The atmosphere at London Fashion Week in February was decidedly sombre. The schedule had been cut back to four days, and, with the exception of Burberry, there was a notable lack of big names on the programming – British fashion big-hitters like Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Victoria Beckham having long since decamped to show in Paris. Many of the international buyers and press also skipped London this season, flying straight to Milan once re-sees in New York were done.

To compound the British fashion industry’s difficulties, the June edition of London Fashion Week Men’s has also been cancelled, with the British Fashion Council (BFC) focusing on its showroom in Paris instead.

“By scaling back to more targeted programmes this June in London and Paris, we aim to create strong foundations to amplify the message of our brilliant British menswear businesses,” explained a spokesperson for the BFC.

“We recognise the challenges the sector faces both in the UK and globally and remain committed to amplifying the voices of British menswear designers as they navigate an ever-changing fashion landscape and will continue to adapt and find ways to platform our brilliant British menswear business.”

Rotate Pre-Spring 2025

Ganni AW25. Image: Benjamin Moon

Last year’s rocky retail landscape also seems to be coming home to roost in 2025. Online retailer Matches went into administration in March 2024, and eventually closed in July, taking with it almost 300 jobs. Its shuttering had a tidal wave effect on the rest of the industry, with some independent brands like The Vampire’s Wife closing as a result, and others owed significant sums they’ll likely never recoup. “The independent brands are terrified,” Stefano Martinetto, the chief executive of Tomorrow, a fashion brand development platform, confirmed to The Guardian in the wake of Matches closure.

British fashion, then, appears to be at a major crossroads – but it’s not all bad news. One positive indicator of where the future might lie for the industry – and for London Fashion Week – lies in the BFC’s announcement in January that it will soon roll out the Sustainability Requirements framework originally developed by Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW).

As per CPHFW’s original framework, to be considered for the LFW schedule from January 2026, a fashion brand must share its sustainability/ESG strategy, as well as how it’s reviewed and monitored, plus its diversity and inclusion protocols. Each brand must also put measures in place to ensure the quality and longevity of products, demonstrate that circular design principles are implemented, that ‘smart material choices’ are made, and that exotic skins are not used, among other things.

“This partnership is a significant step in ensuring that sustainability becomes integral to the future of fashion,” says Caroline Rush, outgoing chief executive of the BFC. “Together, we are creating a framework that empowers emerging designer fashion businesses to lead the way and contribute tangibly to a more sustainable and responsible industry.”

It’s a really “positive move” says fashion designer Anna Foster, founder of ELV Denim, an upcycled jeans brand that showed at LFW for the first time in February.

“I love that the British Fashion Council is treading this pathway,” agrees Oliver Spencer, whose menswear label has been synonymous with responsible design since it was founded in 2002. “I think it’s very important, because if they don’t show the way then no one will.”

The new direction presents an exciting opportunity for British fashion, given the growing interest (and spend) in sustainable fashion, with the global market expected to expand from $7.8 billion in 2023 to $33.05 billion by 2030.

The E.L.V. Denim presentation at LFW AW25

Oliver Spencer SS25

It’s also a positioning that has worked well for CPHFW, which has gone from strength to strength in recent years, becoming the launchpad for hyper-successful global brands including Ganni, Rotate and Stine Goya. According to Statistics Denmark, fashion exports from the Scandi country grew 84 per cent between 2013 and 2023.

Fashion commenter Tiffanie Darke is clear that sustainability “has to be” at the heart of the British industry going forwards. “An unsustainable future doesn't exist, given that we are consuming resources at twice the rate the earth can provide them,” she points out.

“There are also issues with garment workers in the Global South now not being able to work for months of the year due to extreme heat, which means supply chains are in danger. And then there is the other, and I think very important consideration, that you cannot sell people luxury items (and let's face it none of us really need more clothes, we just like having more of them), that are made irresponsibly. That should not be the definition of luxury.”

But that’s not to say it’s going to be an easy path to tread.

“Being a sustainable brand in the UK means constantly innovating against industry norms,” says Foster. “Although awareness is growing, support remains fragmented – funding, policy, and infrastructure must align to support those brands who are operating without compromise.”

Spencer agrees. “I would like politicians and big business to get massively behind the British fashion industry,” he says. He also decries the lack of support given by the government, including the removal of tax-free shopping in 2021, pointing out how the Italian and French governments “support everything” to do with their fashion industries. They are proud of them, and see them as part of their intangible national heritage – something we could absolutely do more of in the UK.

Spencer also cites the brain drain of talented British designers moving abroad after studying as a symptom of this lack of support. “There’s so much talent in the UK,” he says. “But I think we’re like a feeding shop for Paris and Milan. What I find a really big shame is that we don’t do anything with [our] talent [after they’ve trained]. We haven’t got the framework here, and the big businesses aren’t willing to put the investment in.”

“Being a sustainable brand in the UK means constantly innovating against industry norms”

Greenwashing – accusations of which have recently plagued CPHFW and some of its brands – is also a problem to overcome. For Foster, misinformation about green claims by large brands is the “biggest hurdle”. They “communicate ambiguous messaging to confuse their customers,” she says.

“The real impact depends on enforcement and ambition,” she continues. “Frameworks must push brands to adopt genuinely sustainable solutions, not just tick boxes or allow loopholes that allow brands to continue producing as they have been doing.”

But, provided the work is done properly, and new support and investment are introduced, the BFC’s new sustainable framework could be the start of an exciting new chapter, and a new identity, for an industry that’s currently somewhat adrift.

With British legacy brands like Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry and Stella McCartney already innovators within the space, and emerging talent (and LFW incumbents) like SS Daley, Tolu Coker and Edeline Lee putting sustainability at the heart of their businesses, here’s hoping for a thriving future for British fashion that’s gloriously green.

Read more: The truth about greenwashing in the fashion industry