Topman and Topshop threw a flashy party on the Thames in partnership with Uber, calling on fashion stalwart, DJ Fat Tony, to soundtrack the evening. This was rivaled by H&M’s show — a three-drop, “see now, buy now” collection — walked by Lila Moss and Alex Consani, and visually orchestrated by image-maker Nick Knight and creative director Calum Knight. The show opened with a ballet performance by Ingrid Silva and closed with a Foreigner rendition by Labrinth, interspersed with flickering AI visuals.
“There was visual spectacle, but ultimately, it was about celebrating human creativity and exploring the relationships between the models, designers, musicians, dancers, technologists, and the audience that make fashion possible,” says Calum. “We also felt strongly that we wanted to take everyone in the room on an emotional journey, just like any great film would do,” Nick adds.
For H&M, it was the logical conclusion to recent momentum in the London fashion ecosystem. “We are a global brand. We have worked on events and activations in so many special cities. London is one of those amazing cities to us — a place rich in talent, creativity, and a heritage of rule-breaking fashion,” says Jörgen Andersson, H&M’s chief creative officer. Last season, H&M showed on-schedule, leaving a big impression on the city’s critics and customers alike, he explains. “Our motivation this season was to build on that success and excitement [and] to show our commitment to interesting ideas and collaborations.”
The high-production show followed with a major party, headlined by Kim Petras. It seems that big money wants a piece of the London pie.
Spotlighting behind-the-scenes talent
Across the board, designers put more time and energy into revealing what goes on behind the scenes and seams. Rising star Dujancourt took a handful of editors backstage to showcase the painstaking process that goes into her featherweight looms. Her shoppers appreciate this craft-led approach, because it helps them build a personal relationship with the pieces, the designer explained.
“We’ve had the brand growing a lot,” Dujancourt said, revealing that she will join Dover Street Market Paris’s brand development showroom this year in support of her wholesale network. Nonetheless, her highly personal approach to design is building her a market for occasion dressing and bridal commissions, alongside direct-to-consumer and wholesale. A representative for the brand later confirmed that turnover has grown by around four to fivefold in the past year. “For us, the question is how a designer can grow without losing what made us fall in love with their work in the first place,” says Joffe. “With Pauline, it’s the time and patience involved in the handwork and the fragile beauty that it results in. Our work is to protect that while building the structure around it.”
Fittingly, buyers are taking note of this craft-led approach. On the penultimate day of LFW, Net-a-Porter’s Chartrand said her top three collections were Simone Rocha, Erdem, and Pauline Dujancourt — all highly wrought and artisanally developed. Chartrand noted the common denominators. “What they all have is a strong sense of craft, elevated fabrications, and intricate animations,” she says. “With socializing and events trending so strongly, the Net-a-Porter customer is constantly looking for something new to wear, and these three designers have approached occasion dressing particularly well this season.”
