British fashion is an oxymoron of all sorts. Where else can rock and royalty, punk and tradition, co-exist so wonderfully? As London Fashion Week SS26 drew to a close, there was a resounding sense that after several years of faltering, the London fashion scene is experiencing a resurgence. Among it is a host of designers and brands examining and exploring the concept of culture and heritage in a way that gave a nostalgic nod to legacy while also embracing modernity. These are the brands redefining what heritage means in 2025.
Exploring Heritage at London Fashion Week
Words by
Clara Taylor
25th September 2025
London Fashion Week is back! After a lacklustre turnout in February, the SS26 presentations brought a fresh sense of hope that the capital has got its mojo back. In the city that’s a melting pot of culture, we saw a delightful exploration of heritage across the board.
Backstage at Ahluwalia, London Fashion Week. ©Eeva Rinne.
Burberry
Burberry is British. British is Burberry. After all, the brand’s signature product is a raincoat and what could be more British than that? The SS26 presentation was not only a triumph of the week but a testimony to the brand’s heritage. Staged in the grounds of Kensington Park, with an Ab-Fab reunion in the front row and Black Sabbath as the soundtrack, Daniel Lee showcased a collection of contradictions. The traditional trench were shortened, colourful leather suits were paraded, and jewelled mini dresses were sported. It was Burberry at its most playful – a brand grounded in tradition and unafraid to embrace what modernity in Britain means.
Di Petsa
Backstage at Di Petsa SS26 London Fashion Week.
There’s an undeniable obsession with ancient Greece at the moment. According to experts, the TikTok age is yearning for wider wisdom and seeking solace in the ancient texts. Di Petsa, the womenswear label by Greek designer Dimitra Petsa has been harnessing this since the brand’s inception in 2019. For the SS26, she developed on her typical wet-look and sandy feel, and brought cool tourist t-shirts emblazoned with “Imitation Poseidon” and “Fragments of Aphrodite” which were worn with cargo capris, draped white dresses with tied gladiator-esque heels, and blue and white sarongs. Vogue described it as a collection of what you’d wear if you were falling in love on a Greek island.
Ahluwalia
Ahluwalia SS26 runway, London Fashion Week 2025.
Following a hiatus last season, it’s only fitting that Ahluwalia’s return to fashion week was premised on a moment of “shedding” and “starting something new and fresh”. Creative Director Priya Ahluwalia drew on a jewel tone colour palette – a nod to her British Indian heritage and influenced by the opulence of Bollywood films. Ahluwalia’s identity was further explored through the reference to Nigerian deities such as Oshun, the goddess of love and fertility, and jacquard knits inspired by Nigerian Ichafu head wraps. The mix of sharp tailoring and fringing was a perfect expression of duality, where precision met fluidity.
Dilara Findikoglu
Backstage at Dilara Findikoglu, London Fashion Week 2025.
Beloved by Cate Blanchett, Kim Kardashian, and Kylie Jenner, designer Dilara Findikoglu’s star has skyrocketed more than risen. Her SS26 was almost autobiographical – heavily influenced by Goth subculture, where she sought solace from her conservative Turkish upbringing while studying at CSM. The collection called Age of Innocence was designed to “give freedom to her ancestors”. Through coquette, off-the-shoulder white cotton dresses, all the way to black corseted mini dresses, the evolution of design was an overt expression of the evolution of Findikoglu’s heritage. Everything, down to the accessories, told a story. A Y2K micro-bag with a packet of cigarettes poking out of it, a studded choker, and metal jewellery sourced from Finikoglu’s favourite Turkish bizarre.
Backstage at Dilara Findikoglu, London Fashion Week.
