From Christopher Kane’s leather-led debut at Mulberry to Simone Rocha’s stripped-back romanticism and Yuhan Wang’s surreal bedroom dreamscape, London Fashion Week SS27 continues to push familiar codes into unexpected territory.
Memory, emotion and performance remain key themes across the week, from Dreaming Eli’s childhood nostalgia and Pauline Dujancourt’s intricate lace and crochet to Edeline Lee’s ballet-inspired tailoring and Chopova Lowena’s punk-infused show, complete with dogs on the runway.
Here’s our penultimate round-up of London Fashion Week’s highlights…
Mulberry returns to runway with Christopher Kane’s leather-led debut
Mulberry staged its first runway show in six years at London Fashion Week, unveiling its spring/summer 2027 womenswear collection, Mulberry by Christopher Kane. The show marked Kane’s first public presentation since becoming Creative Director of Women’s Ready-to-Wear in March, with the collection set to launch in January 2027.
Working alongside his sister and longtime collaborator, Tammy Kane, Christopher expanded Mulberry beyond its traditional focus on accessories, combining ready-to-wear and accessories with an emphasis on design, craftsmanship and cultural references.
Leather provided the strongest connection to Mulberry’s heritage. The Bayswater handbag was reinterpreted through leather garments and crenellated details across coats, tailoring, knitwear and dresses, while the Postman’s Lock appeared on belts and shoes. Kane described the approach as a way of saying “Mulberry” without relying on a logo.
The collection also drew heavily on the house’s Somerset origins and archive. References to founder Roger Saul, the mulberry tree and his early use of leather inspired axe motifs, including the Chop bag and axe-shaped heels. A 1980s raincoat was reproduced in its original form, while the heritage check supplied the colour palette and the 1990s Mulberry sweatshirt was revived.
Dreaming Eli turns childhood memories into SS27 collection at St Bartholomew’s Hospital
Dreaming Eli brought memories of childhood and Sicily to SS27 with Dreamers in Exile, presenting the collection at St Bartholomew’s Hospital’s North Wing. Designer Elisa Trombatore drew on old photographs, domestic objects and inherited traditions, alongside the experience of leaving home and building a new life in London.
The collection’s signature distressed finish was pushed further this season, with silks broken and layered alongside cotton and gauze in blush, rose, white and black. Hand-painted fabrics were given a worn, vintage quality, while ruffles and pearls were layered together to resemble fragments of old photographs. Screen printing was also introduced, drawing on references from Baroque Sicilian churches and tattoo-inspired motifs.
Denim, lace and vinyl were combined to create a leather-like effect, while ripped and hand-cut sections revealed the layers underneath. The collection also included the returning Wild Hearts Bleed platform heels, updated in satin with new blush and rose colourways. A new Pearl 3D bag range, designed by Harry Mack and engineered in partnership with Unit9, added another element of experimentation to the collection.
Across the collection, Trombatore moved between the softness of childhood memories and the harder edges of growing up. Distressed fabrics, exposed layers and contrasting materials gave the clothes a deliberately worn-in quality, reflecting the marks and memories carried through different stages of life.
Simone Rocha strips back her signature romanticism at London’s Old Bailey
Irish designer Simone Rocha brought her London Fashion Week spring/summer 2027 show to London’s Old Bailey, presenting a noticeably more revealing collection than her usual heavily layered style. Models appeared in sheer dresses, open leather jackets, plunging silhouettes and exposed underwear, marking a deliberate move towards vulnerability.
Rocha said she wanted the collection, titled I Was Trying To Love You, to feel less protective and more personal. She deliberately exposed undergarments, rolled-up cuffs and trousers beneath dresses so that the clothes appeared individually adjusted rather than perfectly styled and uniform.
The Old Bailey provided a striking contrast to the romantic designs. Rocha said she was inspired by the discovery of Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ, which had gone unrecognised in a Dublin home for years. She wanted to capture the idea of finding “the most beautiful thing in the most unobvious place” through both the setting and the garments.
Although the collection retained Rocha’s signature roses, floral embroidery, rounded skirts and fitted bodices, these elements were combined with more exposed skin and less formal styling. The result explored femininity through a tension between elaborate decoration and vulnerability, while making the clothes feel more connected to the women wearing them.ng them.
Yuhan Wang transforms the bedroom into a dreamscape
Yuhan Wang looked to the strange moments between sleep and waking for SS27, presenting Sweet Nightmare at London Fashion Week. The collection brought the bedroom into the clothes, mixing nightwear, lingerie and familiar everyday pieces with details that made them feel slightly out of place.
Silk satin and transparent lace were paired with cotton, checks and sports jersey, creating combinations that looked as though they had been thrown together behind a closed bedroom door. Lingerie appeared beneath striped polo jersey, while lace stockings were worn with boxer shorts. One look combined three layers of briefs in lace, check cotton and jersey, while a baby-doll dress expanded through tulle and mesh.
The collection also turned ordinary bedroom objects into fashion details. A clothes brush appeared as an accessory, while necklaces looked tangled into clothing as though they had been caught while getting dressed or undressed. Tiny floral teacups and saucers were arranged around the waist, while powder compacts, blush cases, miniature mirrors and brushes were transformed into bags, charms and other accessories.
The dreamlike references continued through hand-drawn cherries and cats, alongside an empty vintage jewellery setting reworked into an earring and belt detail. Drawing on the uneasy atmosphere of films including Rosemary’s Baby, Eyes Without a Face and Suspiria, Wang combined sweetness with stranger, more unsettling details, making familiar pieces feel slightly unfamiliar.
Paws, parachutes and punk – dogs steal the spotlight at Chopova Lowena show
Chopova Lowena’s spring/summer 2027 London Fashion Week show took an unexpected turn when dogs joined the runway. One dog wearing a parachute hesitated at the gutter between bowling lanes, briefly stopping the show before another model overtook it.
The canine models wore extravagant outfits, including puffer jackets, futuristic headpieces, protective gear, oversized goggles and an anti-theft costume with a security camera and flashing light. One tiny dog was carried by a model in a bright green inflatable coat. The designs were created with veterinary advice and aimed to humorously highlight the importance of pet safety and insurance, in partnership with Lloyds Bank.
The show, titled X/LUCKY SPIRIT LOST STRIKE/X, was staged in a bowling alley, with models walking along the lanes to a heavy metal soundtrack. The collection featured Chopova Lowena’s signature mix of clashing colours, textures and subcultures, including checked skirts, graphic prints, colourful tights, chunky footwear, Victorian influences, sportswear and school-uniform elements.
While the collection continued the label’s familiar combination of folkloric references, punk styling, upcycled materials and distinctive carabiner-fastened skirts, the tiny dogs in their unusual outfits became the show’s most memorable attraction.
Pauline Dujancourt explored emotional expression through lace and crochet
Pauline Dujancourt explored the different ways emotion can be expressed through clothing for SS27, presenting The Bitter Tears at London Fashion Week. Inspired by tears as an outward expression of feelings including despair, grief, fear, pain, bitterness, sadness and relief, the collection translated each emotion into hand-cut lace, crochet and gathered textile details.
The collection’s ‘tears’ appeared as tumbling fronds of lace and crochet across the looks, while thousands of individually hand-sewn and crocheted flowers were scattered throughout. The flowers were also incorporated into the set, with 4,000 handmade loom flowers applied to hand-scalloped lace. Two dresses, including the finale, were made from 700 fine alpaca loom flowers crocheted together and mounted onto organza and tulle, creating soft, voluminous shapes.
Silhouettes moved between exaggerated and off-kilter proportions, from organically draped sleeves and shrunken boleros to a sweeping tutu-like shape layered with the collection’s textile tears. Fluid cupro-rayon slips and lace and tulle dresses were contrasted with tweed jacquard, while fine spaghetti straps, ribbons and bow ties added delicate details. Blush pink and peach brought softer notes to cool blues, black and white, with asymmetric styling and haphazardly hitched skirts giving the collection an undone quality.
Drawing on Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1972 play The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, Dujancourt explored femininity, independence and romance through the collection. Flowers, lace and crochet brought softness to exaggerated silhouettes, while the contrast between delicate materials and more robust shapes reflected the tension between vulnerability and strength.
Edeline Lee transforms school sports hall into striking stage
Edeline Lee transformed a school sports hall in Chalk Farm into an unconventional London Fashion Week venue, combining fashion with ballet and synchronised performances. Ballerinas rehearsed beside the runway while dancers in bright red costumes performed routines, creating a lively contrast with the designer’s structured clothing.
The collection was inspired by The Myth of Sisyphus and the relentless effort behind artistic performance. Lee drew parallels between Sisyphus repeatedly pushing his boulder uphill and dancers training for years for brief moments on stage. She also highlighted the hard work and craftsmanship involved in creating her own designs.
Known for minimalist tailoring, Lee introduced more athletic silhouettes this season, influenced by ballet, gymnastics and swimwear. Fitted blazers and sharply cut dresses appeared alongside tutus, bodysuits, shorter skirts and sculptural pieces in bold colours such as turquoise, red, purple and emerald. Her eveningwear was also more understated than in previous collections.
The show deliberately exposed the normally hidden backstage process, with models being fitted and clothes adjusted in front of the audience. A film showed dancers rehearsing in everyday spaces, while a large white boulder on the runway provided a direct reference to Sisyphus. The unglamorous sports hall, complete with basketball hoops, football goals and cricket nets, became an integral part of Lee’s exploration of discipline, movement and performance.
Talia Byre previews Topshop collaboration on the runway
Talia Byre gave the first glimpse of her upcoming Topshop collaboration on the SS27 London Fashion Week runway, bringing two footwear styles from the collection into her latest show. The designer presented the collection at the Hellenic Centre, pairing her signature stripes and fitted silhouettes with nostalgic brogue-inspired shoes.
The collaboration footwear included backless lace-up brogues in black and white, alongside wedge-heel boots finished with brogue detailing across the toe and upper. The boots could also be folded down for different styling options, while the shoes were designed with everyday wear in mind. Both styles appeared throughout the collection, grounding Byre’s more fitted and feminine looks.
On the runway, the boots were worn with new halter-neck dresses and low-rise, airbrush-tight flared trousers, while the brogues appeared alongside dresses and cargo miniskirts. A new custom-striped long-sleeved top offered a fresh take on Byre’s familiar rugby-inspired stripes, while the collection continued to balance fitted shapes with more relaxed pieces.
The collaboration marked a new direction for Byre, who said she wanted to create shoes that she and her studio team would genuinely wear. The full Topshop collection will span ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories and is due to launch in late October, with the collaboration bringing Byre’s distinctive approach to proportion, colour and everyday dressing to a wider audience.