Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has celebrated the capital’s status as a global fashion powerhouse as London Fashion Week gets under way, highlighting the thousands of businesses, designers and creative workers that make the sector a major part of London’s economy.
London Fashion Week runs from 17 to 21 September 2026, with this season’s programme featuring 47 catwalk shows, 23 presentations, 10 digital activations and 53 evening events.
Khan said:
“When it comes to creativity, London is a cut from a different cloth.”
He pointed to more than 10,000 fashion businesses in London, generating around £32 billion in turnover, and said City Hall’s support for the British Fashion Council had helped emerging designers turn ideas into viable businesses.
£41m generated for British designers
City Hall says its annual support for the British Fashion Council through the Creative Economy Growth Programme has helped generate around £41 million for British designers, with the majority of beneficiaries being small businesses.
The funding has also supported London Fashion Week and helped newer fashion businesses gain greater visibility and commercial opportunities.
Khan said:
“Through City Hall’s investment in the British Fashion Council, £41m has been generated for British designers, helping emerging talent take their ideas from the sketchbook to the shop floor.”
Emerging designers at heart of London Fashion Week
The British Fashion Council is using this year’s event to showcase both established brands and a new generation of designers.
Its BFC NEWGEN programme continues to provide financial support, mentoring and London Fashion Week showcasing opportunities to emerging designers, with the 2026-27 cohort including names such as Charlie Constantinou, Karoline Vitto, Lueder, Pauline Dujancourt and Yaku.
The BFC says London Fashion Week remains a platform for “creative excellence, cultural impact and commercial growth”, combining internationally established labels with new talent.
Fashion as part of London’s wider creative economy
London’s fashion sector sits within a broader creative economy that remains one of the capital’s major strengths.
City Hall says the fashion and textiles industry contributes around £62 billion to the UK economy, while London’s concentration of designers, retailers, colleges and creative businesses gives the city an outsized role in shaping global trends.
The British Fashion Council is also expanding beyond London through its new Fashion Britain initiative, designed to connect designers and creative industries across every nation and region of the UK.
Khan: London remains a global creative leader
Khan said this week’s shows, events and launches would once again demonstrate why London retains its international reputation for creativity.
He said:
“As new collections are unveiled and hundreds of fashion events take place across London, the city will once again showcase why it remains a global leader for creativity.”
For Khan, London Fashion Week is not only a cultural showcase but an economic one — supporting small businesses, attracting international attention and helping the next generation of British designers turn creative talent into jobs and growth.
