{"id":788788,"date":"2026-02-25T20:46:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T20:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/788788\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T20:46:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T20:46:21","slug":"london-designers-on-their-runway-first-looks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/788788\/","title":{"rendered":"London Designers On Their Runway First Looks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated4 min read<\/p>\n

On the runway, the first look on the runway distills a designer\u2019s ethos for that season, often into its purest form. As the Fall 2026 shows unfold, we\u2019re looking into first looks and what they say about individual collections, the city in which those runways reside, and the broader fashion landscape. In New York<\/a>, designers presented opening ensembles, mostly in monochromatic black and white, that were sharp, clever, and subdued\u2014what you would expect from a city known for its minimal sportswear. In London, things were a bit more ebullient.<\/p>\n

At Burberry, Daniel Lee opened with something seemingly familiar. Their first look featured a khaki trench coat\u2014there\u2019s nothing more Burberry than that\u2014this time, with an exaggerated ruffle collar. This told us what we needed to know: expect a strong reverence for house codes with a unique twist. And the drama escalated from there. <\/p>\n

Take, for instance, Harris Reed\u2019s first look; there was nothing subdued about it. The ensemble, modeled by Lindsey Wixson, featured exaggerated proportions in both the gold quilted wraparound collar and the knotted fuchsia sash. It opened his commentary on the clashing nature of maximalism: \u201cThis is the epitome of what the collection is about, this idea of so many different tactile elements\u2014silhouettes, fabrics, personalities\u2014coming together to say something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reed was not the only one to embrace layers of counterintuitive elements. Designer Erdem Moral\u0131o\u011flu\u2019s 20th anniversary show opened with a spliced car coat, the top in floral jacquard, the bottom in embellished blue textured satin. It was worn with a white poplin shirt and lace collar and simple black brogues. Each element called upon different facets of Erdem\u2019s past. \u201cIt captures that tension between merging different histories brought together,\u201d said Moral\u0131o\u011flu. London Fashion Week felt like that dialogue between different styles, backgrounds, and stories was omnipresent. <\/p>\n

Ahead, London designers reflect on the onus behind the selection of their first look\u2014and why it best represented their collection. <\/p>\n

Burberry\"fashionCourtesy Burberry<\/p>\n

Charlotte Boggia \/ Select Models<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to create clothes for the night as well as the day. That duality felt very true to how people in this city actually live and move.\u201d \u2014Daniel Lee<\/p>\n

Simone Rocha\"fashioncourtesy simone rocha<\/p>\n

Julia Barucci \/ PRM Agency London<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first look represents the ivory pony in [the Irish folktale] T\u00edr na n\u00d3g. It’s made from repurposed cotton punched lace and sequin tulle which has been hand embellished with pearls. It’s worn with our lace-embroidered, slip-on brogues, Adidas Three-Stripe underpinnings, and our pearl cluster drip earrings. She also has clear nails with piercings.\u201d \u2014Simone Rocha<\/p>\n

Erdem\"fashionCourtesy Erdem<\/p>\n

Edie Campbell \/ Viva London<\/p>\n

\u201cMy fall winter collection is titled \u2018The Imaginary Conversation.\u2019 It\u2019s about the idea of muses from the last 20 years talking to each other. [Opening model] Edie Campbell carries that sense of dialogue so effortlessly. She encompasses the feeling of the collection, like an actor in a movie. The opening look is spliced between two different seasons, two different muses. It captures that tension between merging different histories brought together. As Edie stepped into the light on the runway, it felt as though the imaginary conversation began.\u201d\u2014Erdem Moral\u0131o\u011flu<\/p>\n

Conner Ives\"fashionCourtesy Conner Ives<\/p>\n

Tish Weinstock \/ Best Represents<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first look features a reconstituted fur and vintage silk embroidery that has been re-embroidered onto a silk crepe satin base. The \u2018I work nights\u2019 T-shirt is a collaboration between Conner Ives and the Poog podcast and the reconstituted denim features gold bullion embroidery. For the girl who works nights!\u201d\u2014Conner Ives<\/p>\n

Emilia Wickstead\"fashionCourtesy Emilia Wickstead<\/p>\n

Stam Vlami \/ PRM Agency London<\/p>\n

\u201cI have always been drawn to a masculine feminine duality. The Emilia Wickstead woman embodies femininity, but never fragility. She is strong, self-assured and present. For the Fall 2026 collection, my muse was Fano Messan. I was inspired by her androgynous uniform and wanted to reinterpret it in a way that feels liberated, while still allowing her to express herself.\u201d \u2014Emilia Wickstead<\/p>\n

Goyagoma\"fashionCourtesy Goyagoma<\/p>\n

Naomi Chin Wing \/ Select Models<\/p>\n

\u201cThis look represents familiarity. I chose this to be the first look, because of what viewers got to know me for while at Central Saint Martins: a parka coat with this oversized detachable shearling trim. But this time around, it\u2019s a more refined and well thought-out product from someone who has gained industry experience after university.\u201d \u2014TraiCeline Pratt<\/p>\n

Harris Reed\"runwayCourtesy Harris Reed<\/p>\n

Lindsey Wixson \/ Storm Management<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first look of my 11th season, which was modeled by the iconic Lindsey Wixson, is the epitome of what the collection is about, this idea of so many different tactile elements\u2014silhouettes, fabrics, personalities\u2014coming together to say something. It is my personal take on maximalism. Through maximalism, we find who we are. This idea that maximalism is about excess is not at all how I look at it. It\u2019s very multifaceted in mixing eclectic colors and patterns\u2014different ways of showing facets of who you are. That look\u2014this regal coat that we transformed into a mini dress, playing with larger-than-life silhouettes with the collar and the juxtaposition of materiality\u2014really represented this idea.\u201d\u2014Harris Reed<\/p>\n

Selasi\"fullbodyCourtesy Selasi<\/p>\n

Jordan Whittingham \/ Nevs Models<\/p>\n

\u201cThe collection is inspired by the bleep test from secondary school P.E., which, I feel, was my first test of endurance and stamina. My first look has my classic \u2018Black Rock\u2019 shape in the jacket, something that Selasi is known for. I wanted to stand strong with that as my first look to show who I am. I paired it with this hand-crafted sculptural skirt made from upcycled P.E. kits. It\u2019s still sporty, still feels very track, but also really special. It was worn by the same model who opened my first collection.\u201d \u2014Ronan Mckenzie<\/p>\n

Toga\"runwayCourtesy of Toga<\/p>\n

Parvesh Mudgal\/ PRM Agency London<\/p>\n

\u201cThe structure of formality and tailoring are always essentially Toga. I love the volume of the trousers that have the silhouette of a skirt. It felt surprising.\u201d\u2014Yasuko Furuta<\/p>\n

Richard Quinn\"fashionCourtesy Richard Quinn<\/p>\n

Maggie Maurer \/ IMG Models<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Richard Quinn Fall 2026 collection explores the harmony between heritage and considered modernity. The disciplined lines of couture craftsmanship against a contemporary landscape; the makings of a future archive.\u201d\u2014Richard Quinn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"4 min read On the runway, the first look on the runway distills a designer\u2019s ethos for that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":788789,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,1329,229547,1331,393,4884,1381,257,229546,16,15],"class_list":["post-788788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-london","tag-britain","tag-content-type-feature","tag-contentid-7c901a4f-d4de-4bea-acba-90b70c313c3d","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-england","tag-great-britain","tag-locale-us","tag-london","tag-shorttitle-london-designers-talk-through-their-first-looks","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116133232437037821","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/788788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=788788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/788788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/788789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=788788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=788788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=788788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}