This is an episode of the Glossy Fashion Podcast, which features candid conversations about how today’s trends are shaping the future of the fashion industry. More from the series →
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts • Spotify
London Fashion Week returned with more international buyers, several major British brands and a sharper commercial focus.
On this week’s Glossy Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi spoke with international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska about the September 17-21 shows. They discussed Christopher Kane’s Mulberry debut, McQueen’s London return, Burberry’s turnaround and the pressure on independent designers to make their shows pay off.
The British Fashion Council said accredited buyer attendance increased 19% year over year, while international buyer attendance rose 41%. But it did not disclose the total number of buyers or whether their visits produced orders.
“There is still a gap between the people who go into the runway rooms and how those collections are received afterward online,” said Zwieglinska. The venue, music and crowd can elevate a show. Once the images circulate, the clothes face closer scrutiny.
Mulberry was one of the week’s biggest tests. The 55-year-old British brand is trying to rebuild after several difficult years. Under CEO Andrea Baldo, who previously led Ganni, revenue increased 4% to $167 million (£125.5 million) in the year ended March 28. Its pre-tax loss narrowed from £32.2 million to £8.9 million. Kane’s appointment is intended to extend Mulberry beyond its core handbags and make ready-to-wear a larger part of the business.
For Spring 2027, Kane repeatedly adapted the squared fastening of Mulberry’s Bayswater bag across the collection. Zwieglinska liked parts of the outerwear but questioned the reliance on such a familiar code.
“I don’t think the Bayswater motif in itself is enough of a signature to stamp [across the collection],” she said. Editors she spoke with also hoped Kane would have more freedom next season.
McQueen faced a similar problem. The brand returned to London after showing in Paris since 2001. The move came shortly after former Prada CEO Gianfranco D’Attis took charge of the business in June. Owner Kering is cutting back McQueen’s distribution and repositioning it as a British authority in tailoring and occasionwear.
The collection included Huntsman tailoring, lace, eveningwear and harnesses. But Zwieglinska felt it relied too heavily on established McQueen references, including armor-like shoes and eyewear.
“Commercializing archive pieces is not really a business strategy,” she said. “In terms of the rebelliousness and edginess that were so symbolic of McQueen, it feels like that has gone.”
Parisi said this is a wider challenge for luxury houses. “How do you build on the legacy and reference iconic pieces without becoming over-reliant on them?” he said. “If you change everything, people say you are disrespecting the history. But if you do not go far enough, it feels stagnant.”
Burberry offered a brighter conclusion. The house’s collaboration with textile designer Celia Birtwell brought florals, color and lighter fabrics to the runway. It also supported CEO Joshua Schulman’s Burberry Forward turnaround, which has put recognizable products, particularly outerwear and scarves, back at the center of the business. In the latest financial year, comparable store sales rose 2%, after falling 12% the year before. Adjusted operating profit increased from £26 million to £160 million.
“There was a lightness to the collection that maybe wasn’t there before,” said Zwieglinska. Parisi described it as “brighter, lighter and almost a little ’70s.”
Commerciality was even clearer elsewhere. Marks & Spencer celebrated 100 years in fashion with its first LFW show. Every look was immediately shoppable, and half the collection was priced below $67 (£50). H&M also used a see-now, buy-now model. At eBay’s Endless Runway, Zwieglinska watched a guest try to buy an Alaïa skirt while it was still appearing on the catwalk.
Independent designers are also adapting. Zwieglinska highlighted Erdem, Di Petsa, Mithridate, Simone Rocha, Susan Fang and Chopova Lowena. For many, accessories, collaborations and sponsorships now help fund the runway.
“London designers have almost become experts at marrying commerciality with creativity,” she said. “The heritage names are back in a bigger way, but the independents have also done incredibly well to keep building without major financial backing.”
