London Fashion Week Kicks Off With Basement Rave
Designer Marie Lueder started London Fashion Week with a party in a basement rave setting. The event showcased a new collection that blends dark, club-inspired aesthetics with the ease of streetwear. The presentation highlights a trend of blurring the lines between nightlife and daily wear in modern fashion.
- German-born designer Marie Lueder trained as a bespoke tailor at the Hamburg State Opera before studying menswear at London's Royal College of Art. - The Lueder brand, founded in 2019, is built on a philosophy of "mental armour," creating garments that blend sportswear and tailoring with medieval silhouettes to shield the wearer. - The Fall/Winter 2026 collection, titled "Ghosts of My Life," drew inspiration from the writings of the late cultural theorist Mark Fisher, exploring themes of nostalgia and mental health. - For the show's soundtrack, Lueder collaborated with producer Danny Harle, known for his work with artists like Caroline Polachek and Charli XCX, to create an original score. - This collection marked the brand's first use of pinstriped suiting, which was presented with a deliberately casual and subversive approach, challenging formal wear conventions. - Lueder is a recipient of the BFC's NEWGEN award, a talent identification scheme that offers financial support and mentoring to emerging designers. - The brand has a focus on sustainability, utilizing materials such as organic denim, recycled jersey, and regenerated nylon in its collections. - In September 2024, Marie Lueder was shortlisted for the prestigious Vogue Fashion Fund, which recognizes emerging design talent.
