London’s Spring 2026 season reminded us why the city continues to be fashion’s proving ground for bold experimentation and fearless storytelling. Designers leaned into history, craft, and subversion, often pushing beyond the expected runway spectacle to deliver collections that read as both personal manifestos and cultural commentary. There was an appetite for the gothic, the theatrical, and the romantic — but always sharpened by a distinctly British wit.
No show embodied this more than Dilara Findikoglu, whose “Cage of Innocence” was less a collection than a full-scale performance. Staged at Ironmongers’ Hall, the show drew crowds of goths, celebrities, and locals alike, all eager to glimpse her feminist reframing of sexuality and power. Models staggered barefoot with horsebit buckles and silicone cherries, pushing couture-level craft into a raw, visceral spectacle that has cemented Dilara as one of London’s defining voices.
Simone Rocha turned the prim and proper codes of 1950s femininity inside out. Bustles, opera coats, and full skirts were paired with wipe-clean PVC and rebellious energy, underscoring Rocha’s ability to merge historical reference with contemporary subversion. Her 15-year anniversary season felt like a reminder of why she remains one of Britain’s most influential female designers.
At Erdem, history and mysticism collided in a tripartite narrative inspired by Hélène Smith, a 19th-century medium who claimed to channel Marie Antoinette, a Hindu princess, and even a Martian alphabet. Through antique lace, patchworked panniers, and bursts of acid lime, Erdem wove his usual refinement with surrealist intrigue, demonstrating again his unique ability to preserve forgotten stories in clothes meant to live now.
Elsewhere, the week was alive with volume and voice. From daring silhouettes to unexpected palettes and experimental craftsmanship, London’s runways offered moments of spectacle alongside quiet statements of refinement. Taken together, these perspectives reinforced the city’s reputation as a crucible of radical ideas sharpened by technical skill.
Here are The Impression’s picks for the best runway shows of the Spring 2026 season in London as selected by our Editor-in-Chief, Kenneth Richard.
10 – Tove
9 – Marques’Almeida
8 – Natasha Zinko
7 – Mithridate
6 – Toga
5 – Richard Quinn
4 – Roksanda
3 (Tie) – Simone Rocha
3 (Tie) – Burberry
2 – Erdem
1 – Dilara Findikoglu
