LFW (20th) SS26: Runway Roundup & Exciting News!
- Mimi Piqua
- Sep 20
- 7 min read
The second full day of London Fashion Week is upon us today ladies and gents! With a lot of really cool up-and-comers on display throughout the day I will of course be writing about only the best and most WOW collections!
However first I must mic-drop some information... I was confirmed for a show today! I will be walking a show tomorrow at LFW! I am buzzing, that massively long casting I wrote about 2 days ago clearly paid off because they booked me! I am super excited! But for now let's catch up on today's affairs. Starting off very strong with Patrick McDowell.
Patrick McDowell - 20th @10am
Patrick McDowell’s Spring 2026 show marked his ready-to-wear debut at London Fashion Week, hot on the heels of receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. True to his ethos, the collection championed sustainability and craftsmanship as each piece is only going to be produced in limited runs of just 5–60 units and complete with a digital product passport (very ethical).
Simplistic silhouettes and precise tailoring defined the collection, with cropped trench coats as a recurring staple. Blurred poppy prints nodded to both spring florals and Remembrance Day - a meaningful, McDowell-style twist on the “groundbreaking” florals for spring trope. The embroidery and appliqué were show -stopping, particularly on Look 18 (below): a skirt-and-blazer set adorned with silver floral buttons, black velvet roses, and green silk stems.
The 25-look show closed with two breathtaking bridal-style designs, one a two piece suit, and the final gown (shown above) featuring cascading white flowers, black ribbons, and a complete horseshoe tied to the right hip with black flowers holding it on! A symbolic, sentimental end. Fusing bespoke techniques with everyday elegance, McDowell’s debut ready-to-wear offering was thoughtful, theatrical, and beautifully executed.
See the full collection here - https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2026-ready-to-wear/patrick-mcdowell/slideshow/collection
Toga - 20th @1pm
Toga’s Spring/Summer 2026 ready‑to‑wear collection by Yasuko Furuta continued the brand’s signature blend of duality, leaning into contrasts of softness vs edge. Quiet tailoring and clean lines are balanced with unexpected, playful details. The imagery and silhouettes shown throughout this collection hint towards a refined palette, more Toga than before.
The mood feels both wearable and artful, with just enough twist to avoid predictability. The use of prints throughout the collection is very clever, hints of a floral or a plaid or even a bold fruit print will pop out from under strictly tailored pieces to add a hint of fun and uniqueness to the pieces.
Some of the key looks included sharp tops with relaxed hems, looks that play with proportion (think lengths and looseness, sometimes offset with tighter tailoring), and layering that mixes textures. Fabrics ranged from crisp to soft, with drape and structure both appearing across different looks. Accessories were mainly kept to a thoughtful minimum, however there are silver hardware details pronounced throughout the collection, supporting the main garments rather than overwhelming them. The show feels designed for someone who wants something off‑beat but still fundamentally practical, there were many strong ready-to-wear pieces, with a few looks that were elevated for more drama and event-wear!
Such as my favourite look from the collection, Look 15. A crisp, architectural spirit dominates: a sharply tailored cropped blazer with a strong shoulder line is paired with a matching mini-skirt with accentuated waist. The gap between skirt and blazer accentuates the waist through an under layered body-suit paired with black leather belt. It is unique and unconventional, giving the silhouette both structure and fluidity. This look is definitely modern, yet equally wearable, Toga brings pieces through this collection that speak with confidence without being too bold.
See the full collection here -
Ahluwalia - 20th @2pm
Priya Ahluwalia’s SS26 sees her signature fusion of cultural heritage and fluid silhouettes evolve further. The collection blends relaxed tailoring with layering, think oversized jackets, drapey trousers, and soft shirts pairing with streetwear staples. SS26 had evolved staples for the designer - fringing, knit, prints, embellishments etc. Textures and prints played a supporting but strong role: subtle graphic work, potentially done through tie‑dye or tonal distortions, which were then contrasted with solid pieces, lending softness and movement. The mood feels grounded, warm, wearable, but with punctuation: unexpected cuts, asymmetry, detachable or adjustable elements.
What’s especially striking is how Ahluwalia leans consistently into identity and personal narrative. Accessories and detailing are thoughtful - visible seams, interesting notions of “unfinished” or deconstructed edges, sometimes raw hems, but all feeling intentional rather than rough. There’s a sense of dialogue: the everyday and the elevated, comfort and construction. Overall, it’s a collection that underscores Ahluwalia’s strength in making pieces that feel both meaningful and ready for real life.
See the full collection here -
Roksanda - 20th @5pm
Roksanda’s SS26 collection showed designer Roksanda Ilinčić reinforcing her signature strengths: bold colour, sculptural volume, and a strong sense of form. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this season, we were expecting a bold collection to honour the Roksanda legacy. This was 100% completed with remarkably bold silhouettes appearing throughout the 32 look collection.
This collection leaned into a signature flair for drama, with striking silhouettes, sweeping gowns, and architectural draping that echo movement and fluidity. Bold colour-blocking and unexpected combinations including bright orange, royal blue, and even dip-dye effects (as seen in Look 12 - shown above) - inject vibrancy into the lineup, alongside clever contrasts between structured tailoring and softer, more romantic elements.
Among the lineup, bold bordering-on-couture looks sit alongside more subdued everyday pieces, creating a deliberate juxtaposition. Fringing emerged as a prominent trend, adding texture and motion throughout - including some really cool tassel bags!
A standout orange jacket - Look 9 shown on left - felt punchy and powerful, while some simpler office-style fabrics offered balance, and borderline Zara vibes. Not every experiment landed - certain paper, tinsel-like looks arguably veered into tacky territory, but overall, the collection showed strong creative direction.
While there are undeniable show-stoppers, much of the collection’s impact lies in its craftsmanship and attention to detail - a thoughtful harmony between the dramatic and the wearable.
See the full collection here -
Richard Quinn - 20th @7pm
Naomi Campbell just opened for Richard Quinn SS26. WOW. WHAT. HOW.
This collection was superb, you know when you can just tell when a designer loves women and makes them feel beautiful with fashion. Richard Quinn just successfully did this. Naomi Campbell for starters, opened up the picturesque runway in front of a live orchestra wearing a beautiful fitted black velvet maxi dress, with a white flower appliqued to the chest and white shoulders swooping across the back elegantly.
This look set up the trajectory of the other 55 looks to come, with more florals dispersed throughout the collection, among meticulously magnificent beadwork embellishments. The collection is made up of 56 gowns, which you would imagine would mean there would be a few looks which are reasonably sub-par. Wrong.
The silhouettes include dropped waists, capes, a- line, sweetheart, arched, square, collared, the list goes on and on. Each and every gown had so much individuality. With the collection telling a story throughout. First beginning with more simplistic silhouettes, added to with large white florals. Then moving on to a bow theme, which carried on throughout but started with the yellow embellished looks, moving swiftly onto green, then purple, then florals.
And then the tone swapped completely to a red velvet, more bold, less safe than other looks. Equally breathtaking. Still the black velvet bows ran throughout, even when the looks transitioned yet again to blue prints, florals, and more beadwork!
ABOVE - LOOKS (in order) 52, 16, 36
It was insane. The development throughout the collection was stunning and still by now we are only at Look 33/57. The looks then transition to deeper tones, a deep blue velvet begins to appear, then deep blue tulle and of course matching beadwork. The diversity of the gowns was insane. The atelier must have been working non-stop for months prior. This is what fashion is all about!
There are then more florals, then pinks, then golds, and finally I reached the final 14 looks which were quite clearly bridal inspired. My mouth was on the floor by this point. Oh my god.
Some models walked gracefully down the runway with bouquets in their hands, others without. There were so many varieties of brides on show. Of course there was the same embellishment detail as before, but now with elegant bridal touches, silk gloves, more white florals but this time white bows to match. Lots of lace, ruffles, and mountains upon mountains of tulle. Look 52 (above), I would happily get married in, a stunning beaded corset draped perfectly down the model to a dropped waist, and then a simplistic skirt took over and towered down to the floor. Stunning!
Every look I was hungry for more on the next slide, this collection brought me back to life. It made me regain my love for fashion (not that it was lost - just that it was growing weaker) all in one collection. I have a new name to add to my wedding dress designer list now. Keep that in mind Richard Quinn…
See the full collection here -
What’s to come
As mentioned above, yours truly has a runway tomorrow! Ahhhhh. I'm actually kind of nervous. But I will remain calm and mysterious, and of course I will be supplying all the BTS goodness you all need.
Among that my day will be occupied with reporting on some of the exciting shows on offer tomorrow (21st September), including Emilia Wickstead, Marques A'lmeida, Simone Rocha, and Erdem!
And as an even bigger bonus our Marketing Assistant is working behind-the-scenes tomorrow at the Marques A'lmeida show so you'll be getting one hell of a London Fashion Week dump after tomorrow... can't wait.
With love,
Mimi x
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