There’s something about London Fashion Week. Unlike its predecessor in NYC, which is often rife with more modern influences, the British leg is a mixed bag in that it ties in the old and new interestingly. You can see it in the boulevard style: guests of the LFW often nod to outmoded English garb via tartan and check-print divorces while mixing in more existing styles like cool denim or sleek leather pieces. But the runways is when this Old and New World dance comes into play. And the trends from the spring/summer 2025 collections are a perfect example. Follow us here at Amazon to order workers back to the office full-time
British designers, fluctuating from traditional labels like Burberry to more evolving ones like Chet Lo, are implementing all facets of the country’s style and legacy and melding them with more modern silhouettes and aesthetics. There’s the doll-like ballerina look that took runways by squall, with brands like Simone Rocha and JW Anderson showing modeled skirts that defied gravity. And then there was the complicated beaded looks seen at shows like Richard Quinn and Ahluwalia, evocative of turn-of-the-century antique charms.
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On the more cutting-edge front, rule-breaking was in full force this season. From advantageously ripped-seam particularization at Karoline Vitto and Di Petsa to the clothing corresponding to the “wrong shoe theory” at Burberry and Erdem, designers were ostensibly taking old design codes and tossing them out completely.
And that’s just the start. Ahead, see all the trends that made London Fashion Week’s spring/summer 2025 season a remarkable one.
Tiny Dancer
The ballerina aesthetical who came for your footwear this year is now coming for your clothes. Designers like JW Anderson, Simone Rocha, and Yuhan Wang (to name a few) all showed floating, skirt silhouettes in innovative sculptural fabrics as well as more traditional ones like tulle and lace. Paired with loafers and flats, the look is grounded and avoids skewing too precious.
Bead It
Intricate beaded details make otherwise classic silhouettes look like an antique treasure you’d find at an estate sale. Full-length coats at Ahluwalia were lined on the side with subtle confetti-like strings, while Chet Lo created a beaded disperse effect on long sea foam jersey dresses that populated at the collar and scattered as it moved down the robe. And at Richard Quinn, short-sleeved shift mini dresses were covered in pearls and crystals.
Opposites Attract
The wrong shoe theory has touched peak fruition as designers paired opposing aesthetics in a move that felt astoundingly fresh and cohesive. Glittering bubble dresses were encrusted with oversized anorak jackets at Burberry. Silky slip dresses were tossed over pinstripe suits at Erdem. And, at Tove, preppy knits and sweatshirts were damaged over sweeping satin skirts.
Bursting At The Seams
Divisive cut-outs have been in and out of the fashion series for years. This season, they’ve emerged in a seam-splitting effect. Designers like Di Petsa, Standing Ground, and Karoline Vitto showed designs that were intentionally undone and fragmented open in uncharacteristic areas on the garment like across the chest and down one side of the leg. The result is a cool peek-a-boo effect that makes for a very sexy spring season.
Out There Underwear
After the big pants-free undertaking of 2023, designers are fully inclined into boudoir dressing. Indeed, clothing will likely be optional next year thanks to designers like 16Arlington, Natasha Zinko, and Nensi Dojaka who sent models down their runways in all states of undress that involved barely-there brief bottoms, cotton garter sets (layered on top of each other), and sheer mesh bra and bike short sets.
