The excitement is rising for fashion designer Pauline Dujancourt

A few days before her third fashion show on Sunday at London Fashion Week, French designer Pauline Dujancourt is becoming increasingly excited and nervous. The show will only last a few minutes. But their 450 invited guests will judge months of work.

“I’m going through all sorts of emotions right now,” 31-year-old Pauline Dujancourt tells AFP with a smile. “There are days when I’m super excited and have lots of ideas. Other days I ask myself: Why did I choose this color, these fabrics?”

After New York Fashion Week and before Milan and Paris, dozens of shows take place in London from Thursday to Monday.

The British capital is known for its energy and young designers. Among them is Pauline Dujancourt. She founded her brand in April 2022 after studying at renowned institutions, École Duperré in Paris and Central Saint Martins in London.

In November she and her team started working on the fall/winter 2026/2027 collection. She will present these to her guests – journalists, VIP customers and retailers – on Sunday.

Cold sweat

The moment is crucial for the designers and inevitably causes a cold sweat when wondering whether everything will go well.

“It would be a real nightmare” if a model fell on the catwalk or clothes ripped in front of the photographer, says Pauline Dujancourt. “I once dreamed that I forgot to get dressed before coming out to greet guests!” she jokes.

The schedule has been meticulously scheduled for several weeks. The designer constantly works with four styling assistants. Before the show, however, the team grows to around 50 people, including freelancers and interns.

Pauline Dujancourt is known for her work with knitwear, which she aims to create “sensual, light and moving”. She was a finalist for the LVMH Prize, won Elle UK magazine’s young talent competition and is supported by the British Fashion Council. She has customers in Japan, the USA, France and the UK and receives orders for wedding dresses.

Her new collection is a “homage” to the female victims of witch hunts throughout history. “The idea is to give them a voice even though they have been silenced. Despite the darkness of the subject, the aim is to convey beauty and poetry,” explains the designer.

‘Baby Blues’

Two weeks before the show, young seamstresses crocheted flowers. They mixed mohair and Japanese metallic yarn in a studio in south London with a clear view of the Thames and Big Ben. The looks were still broken down into individual “parts”.

Then came the time to put things together. “This is the magical moment when the pieces come to life,” explains Pauline Dujancourt, with her big blue eyes and long brown hair.

Less than a week before the show, fittings began with a house model, followed by casting to select the models. The day before the show, the final fittings as well as make-up and hair tests took place. The dress rehearsal finally followed on Sunday morning.

Unforeseen events cannot be ruled out on the big day. At the last show in September, several models arrived late because they were held up at another show. “They arrived with the make-up from the previous show. We had to dress and make them up at the same time. I was at the end of my strength,” says Pauline Dujancourt.

The show, which features about 25 looks, “flies by like a flash.” After that, “it’s really the baby blues,” she said. “You feel like you’re on adrenaline for three months. You have no hunger, no sleep. And suddenly it’s all over.”

After London Fashion Week, Pauline Dujancourt will cross the English Channel to meet buyers in a showroom in Paris. Soon after, it will be time to think about the next show in September 2026.