By spotlighting a new wave of visionary talent in its Spring/Summer 2027 schedule, London Fashion Week is broadening its international horizons. Ranging from West African heritage and experimental draping to contemporary street culture reinterpreting classic tailoring, here are five key names stepping into the British spotlight for the first time this season.
FRANCESCA LAKE
Press Inquiries: email
www.francescalake.com
@francescalakeofficial
Francesca Lake is a multidisciplinary artist and designer from Kingston, Jamaica, with a focus on celebrating the untapped stories of her culture and amplifying them on a global scale through the use of garment construction, installation, ceramics, film, and prose. With a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Studies from the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, and a Master’s degree in Fashion Design from Central Saint Martins, London, she was awarded both the British Fashion Council Scholarship and the Honourable Daphne Guinness Scholarship, along with the Central Saint Martins Dean's Award. She aims to provide an emotive and visceral experience that adds to the tapestry and representation of authentic Jamaican culture in fashion and the arts, rooted in lived experience and academia.
JOYCE BAO
Press Inquiries: email
www.joycebao.com
@joyce__bao
Joyce Bao is the eponymous womenswear label founded in 2024 by designer Joyce Bao following her MA studies at Central Saint Martins. The brand challenges both Eastern expectations and Western stereotypes of Asian femininity, ushering in a new feminine sensibility, one that is intimate and light-hearted, but resilient. At its core, Joyce Bao represents the liberation and softness of unapologetic femininity.
GUI ROSA
Press Inquiries: email
www.guirosa.com
@guiguir0sa
Gui Rosa is a London-based Portuguese designer and Central Saint Martins graduate who draws on the principles of couture and craftsmanship, pairing them with a heavier, brass-like edge to create pieces that are at once mundane and remarkable. The brand offers handcrafted crochet and knit creations, as well as garments in leather, chiffon, and cashmere, blending traditional craftsmanship with a bold, modern aesthetic.
ONALAJA
Press Inquiries: email
www.onalaja.com
@onalajaofficial
Onalaja is a contemporary womenswear brand that empowers women through meticulously crafted demi-couture pieces. The brand seamlessly blends African heritage with modern design, celebrating femininity and individuality while transcending cultural boundaries. Onalaja pieces are interactive and create a euphoric multi-sensory experience. Each garment, from XXS to XXXXL, is a testament to founder Kanyinsola's commitment to inclusivity and craftsmanship. Onalaja isn't just a brand; it's a movement fostering a new era of inclusive luxury.
LOVEBIRDS
Press Inquiries: email
www.lovebirds-studio.com
@lovebirds.studio
Run independently and collaboratively by Gursi Singh and Amrita Khanna, Lovebirds makes clothes for women that focus on ethos rather than trends, offering quiet, mature acts of norm-breaking, one dress at a time. Functionality, timelessness, modernity, and playfulness are the inherent elements that define the brand and form the foundation of each collection. Transparent and accountable in its process, the brand creates clothes with clean lines, elegant forms, and refined proportions, focusing on relaxed tailoring that effortlessly combines menswear detailing with a feminine sensibility.
Cover image (left to right): Francesca Lake, Joyce Bao, Gui Rosa, Onalaja, Lovebirds. Courtesy of the brands.
