The Download: London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025

British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker’s spring/summer 2025 collection is a heartfelt tribute to her mother, Olapeju, and the vibrant style of British working-class families in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Coker revisits family photographs from that era, drawing inspiration from her mother’s resourceful approach to fashion, which included shopping at car boot sales and in charity shops.

This sustainable mindset continues to influence Coker, who incorporates upcycled and recycled materials into her work.

The collection highlights bold, pleated miniskirts and tailored dresses in eye-catching yellows and lime greens, with graphic prints reminiscent of 1970s wallpaper.

Coker also collaborated with milliner Virna Pasquinelli to create Audrey Hepburn-inspired hats in a nod to her mother’s fondness for classic headwear.

Coker’s personal narrative extends beyond fashion. Her father’s photographs of their North Kensington community serve as a backdrop for exploring the role of women from the African diaspora in shaping their neighbourhoods. At a time of rising political and racial tensions, Coker sees her collection as a way to honour these untold stories, creating a link between the past and present.

Chopova Lowena’s gothic dollhouse and whimsical rebellion

For spring/summer 2025, British avant garde label Chopova Lowena transformed the basement of Shoreditch Town Hall into a gothic, rebellious dollhouse. The British design duo, Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons, are known for their mix of folklore, sport and a punk aesthetic. This season, they drew inspiration from iconic American figures such as witches, fairies and Calamity Jane, interspersed with rhythmic gymnastics and 1980s Olympians.

The show opened to the thumping beats of Die MF Die by Dope, setting a rebellious tone. Models stomped down the runway in black and white looks, some adorned with metallic butterfly pins, others with voluminous panelling. Key pieces included sheer bodysuits with exaggerated shoulder pads, baby doll dresses with tulle attachments and heavily adorned skirts with three-dimensional animal motifs.

Chopova Lowena’s accessories stood out, featuring an ASICS collaboration with floral embellishments and metal spheres. The brand’s signature leather bags, humorously carrying bottles of Hellmann’s mayonnaise, hinted at a quirky new partnership. This spring/summer 2025 collection, dubbed Chuckaboo, paid homage to friendship with coordinated outfits that emphasised youthful defiance and playful rebellion.

Paolo Carzana transforms Hackney garden into a fashion sanctuary

Paolo Carzana’s spring/summer 2025 collection, How to Attract Mosquitoes, stood out from the usual spectacle of London Fashion Week by offering a deeply personal and intimate experience. The designer opened his Hackney garden, a sanctuary he shares with his neighbours, to showcase his latest collection, eschewing the grandeur of venues like the British Museum or Emirates Stadium. ‘I wanted to create something away from the peacocking and smoke and mirrors of fashion week,’ explained Carzana.

The show’s narrative was a reflection on vanity and self-obsession, as it opened with the story of Narcissus – highlighting Carzana’s critique of today’s self-centred culture. Layers of raw, organic silk organza and bamboo jersey, naturally dyed in earthy tones, flowed through the collection, adorned with hand-painted daffodil prints.

Carzana’s journey has been supported by programmes such as Sarabande and the Paul Smith Foundation, but his vision remains unapologetically independent. Despite Hollywood big-shots Zendaya and Michaela Coel donning his creations, Carzana is determined to remain true to his raw aesthetic, proving fashion can be both beautiful and rebellious.

Standing Ground presents a sculptural masterclass

Fresh from winning the inaugural LVMH Savoir-Faire Prize, Michael Stewart’s Standing Ground spring/summer 2025 collection captivated the London Fashion Week audience with its extraordinary craftsmanship. Marking his first independent slot on the London schedule following his Fashion East tenure, Stewart presented 22 cohesive, made-to-order looks that blurred the lines between futurism and elegance.

Known for his extraterrestrial-like beading and ribbing, Stewart’s spring/summer 2025 collection featured these signature details alongside luxurious materials such as crushed velvet and leather. Sculptural evening wear took centre stage, with cowled hoods, armour-like chest pieces and intricate draping, elevating traditional silhouettes to an avant-garde status.

Hidden beading within jersey layers added dimension to sleek designs, while semi-sheer silks lent an air of sensuality to the collection’s more understated pieces. Stewart also introduced leather for the first time, crafting garments with ridged textures that offered a futuristic take on classic luxury.

With the accolades of LVMH behind him and his impeccable eye for detail, Stewart’s Standing Ground has solidified itself as a brand to watch closely in the high fashion landscape.