London Fashion Week Gains Momentum as McQueen, Mulberry and M&S Return to the Schedule

London Fashion Week is heading into mid-September with a stronger official schedule than many recent seasons. The British Fashion Council has placed established houses and new names on the calendar for 17 to 21 September 2026, and trade coverage this week has focused on the return of major British brands to the city.

Three names are carrying much of the pre-week conversation: Alexander McQueen, Mulberry and Marks & Spencer. Each is using London for a different reason, but together they give editors and buyers a reason to stay in the capital beyond a single show.

McQueen's London debut under Seán McGirr

Alexander McQueen is returning to home ground from Paris. Seán McGirr's London debut is expected to present co-ed men's and women's spring 2027 collections on 20 September. The house's leadership has described bringing the show back to London as a meaningful moment, because the city is where the label's story began.

A McQueen show in London changes the week's geography. In recent years, some international buyers treated Burberry as their main London appointment and spent the rest of their time in other fashion capitals. A second global house on the Saturday timetable encourages longer stays and more supporting-show attendance.

Mulberry and Christopher Kane

Mulberry is rejoining the official schedule with its first runway collection in six years. Christopher Kane, appointed creative director of the brand's new women's ready-to-wear line earlier this year, will present his debut for the house.

Mulberry is one of the most recognisable British accessories names. A full runway, rather than a presentation or lookbook only, signals that the company wants the clothes to stand beside the bags in the international press. Kane's own reputation for precise British eccentricity makes the pairing one of the week's most watched creative bets.

Marks & Spencer takes the official runway

Marks & Spencer will make its London Fashion Week debut, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of its fashion collection. The retailer plans to show womenswear and menswear that will be available immediately online and in flagship stores, as well as in key international markets. The show is slated for 18 September.

High-street participation on the official schedule is unusual at this scale. M&S has spent recent seasons experimenting with large-reach formats, including an international runway stream from Ibiza and a catwalk moment linked to the British Grand Prix. LFW is a different audience: press, buyers and the British Fashion Council's own growth plan.

The rest of the calendar

The provisional list also includes Burberry, Emilia Wickstead, Erdem, Harris Reed, Roksanda, Simone Rocha, Barbour and Richard Quinn, alongside vanguard labels such as Aaron Esh, Ashley Williams, Chopova Lowena, KNWLS and Paolo Carzana. BFC Newgen recipients including Francesca Lake, Gui Rosa and Petra Fagerström are due to make runway debuts.

BFC chief executive Laura Weir has framed the week as part of a longer plan to grow the organisation's revenue and lean harder into British identity at home and abroad. Whether that ambition is met will be judged after the shows, in orders and in whether the returning houses stay on the London calendar.

What shoppers should take from the week

For readers who will not be in the tents or the warehouses, the useful question is which ideas move from the runway into shops. M&S has already said its show pieces will be available at once. McQueen and Mulberry will land later in the season at a different price point. Aaron Esh's work with AllSaints is already offering a bridge between London runway energy and high-street racks this autumn.

London Fashion Week remains a five-day snapshot, not a full verdict on British fashion. This September's snapshot, however, is unusually dense with historic houses, a heritage bag brand returning to the catwalk, and a national retailer stepping onto the official schedule for the first time.