides a prestigious setting for a celebration of African fashion.

This year's Africa Now pop-up is presented in partnership with CANEX x TRANOÏ, Adama Paris, and Studio Ka x Africa Fashion Up, organisations that have played an increasingly influential role in promoting African designers internationally.

Christie Brown

Launched by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme supports the development of Africa's creative and cultural industries. Through its partnership with TRANOÏ—a leading Paris-based fashion trade show held during Paris Fashion Week—CANEX has, over the past eight seasons, provided African designers with access to international buyers, media and investors while helping expand opportunities in financing, production and global distribution.

Visitors to the pop-up have the opportunity to purchase exclusive pieces from designers' Spring/Summer 2026 collections, many of which are unavailable elsewhere in Paris.

Senegalese designer Adama Paris unveils an exclusive capsule collection celebrating a contemporary vision of African femininity.

Ibrahim Fernandez

Returning for a second consecutive year, Ibrahim Fernandez presents refined ready-to-wear inspired by both African and international influences. Founded in Abidjan in 2013, the label has become one of Côte d'Ivoire's leading contemporary fashion brands.

Another Senegalese label, Sisters of Afrika, founded by sisters Jeanne and Hélène Diouf, combines ethical luxury with traditional craftsmanship, locally produced textiles and modern design.

Sisters of Africa

Representing Ghana, Christie Brown, founded in 2008 by designer Aisha Ayensu, continues to reinterpret West African heritage through elegant contemporary collections aimed at an international clientele.

Late for Work

        Designers presented by CANEX           x TRANOÏ include Moroccan label Late For Work, winner of the Fashion Trust Arabia 2025 Ready-to-Wear Designer Award.  The brand reimagines women's tailoring with relaxed yet structured silhouettes that blur the line between discipline and freedom.

Judy Sanderson

Founded in 2020, Judy Sanderson combines African, European and Asian influences to produce sophisticated contemporary womenswear.

We are NBO

Kenyan jewellery brand We Are NBO showcases handcrafted sustainable jewellery produced from recycled materials.

Vanhu Vamwe

Meanwhile, Vanhu Vamwe blends Zimbabwean and Ecuadorian craftsmanship to create distinctive luxury handbags while supporting the economic empowerment of women in marginalised communities.

Eric Raisina

Africa Fashion Up x Studio Ka presents Madagascar-born designer Eric Raisina, a graduate of Paris's Duperré School of Applied Arts and the French Fashion Institute, is internationally recognised for pioneering textile innovations such as Silk Fur and Raffia Lace. His work has featured collaborations with Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix.

Kwiyiah Style 

Founded in 2017 by Lucie Gomba, Côte d'Ivoire-based Kwiyiah Style combines African cultural heritage with contemporary womenswear and has received several industry awards.

Talua

Luxury label Talua completes the line-up with refined ready-to-wear, leather goods and accessories inspired by African heritage. Combining traditional craftsmanship with clean contemporary design, the brand focuses on understated elegance and timeless luxury.

Supporting African fashion globally

The event highlights the work of its three principal partners.

Founded by Senegalese designer and entrepreneur Adama Amanda Ndiaye, Adama Paris has become one of the continent's most influential fashion organisations. Ndiaye is the founder of Dakar Fashion Week, Black Fashion Week and Black Fashion Xperience, and established Fashion Africa Channel, the first television network dedicated exclusively to African fashion. For more than two decades she has championed African designers and women entrepreneurs internationally.

CANEX x TRANOÏ continues to provide African designers with commercial opportunities through its partnership with the Paris and Tokyo editions of the TRANOÏ trade show, helping brands establish a foothold in international fashion markets.

Founded by Valérie Ka, Africa Fashion Up has become a leading Paris-based platform supporting emerging African designers through mentoring, industry partnerships and international exposure. 

The AFRICA NOW pop-up continues until 8 July 2026 at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, 40 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris.