The Coolest Shows From London Fashion Week

JW Anderson Sets Strict Boundaries

Ironically, sometimes the most freedom comes with having constraints. This idea was on Jonathan Anderson's mind for his Spring 2025 collection that shed the excess that he thinks has been rampant on runways the past several years. Reduction was applied to the clothes, as well, with a focused range of mini dresses and tutu skirts that were girly, yet still tough. Silk satin was the only fabric, cashmere was the only yarn, calf was the only leather, sequins were the only embroidery, and lace was the only decoration — all to say that less can be more.

Photos courtesy of JW Anderson

KNWLS Gives Grunge Glam

Alexandre Arsenault and Charlotte Knowles of KNWLS were inspired by the greats through the lens of their own brand for their gritty Spring 2025 collection: Madame Grès’ delicate gathers of crêpe, Azzedine Alaïa’s sculptural forms and John Galliano’s bias cutting. There were grey terry tracksuits with stepped waists and cowl hoods, cotton slip dresses and cycling shorts, bleached nylon bombers, funnel-collared shearling coats, corded denim vests and jeans. Corsetry transformed everyday staples, and leather combined punk sensibilities with luxurious polish. "This celebration of fashion’s history reverberates through halls that once housed Central Saint Martins, where the memories of the legends that honed their craft here are strongly felt," the brand said in the show notes. "Rather than anchored in nostalgia, KNWLS’ dialogue with these legacies maps out the future of the house they hope to build."

Photos courtesy of KNWLS

Natasha Zinko Goes Under the Knife

Natasha Zinko reminded us that plastic is everywhere. It's even inside our bodies if we so desire to mold and form and alter its physical appearance. For Spring 2025, the designer dissected what it means for a person to be dissatisfied aesthetically with their own healthy body with 47 bold and cynical looks. "INSERT TITS HERE" was printed on several pieces, for example, and plastic "implants" of sorts are 3D-printed and inserted into tiny bra tops. BBLs are recreated as 3D-printed mounds displayed in place of pockets on butts of skimpy jeans and denim mini skirts with low waists. There's even variations of nurse attire patient’s gowns. The show notes read: "[Zinko] looks around herself and inward — where all our TITS and BBLs are kept — and finds herself wondering if, perhaps, in our own age of secrecy, body dysmorphic disorders, and relentless transformation, a little bit of old-fashioned implants-on-the-outside authenticity is just what the doctor ordered."

Photos courtesy of Natasha Zinko

HARRI Blows It All Up

Part of the British Fashion Council‘s NEWGEN, Indian designer Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai presented his fifth collection for his brand HARRI at London's Old Selfridges Hotel for Spring 2025. With 30 looks, the sexy collection included blown up latex material in black, white, khaki and burgundy tones. As they came down the runway, models danced in slow-motion. "In conceiving a series of characters from an otherworldly realm, this collection explores the relationship between tradition and innovation, while propelling HARRI’s aesthetic into new dimensions," the brand said in a press release. "In order to grow and evolve, we must risk venturing into the unknown to discover new opportunities — and those who have followed HARRI‘s journey know he is not averse to risk-taking."

Photos courtesy of HARRI

Chopova Lowena Goes to the Rodeo

Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons, the design duo behind Chopova Lowena, presented their runway underneath Shoreditch Town Hall. The Spring 2025 collection, called "Chuckaboo," was inspired by rodeo showgirls of the Wild West, while still nodding to the Victorian Era of England. Models wore studs and spurs on denim bottoms, waistcoats and corsets — all while winding through the dungeon-like space at top speed to a heavy metal soundtrack. Partnerships with Asics and Hellmann's mayo also debuted. GEL Quantum 360 VIII sneakers were given a Chopova Lowena makeover with butterflies, rhinestones and flowers, and the Margaret bag was redesigned with a special mayonnaise jar holder.

Photos courtesy of Chopova Lowena

Nensi Dojaka Returns for the Party Girls

Albanian-born designer Nensi Dojaka returned to London Fashion Week after taking two seasons off, which coincided with a collaboration with Calvin Klein, with a campaign starring actress Rebecca Ferguson. The collab underwear was shown in the show, including bras and pants with delicate straps and hoop-ring embellishments. Her Spring 2025 collection featured warm-toned chiffon dresses, as well as hot party girl cut-out designs and sequins that the eponymous label is known for.

Photos courtesy of Nensi Dojaka

Karoline Vitto's Copacabana Goddesses

For her Spring 2025 collection, "Undertide," Brazilian designer Karoline Vitto imagined her models as goddesses emerging from the waters of Copacabana Beach. This season was Vitto's first stepping out solo, with her techniques and construction evolving to become slicker and more sophisticated: signature draped dresses wrap around the body in new ways, revealing and concealing various parts of the body and floor-length maxi-skirts dramatically fall across the floor in shades of bright pink and a ocean-y blue. Her curved metal adornments were also translated in new ways as she collaborated with Brazilian jewelry designer Carlos Penna, who created hardware to shape and support the clothing. Vitto also joined forces with Tabitha Ringwood to make bespoke footwear with hardware.

Photos courtesy of Karoline Vitto