London Fashion Week kicked off on Thursday with a rare visit from King Charles III. His visit came just hours after the high-profile arrest of his brother Andrew. The king’s presence overshadowed the event, which traditionally focuses on discovering new talent.
The King surprised the crowd when his car pulled up before the opening show. The day’s headlines were dominated by the arrest of former Prince Andrew. He is accused of abuse of office in connection with his dealings with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
After greeting industry leaders and designers, the King took a front row seat. He sat between Laura Weir, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, and top British designer Stella McCartney.
This was one of several public duties the king performed on Thursday. Apparently he wanted to give the appearance of normality. “How do you feel after your brother’s arrest?” a reporter shouted at least twice upon the king’s arrival. It was unclear whether Charles heard the question. He didn’t answer.
Charles is a key supporter of one of the designers exhibiting in London: 27-year-old Joshua Ewusie. Ewusie is an emerging British designer with Ghanaian roots. He will present his second fashion week show with his brand ‘EWUsie’.
The young designer was supported by the King’s Foundation. This is a charity founded by Charles that operates in partnership with the French fashion house Chanel. She provided him with a studio shortly after he graduated from the prestigious Central Saint Martins school.
Royal flair
London Fashion Week (LFW) is known more for promoting new talent than big name shows. Ewusie embodies the event’s ability to provide a platform for rising stars.
His hometown of London, which is home to several fashion schools, offers “great support for young designers,” Ewusie told AFP ahead of his LFW presentation on Sunday. “I think London offers so many opportunities to help young brands get started,” he added.
The show the king attended was by Tolu Coker. She is a British-Nigerian designer who founded her brand in 2018. Her show featured elegant, primarily unisex designs inspired by diverse identities. It highlighted “craftsmanship, sustainability and the creative industries,” Fashion Week organizers said in a statement.
The royal’s presence, they added, strengthens “British fashion’s place on the world stage.”
Not far away, a tribute to Paul Costelloe was held at the Waldorf Hotel. He was one of the luminaries of Fashion Week and died in November at the age of 80.
The Irish-American designer’s romantic, fashion-forward runway presentations have been a staple of London Fashion Week’s opening day since the show’s inception in 1984.
His son William Costelloe is now the brand’s creative director. Ahead of the opening show for the Fall/Winter 2026 collection at LFW, the brand wrote on social media: “A new season. A powerful moment. A legacy that lives on.”
Other well-known designers such as Harris Reed and Richard Quinn are returning to the catwalk in London. British fashion house Burberry will close the week as usual on Monday evening.
Other labels will bring royal flair to the catwalk. Brands worn by Princess Catherine, such as Emilia Wickstead, Edeline Lee and Erdem, will also present their collections.
Fashion incubator
However, there will be no show by emerging Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson. He has been one of the most anticipated designers at London Fashion Week in recent seasons.
The 41-year-old took over the management of the French fashion house Dior last June. This left little time for his own brand, JW Anderson, which he founded in 2008.
London has been losing ground to its competitors in Paris and Milan for several years. However, it has retained its role as a talent factory for young designers. The British Fashion Council’s NewGen initiative provides financial support for emerging talent. Several young designers have gained a foothold at the LFW through this incubator. Designers such as Simone Rocha, Coker and Roksanda have become fashion week fixtures after making their debut on the NewGen runway.(AFP)
This article was created using digital tools translated.
FashionUnited uses artificial intelligence to speed up the translation of articles and improve the end result. They help us to make FashionUnited’s international reporting quickly and comprehensively accessible to a German-speaking readership. Articles translated using AI-based tools are proofread and carefully edited by our editors before they are published. If you have any questions or comments, please email [email protected]
