London Fashion Week comes to a close on Tuesday, and this season was anything but ordinary. With the shows coinciding with England’s mourning period for the late Queen Elizabeth II, the global fashion set weren’t the only ones making their way to the British capital this week. Millions of people flocked to London — including hundreds of royals, heads of state, and heads of government — to pay their respects to the late monarch whose state funeral was observed on Sept. 19.
Although the British Fashion Council suspended all fashion-related parties and other events, the week continued with designers showing their Spring-Summer 2023 collections. Two brands, including Burberry and Raf Simons, rescheduled their presentations for later in the month.
Others including Erdem, JW Anderson, Daniel W. Fletcher, Nensi Dojaka, Harris Reed, S.S Daley, and Christopher Kane used their runways to pay sentimental tribute to the monarch who honored rising talents with the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
Ahead, see all the ways the British fashion world paid respect to the country’s longest-reigning monarch during London Fashion Week.
Erdem
London-based designer Erdem Moralıoğlu often used Queen Elizabeth II as inspiration for his romantic and whimsical collections. For Spring-Summer 2023, the designer dived even deeper to pay homage to her Majesty debuting his runway at the British Museum. The collection itself featured elements of royal embellishments, from long regal trains to shoulder capes.
Daniel W. Fletcher
The designer, who got worldwide recognition after appearing on the Netflix show Next in Fashion, opened his Spring-Summer 2023 runway with a moment of silence dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II. The first look to debut on the runway was a model dressed in a tailored black suit with black armband signifying the national mourning period.
Nensi Dojaka
At Nensi Dojaka’s Spring-Summer 2023 show, the 2021 LVMH Prize for emerging talent winner paid tribute to the Queen by laying out a carpet of white hydrangeas, while models took the runway carrying the Queen’s favorite flower, lily of the valley.
JW Anderson
Instead of paying tribute through symbolism, designer Jonathan Anderson went more literal. Staged in an arcade in Soho, a model took the runway in a minimal black T-shirt with the years of the Queen’s lifetime and the words “Thank you” written across the torso.
Harris Reed
Meanwhile, Harris Reed also used the Queen’s affinity for lily of the valley by showcasing a model taking the runway in a mini bridal dress holding a bouquet of the flowers.
S.S Daley
Sustainably conscious menswear designer Steven Stokey-Daley hosted his Spring-Summer 2023 runway in London’s historical St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. The show commenced with bells ringing throughout the room, followed by models dressed in formal suiting, each holding a candle to acknowledge Britain’s grieving period.
Christopher Kane
For the last show before the Queen’s funeral on Monday at Westminster Abbey, designer Christopher Kane debuted a collection filled with stunning gowns with vibrant floral rose or poppy prints. In his show notes, he mentioned “symbolic of love, death, celebrations, and condolences.”
