London Fashion Week SS27: Five unmissable shows from M&S to McQueen

Of the big four fashion capitals – New York, London, Milan and Paris – London has always marched to the beat of its own drum. Each season, London Fashion Week showcases the best of British fashion, from the high street to heritage names.

Opening with Paul Costelloe on Thursday, September 17, and concluding with Burberry’s reliably star-studded show on Monday, September 21, the five-day event brings together some of the biggest names in fashion – Simone Rocha, Erdem, and Roksanda – alongside emerging designers.

Many legendary designers launched their careers at LFW, including Christopher Kane, who broke through with acclaimed shows in the mid-2000s. This season, he’s returning at the helm of Mulberry. The British brand last showed in London in 2017, marking a major milestone for the luxury house.

Mulberry isn’t the only brand staging a homecoming. McQueen is reuniting with LFW after most recently showing at Paris Fashion Week. Creative director Seán McGirr will present his first London show for the label, back in the city where the late Alexander McQueen found his inspiration.

Also making headlines this season, M&S is set to debut at LFW with a “see now, buy now” runway. Taking place on Friday, September 18, the show cements the retailer as a serious fashion powerhouse. M&S joins fellow high street giant H&M on the roster: the brand is presenting a catwalk and hosting an after-party on Thursday, September 17.

M&S makes its London Fashion Week debut

The high street retailer is staging its first-ever LFW runway, marking its 100th anniversary and shaking up the fashion week formula with its “see now, buy now” model. On Friday 18 September, the retailer is set to bring together its Collection, Per Una and Autograph lines with every look available to shop immediately after it appears on the catwalk.

“As one of the great icons of the British high street, and a valued patron of the British Fashion Council, M&S has played an important role in the nation’s retail and cultural story for generations,” BFC CEO Laura Weir said.

“Its debut shoppable collection at London Fashion Week is a significant moment, demonstrating how heritage, innovation and accessibility can come together to connect exceptional British design with consumers in new and relevant ways. It is a powerful example of how fashion can inspire, engage and reach audiences far beyond the runway.”

Mulberry returns with Christopher Kane at the helm

A major British fashion homecoming, Christopher Kane is unveiling his first collection for Mulberry after returning to the fashion world. The heritage brand last held a LFW show in 2017, while Kane was named as its new creative director earlier this year. The Glasgow-born designer will relaunch Mulberry’s women’s ready-to-wear collection in a bid to revive the label, which has struggled in fashion’s recent climate.

Founded in 1971, Mulberry has long been synonymous with leather goods – including the Bayswater, a noughties classic beloved by Kate Middleton, Sienna Miller and Kate Moss. The label shifted away from ready-to-wear in 2020 to focus solely on accessories, but Kane’s return heralds in a new era.

McQueen comes home to London

Seán McGirr will present his first London show for McQueen, bringing the iconic house back to the city where it was born. In recent years, it's enjoyed a top slot at Paris Fashion Week, but London has always been deeply intertwined with the label’s identity.

“Returning to London Fashion Week allows us to deeply engage with that spirit and the creative community that defines both London and this house,” McGirr said. The homecoming has long been on the agenda for Weir. “McQueen’s return is a statement of confidence in British creativity at its most fearless and distinctive,” she said. McQueen’s show will take place on Sunday 20 September 2026.

The new guard takes centre stage

Unlike others in the big four, London always makes plenty of space for new talent. At the heart of the emerging designers is BFC NEWGEN, the British Fashion Council’s flagship initiative to support younger designers with funding, mentorship and opportunities to showcase their work on the LFW platform. This season, returning recipients include Charlie Constantinou, E.W.USIE, Liza Keane, OCTI, Oscar Ouyang, Pauline Dujancourt, The Ouze and Yaku, while buzzy debuts include Francesca Lake, Gui Rosa and Petra Fagerström.

Capturing the essence of London as a breeding ground for fashion experimentalism, but also commercial success and heritage, NEWGEN designers will appear alongside the likes of M&S and H&M, and Burberry and Mulberry throughout the week.

Five unmissable shows

Alongside Mulberry, McQueen, H&M and M&S, Daniel Lee’s SS27 collection for Burberry is sure to drum up the most anticipation. Building on the house’s return to form for AW26, Lee is expected to continue his subversive, contemporary take on British heritage, outerwear and prints. The show historically closes LFW, attracting a starry front row of musicians, actors and trend-setters – the pap pen is as much a catwalk as the show itself.

Other designers to watch are Simone Rocha, who always makes fashion headlines with bold collections – last season it was a covetable collaboration with Adidas – while Toga, Erdem and Edeline Lee always bring a wearable element to LFW.