As London Fashion Week returns, it feels like the capital of creativity is desperate to begin its new chapter. With the British Fashion Council’s newly appointed CEO Laura Weir at the helm, this edition of LFW promises more than fresh collections: it (hopefully) signals systemic change. Weir has already taken some decisive actions, scrapping designer participation fees for the upcoming on‑schedule shows, increasing scholarships, and extending the NewGen programme through to 2029. She’s also committed to doubling investment in the international guest program to bring in more global press and buyers.
Alongside these shifts behind the scenes, this season is bursting with emerging brands ready to make the city’s fashion scene their home. There are exciting runway debuts from Oscar Ouyang, Rory William Docherty and new Fashion East designers Jacek Gleba and Mayhew. Elsewhere, ex-Vetements design duo Laura Beham and Callum Pidgeon will be showcasing their new brand Prototype, while “bastard aristocrat” Hector Maclean. And former costume designers are taking their performance-wear to the runway this season, with touring wardrobe favourites AGRO Studio and Addison-approved Lucila Safdie also showing this season, bringing their pop-star power to the British catwalk.
Below, BRICKS shares our top ones to watch for London Fashion Week SS26.
Maximilian Raynor
From: On a farm in Derbyshire, England
Studied: BA Fashion at Central Saint Martins
Known For: Theatrical, gender‑fluid designs with a focus on deadstock luxury materials and circular design.
Worn by: Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Ashley Graham, Paloma Elsesser, Precious Lee and Adut Akech, to name a few.
Accolades: Winner of the UK Jury prize for R|Elan Circular Design Challenge and ITS (International Talent Support) Jury Rewarding Honour in 2025.
Ella Douglas
From: Oxford, England
Studied: BA Fashion Design & Marketing, Central Saint Martins
Known For: Sculptural ornamentation and industrial textures with bold embellishment, including her hand‑applied spikes for her graduate collection’s Spike Dress.
Worn by: Perry Edwards & Bjork
Accolades: Winner of “Fashion Forward” (The Store Oxford & Oxford Fashion Studio) competition
Timisola Shasanya
From: Born in Ireland before moving to Nigeria and then the UK to London & rural Kent
Studied: BA Fashion, Central Saint Martins
Known For: Dark and seductive menswear, using indigo-dyed textiles and leather sourced from Kano, Nigeria, to explore themes of migration, memory, and identity.
Accolades: Shasanya’s 2025 graduate collection was a stand-out from the season.
Prototype
Who: Laura Beham and Callum Pidgeon, both ex‑Vetements
From: Germany & UK, now Zurich-Based
Known For: Upcycling and repurposing deadstock garments, including DIY offerings via Proto Packs and Proto Prints, which can be bought and ironed onto clothing.
Accolades: This will be the brand’s debut LFW runway show, but they’ve already received critical praise from sustainable fashion media outlets.
Oscar Ouyang
From: Beijing, London
Studied: Foundation at Central Saint Martins, plus a BA in Fashion Design with Knitwear.
Known For: Gender-neutral knitwear with strong, sustainable craftsmanship, blending themes of fantasy, anime and nature.
Accolades: Has been selected as part of BFC NEWGEN SS26 cohort.
Karina Bond
From: Born in Russia, moved to the UK at aged 9
Studied: BA Fashion Print at Central Saint Martins
Known For: Statement, sculptural occasion wear using laser‑cut organza, luminescent futuristic dresses, and even invented a “3D thread” technique.
Worn by: Miss World Manushi Chhillar, Tasha Ghouri & Tallia Storm
Accolades: L’Oréal Prize short-list and Sarabande Foundation scholar.
Kyle Ho
From: London-based
Studied: BA in Fashion Styling and Production and Menswear MA at the London College of Fashion.
Known For: Progressive, bespoke menswear re-imagining masculinity through innovative pattern cutting.
Worn by: Julez J Smith
Talia Byre
Who: Talia Lipkin‑Connor
From: Warrington, England
Studied: BA and MA in Womenswear Fashion at Central Saint Martins
Known For: Contemporary womenswear with deconstructed knitwear, asymmetrical silhouettes, and homages to her heritage via family heirlooms and personal storytelling
Worn by: Adwoa Aboah
Accolades: Was shortlisted for the BFC’s Designer Fashion Fund last year.
Lucila Safdie
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Studied: BA Fashion Womenswear at Central Saint Martins
Known For: Self-described as “London-Based Brand For Girls”, the brand tells stories about girlhood, identity, and femininity through influences from early 2000s internet culture, classic coming‑of‑age films, Sylvia Plath, and the visual styles of Sofia Coppola.
Worn by: Rachel Anne Sennott, plus Addison Rae & dancers on her support tour with Lana Del Rey.
Rory William Docherty
From: Grew up in the New Zealand countryside, raised by Scottish parents
Studied: Fashion Design at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand
Known For: Surreal silhouettes that take inspiration from artists & art movements, including Francis Bacon, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Ben Nicholson, and Cy Twombly.
Ksenia Schnaider
Who: Ksenia and Anton Schnaider
From: Kyiv, Ukraine
Studied: Kiev National University of Technology and Design; courses also at Central Saint Martins & Istituto Marangoni.
Known For: Upcycled and supersized sustainable denim.
Worn by: Bella Hadid & Celine Dion
Accolades: Premium Young Designers Award (Womenswear) in 2016, PETA Germany “Best Jeans Style” in 2021, and countless Ukrainian design awards.
Hector Maclean
From: London-based, with Scottish family heritage.
Studied: Central Saint Martins, and an internship with Vivienne Westwood.
Known For: Descended from King James II, Hector prides himself on being a “bastard aristocrat”. His design aesthetic adopts sustainable practices and reworked fabrics, playing on juxtaposed themes of punk & elegance, and trash & treasure.
Worn by: Priyanka Chopra, The Last Dinner Party & Nico Parker.
Jacek Gleba
From: Barcelona; his mother is Spanish and father is Polish
Studied: PR, Advertising & Applied Communications BA at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Fashion Design MA at IED Barcelona, and then MA Fashion at Central Saint Martins.
Known For: Understated elegance with nods to queer culture; his graduate collection was inspired by the diaries of dancer Vaslav Nijinsky.
Accolades: Will be joining the Fashion East SS26 cohort for debut runway.
Mayhew
Who: Louis Mayhew
From: London-based
Studied: Womenswear at London College of Fashion
Known For: Heavy emphasis on form & function, including “hacks” and shortcuts to modify clothing for enhanced performance, with a focus on local production and slow practices.
Accolades (awards): Will also be joining the Fashion East SS26 cohort for debut runway.
Adrianne Weber
From: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Studied: Central Saint Martins, and then MA in Luxury Brand Management in Paris
Known For: Prioritising British manufacturing to craft classic staples & expert tailoring
Accolades: SME News CEO of the Year Awards 2023 (Most Sustainable High‑End Fashion CEO: UK); Style & Apparel Awards 2024 (Most Elegant & Contemporary Clothing Range: UK; Excellence in Sustainable Craftsmanship).
AGRO Studio
Who: George E. Oxby & Angus Cockram
From: London-based
Studied: Fashion Design at London College of Fashion
Known For: Despite this being the design duo’s debut at LFW, they’ve already made a name for themselves dressing Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, FLO and Jade on their respective tours.
Worn by: Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, FLO, Jorja Smith, AJ Odudu, Tems, Robbie Williams, Christina Aguilera & Jade. Damn.
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