London Fashion Week Showcases Dramatic Outerwear
The Fall/Winter 2026 shows at London Fashion Week featured trends centered on dramatic outerwear, layered silhouettes, and tactile materials. The collections displayed a range of colors from creamy pastels to rich jewel tones, emphasizing volume and expressive shapes.
- Burberry is re-emphasizing its iconic trench coat, but with modern updates and cinematic flair, using fabrics designed to be durable. Their show is seen as a bellwether for the season, with the potential to influence buyers and editors across the fashion world. - Designer Erdem Moralıoğlu, celebrating his 20th anniversary, presented a collection in collaboration with Barbour that featured heavily embellished capes and other outerwear pieces. His show at the Tate Britain drew a front row of devoted stars including Glenn Close, Helen Mirren, and Keira Knightley. - Simone Rocha continued her exploration of volume and modern femininity, using exaggerated proportions and sculptural skirts to create a sense of spectacle and storytelling. Her work is known for pairing traditionally delicate materials like tulle with more utilitarian silhouettes. - A broader trend for Winter 2026 outerwear includes architectural elements like funnel necks that create a powerful silhouette without the need for additional accessories like scarves. Designers are also focusing on sculpted, voluminous "balloon sleeves" to add dimension. - Emerging designers are also making their mark on outerwear. Talia Loubaton of Liberowe, for instance, draws inspiration from traditional Indian menswear, such as the sherwani coat, to create sumptuous velvet outerwear. - The street style at London Fashion Week mirrored the runway, with attendees sporting statement outerwear like "Penny Lane" coats, faux fur jackets, and quilted floral coats. - Some designers are reacting to a perceived excess of theatricality in London fashion by focusing on more commercially viable, "real clothes." This includes a renewed emphasis on polished, tailored pieces that can be worn for various occasions, from the office to dinner. - Turkish designer Bora Aksu drew inspiration from 18th-century folklore for his collection, blending historical workwear details like fitted bodices and lacing with ethereal, flowing fabrics like tulle and silk organza to create a ghostly, romantic feel.
