London leads the global fashion calendar with catwalk shows, curated exhibitions and chic soirées celebrating style, heritage and haute couture, Laura Sedlak reports.
London Fashion Week
18 – 22 September 2025
London Fashion Week returns this autumn to showcase the spring/summer 26 collections of the world’s biggest labels and emerging designers. The newest menswear, womenswear and accessories will be shown across the capital with a focus on inclusivity, diversity and sustainability.
Established names and British fashion powerhouses such as Burberry, Victoria Beckham and Simone Rocha will return, alongside debut collections from up-and-coming designers at the Central Saint Martins MA catwalk.
Although many of the shows are invitation-only, designer Q&A sessions, workshops, live music performances and limited-edition product drops will be open to the public. And of course, the streets become a catwalk too as influencers, editors and fashion enthusiasts showcase their best looks. Street style during LFW can be as good as watching the shows with streetwear and high fashion blending and often birthing the next big trends.
Presented by 1664 Blanc, there will be opportunities to try the French beer at chic venues across the city, including Somerset House and 180 The Strand.
In addition to the main venues, a variety of off-site events and presentations across the city will highlight the best of London’s fashion scene, providing a platform for emerging designers to showcase their work. From cultural landmarks such as the Barbican to contemporary spaces, the diverse range of venues will reflect the dynamic and inclusive spirit of London fashion.
Stay in the know by following the British Fashion Council and London Fashion Week for details of all the events.
www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
Gianni Versace Retrospective
Until 1 March 2026
From new styles to an iconic aesthetic at Arches London Bridge. The exhibition venue, made up of interconnected railway arches with six-metre-high ceilings, is hosting a major retrospective celebrating Gianni Versace this year.
Known for revolutionising 1990s fashion with his bold and glamorous aesthetic, visitors can admire Versace’s S/S and A/W collections from 1988-1997. Alongside 450 garments, there’s original runway footage, photographs, interviews and sketches.
The crossover of fashion with art, music and popular culture is common these days but Versace was a trailblazer, inspiring and taking inspiration from London and dressing some of its most loved figures. Elton John owned every silk shirt the designer made, many of which are displayed. Princess Diana, a confidante, redefined her public image by wearing his dresses and suits. Versace’s creative partnerships with muses Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell helped launch the era of the supermodel and famously, George Michael’s chart-topping pop song Freedom cast the ‘Supers’ as they lip-synced the lyrics in both his music video and on Versace’s catwalk.
The looks, collections and documents that tell the story of these relationships are all on display.
Curated by Karl von der Ahé, the show is the biggest collection of vintage Versace to ever visit the UK. Whether you were there for the original looks or influenced by the resurgence of ’90s-inspired aesthetics, this is one not to miss for followers of fashion.
www.archeslondonbridge.co.uk
Marie Antoinette Style
20 September 2025 – 22 March 2026
At the V&A South Kensington, an equally glamorous yet controversial fashion force is remembered in the UK’s first exhibition dedicated to the life of French queen Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette Style features 250 objects including decorative arts and clothing, with some loaned from the Château de Versailles.
Born in Vienna, the Archduchess married the future Louis XVI and became the last Queen of France in 1774. Her extravagant lifestyle and perceived indifference to the plight of the French people contributed to growing discontent, ultimately leading to the French Revolution.
The most fashionable, scrutinised queen in history, she had an enormous impact on the tastes and fashions of Europe at the time. Embellished court dresses, silk slippers and jewels will be on display as well as personal objects that have never previously left France, including her toiletry case and dinner service. As one of the earliest celebrities, her style influenced the European elite and exquisite decorative objects from the era are on display. This is your chance to see up close the items of a woman who continues to fascinate.
As curator Sarah Grant says: ‘The rare combination of glamour, spectacle and tragedy she presents remains as intoxicating today as it was in the 18th century.’
www.vam.ac.uk
Dress Codes
Until 30 November 2025
Kensington Palace, the birthplace of Queen Victoria and home to young royals for centuries, is hosting the exhibition Dress Codes, showcasing never-before-seen items spanning 500 years from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.
See celebratory, diplomatic and court dress worn by a young Queen Elizabeth II; Princess Diana and Queen Victoria.
Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop
26 September 2025 – 8 March 2026
Finally, to Bermondsey, where Zandra Rhodes’ vibrant Fashion & Textile Museum is hosting this exhibition (from 26 Sep). The exhibition focuses on Cosprop, founded by Oscar-winning costume designer John Bright in the ‘60s, and features familiar designs from A Room with a View, Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice. Don’t miss it.
www.fashiontextilemuseum.org
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