London Fashion Week ended on September 22nd and marked the halfway point of the fashion month season. It is a crucial part of the year for designers, stylists, models, and large publications.
Various trends emerged during Fashion Week, showcasing the clothing and beauty products that are likely to appear on the shelves in the spring and summer of 2026. Some of them were previously popular, such as bold nails, which have been a trend on TikTok. Others arose unexpectedly. The color pink appeared on numerous runways, showing up mostly in the form of dresses and shirts, ranging from Tory Burch to Area, as well as matching pastel makeup that gave it a cotton-candy look. This is a considerably sharp contrast to last season, where neutrals and shapeless clothing were all the rage. Those didn’t go away, though, given that there was a substantial amount of white-black contrast, trench coats, and billowing silhouettes, specifically by Michael Kors. This luxury brand designer includes accessories like handbags and watches as well as his ready-to-wear collections.
Speaking of designers, there was a lot of buzz about two new people who debuted this year at New York Fashion Week. One was a woman named Zoe Gustava Anna Whalen, who generated conversation by using primarily repurposed fabrics. Her website says that she is inspired by the “pre-industrial revolution world” with corsets and bustle skirts. A floral pattern can be seen on one of her looks, really bringing in that spring theme while also using a lot of black and white. The other person that really popped out was Jamie Okuma, who was the first ever Native American designer to appear as part of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (or CFDA), which is a non-profit organization for fashion designers around America. Her collection really drew from nature, featuring symbols like butterflies and flowers, while using all-natural fabrics made from materials like silk and bamboo.
Of course, there were some returning brands too. On the first day, Michael Kors kicked it off with neutral tones and loose silhouettes. But aesthetics weren’t the only thing his eyes were on. “As summer temperatures rise with global warming, fewer of us need or want heavy suiting,” Vogue magazine reported in the coverage of his collection. Kors used fabrics that were light, making sure no one would truly overheat in the hot summer sun. Tory Burch, a designer who was featured on Gilmore Girls and had a preppy aesthetic to her clothing, was also there that week, showcasing the pastel theme. She used silk as well, while also using a lot of sheer cloth. She had really been trying to highlight femininity and optimism this season, not exactly following the same path as some other designers.
Compared to New York, London’s lineup offered fewer big names but a lot of cool runways that have fun niches and fresh ideas. Chopova Lowena, a brand that isn’t necessarily new, really brought a new sort of look to the runway. The looks were an ode to American football and cheerleading while also reflecting a quirky vibe. The two designers used multiple layers on their looks, shimmery tinsel with skirts, shoulder pads, and preppy sweatshirts. Ebay also continued its tradition called the “endless runway,” where all its clothes are old and worn. They really aim to show off sustainable fashion and to highlight their website as a place where you can buy vintage clothes.
The trends seen were very similar to the ones from NYFW, which isn’t too surprising. Sculpted outfits that leaned into femininity are making a comeback in both cities. Denim has also been everywhere, with outfits fully made of it. Emilia Wickstead is a designer who really rolled with it this fashion season. She is popular for her style in modern femininity and usage of bold colors. Her silhouettes are timeless, with a sort of graceful look to them. On the runway, she used that to her advantage. The collection offered a range of looks from an outfit that was almost fully denim with mom jeans and a jean jacket, to dresses that had looser looks to them and were made with bright greens, yellow, blues, and some white.
Between the new florals, pinks, and defined silhouettes, to the neutrals and flowy outfits, there was a gorgeous range of trends to choose from for the spring and summer. With Paris and Milan fashion weeks still coming up, there will definitely be more to see for the Spring/Summer 2026 season, where we can see bigger designers like Dior, Saint Laurent, and more on the runways.
