Romantic gowns, dramatic tailoring: Highlights of LFW according to Harrods’ buying director
loading...
With London Fashion Week SS26 officially wrapped, attention now turns to buyers across retail as they review the collections at hand and decide where to go from here. Among those is Simon Longland, director of buying for fashion at department store giant Harrods, who shared his impressions of the week and reflected on London’s evolving position on the global fashion calendar.
On favourite collections
For his top collections, Longland highlighted Erdem and Roksanda as standout brands, both of which happened to be celebrating their 20th anniversary this season. While Roksanda’s collection “stood out as a true celebration of her signatures”, defined by dramatic tailoring and elegant gowns, Erdem “reaffirmed his exceptional skill in form, fabrication and workmanship", according to Longland.
Indeed, to inform much of this collection, Roksanda looked to her archives for inspiration. The Margot dress from her SS12 collection, for example, was revived in orange and blue duchesse satin, while her Cataline dress from AW22 returned in painterly prints. Erdem, on the other hand, drew inspiration from Hélène Smith, the late 19th-century Swiss medium who once believed she had served as a member of the French court and as an Indian princess in past lives. With Smith in mind, Erdem set out to embrace contradictions between history and fantasy, through which he explored various facets of femininity in an expressive approach.
On Burberry’s youthful revival
Heritage label Burberry caused a stir this season by almost entirely upending its identity in place for one that seemingly intended to embrace a younger client – though still retaining a sense of British culture. For Longland, who saw an alignment with music festivals, the brand’s muse appeared to be both an audience and artist of such an event, with jackets, trenches and leather emerging as core strengths. These pieces added “structure, attitude and a modern edge to the brand’s heritage”, Longland elaborated.
He continued: “What stood out was the balance between authenticity and relevance; it wasn’t simply about repeating house codes, but about reinterpreting them for today’s culture. For Harrods, this signals a Burberry that is not only honouring its legacy but actively investing in its future audience”.
On must-have items and trends
Burberry’s new path mirrored what Longland said was London’s tendency to resist strict categorisation, something that he felt throughout the season as a whole. “From sculptural tailoring to romantic craftsmanship to youth-driven festival references at Burberry, the diversity of aesthetics underlined a city thriving on individuality rather than homogenised trends,” he noted.
Nevertheless, some items were deemed to be must-haves by the buying specialist. Longland particularly pointed to “standout” gowns at Roksanda and the “refined yet powerful tailoring” of Emilia Wickstead. Meanwhile, Simone Rocha’s line offered “romantic, wearable separates" that bore a “strong commercial appeal”.
On ones-to-watch
When talking on emerging designers, Longland highlighted Patrick McDowell and Priya Ahluwalia as strong contenders, with each presenting what he saw as “individualistic collections that underline the strength of London’s emerging scene”. “At Harrods, our work begins with careful observation – recognising and championing creativity at its early stages, with the possibility of deeper collaborations in the future,” he continued.
For her collection ‘Affinity’, Ahluwalia explored how love was expressed and celebrated across cultures and generations, touching on its duality and ability to unify or challenge those who come across it. Garments in the line aptly referenced various cinematic depictions of romance, from Bollywood films to Shakespearean tales to R&B ballads.
On London’s shifting proposition
For this season, LFW was in a period of major transition under the leadership of the British Fashion Council’s new chief executive Laura Weir. According to Longland, the schedule reflected Weir’s “focus on reinforcing London’s unique position: a stage for both established British names and international houses looking to harness the city’s creative energy”.
He concluded: “What defines London is its refusal to be confined to one aesthetic – it is the diversity and vibrancy of its designers that continues to make it a global capital for fashion.”