On an unseasonably sunny September weekend, London Fashion Week was back with a bang. Once again, I found myself rushing from show to show, stopping briefly only to grab blister plasters and coffee — in true, glamorous fashion week fashion.  

 

Paul Costelloe: SS26 Boulevard of Dreams

At 9am, Paul Costelloe whisked us onto Rodeo Drive, opening this season’s runway world with the dreamy soundtrack Sugar Town by Nancy Sinatra. In Palm Court at The Waldorf Hilton, where he never fails to impress, he introduced a 60s Beverly Hills-inspired spring/summer collection.  

Boulevard of Dreams ranged from tailored chic with contrasting, striking silhouettes to flirty swing dresses. Each look was uniquely brilliant, styling everything from capris to mini skirts to tailored jackets. The collection blended into a pastel mosaic of elegance that redefined summer tailoring.  

The models channelled Twiggy with exaggerated eye makeup and voluminous beehives that transported us back in time. The accessories, namely unconventionally chunky jewellery, complemented and modernised each outfit.  

Coral tones were a recurring theme throughout, while pops of deeper orange signalled a palette shift for 2026. But the standout look was a crisp all-white ensemble: a sleeveless, buttonless waistcoat paired with wide-legged trousers that flared like a skirt. With two chunky white bangles, a bright lemon bag, and flower earrings, the look was the epitome of summer, tailored.

Noon By Noor: SS26 Mirage

Just across the road in Somerset House, Noon By Noor introduced their collection Mirage in a flawless showcase which captured perfectly “the beauty of what you can’t quite hold onto”. Designers Shaikha Noor Al Khalifa and Shaikha Haya Al Khalifa drew inspiration from Veruschka’s independence captured in vintage photographs, childhood memories under desert skies, and romanticism in Pre-Raphaelite paintings.  

Much of the palette was subtle — khakis, beiges and white — but it was the Bahraini red and cherry blossom pinks that truly stole the show. Noon by Noor is all about texture and layering: metallic cotton mixes, linens, silks, and handcrafted cotton cord knotted belts that hung loose as the focal points of many looks.

The collection was feminine and familiar, tailor-made for the empowered, magnetic woman who can throw on a shrug, chuck on a belt, and make anything uniquely her own. 

 
Designers to Watch 

A parade of up-and-coming designers featured at the Oxford Fashion Studios and Art Hearts runways in a fusion of styles, cultures, and visions. 

Two standout — and completely contrasting — collections came from Chavelis Playhouse, a Puerto Rican designer determined to celebrate what makes us different, and SuKaz, a designer label focused on distinct, embossed, artisan-crafted jackets. 

Chavelis Playhouse: SS26 

Watching Chavelis Playhouse’s collection felt like falling into a toy box.  Designer Michaela Chavelis, calls her models “the dolls,” and dresses them in a blend of crochet, metallic fabrics, and fur. The aesthetic is playful, loud, and bright, and inspired by childhood memories.

Chavelis has no structured design process because, really, there are no room for rules. She lets her imagination run wild and just “pulls everything from my [her] brain”. 

Each piece was personal and distinctive. Customisation is her USP – anyone can arrange a “playdate” via her website and co-create a wardrobe that is just for them. My personal favourite was a pink and gold ensemble where Barbie met Wonder Woman: striped metallic flares and a cropped star top. One look even reimagined a Girl scout uniform by pairing a blue, badge-filled apron with multicoloured crotchet sleeves and skirt. Another captured today’s youth culture, as a model strutted down the runway with pink fur trousers, a fur helmet, and a backpack full of Labubu dolls.  

SuKaz: SS26 

‘SuKaz’ is a portmanteau of designer Susan Hollingsworth and Kazakhstan, where she lived for years. Her SS26 collection focused on leather quilted jackets, each featuring floral stitched embellishments on the sleeves and a window of roses on the back.

Every garment was completely individual, right down to the buttons, which were custom made for each jacket. The artisan-crafted panels can take up to 50 hours to complete.  

“I know nothing about fashion” Hollingsworth told me — I had to stop myself from laughing — “I wear black, and I put on a jacket” she said. And therein lies the essence of her brand — these jackets are luxurious, thoughtfully produced, and designed to be outfits in and of themselves.

 

The weekend was Absolutely Fabulous – a time to spot Joanna or Jennifer, push boundaries and walk 20,000 steps in heels. But while we anticipate the arrival of these luxury trends on the high street, the absence of body diversity on the catwalk is one trend the industry urgently needs to squash. 

It was my second fashion week – exhausting, exhilarating and surreal – and when I finally sat in the car to drive home, I had to pinch myself. First to wake myself up, and second to check I hadn’t dreamt it all.