While you may have just pulled out your cosy knits from the back of the wardrobe, it's time to get thinking about what you'll be wearing in eight months' time, because London Fashion Week is back.

Over the next few days, hundreds of designers will showcase their weird, wonderful and wacky spring/summer 2025 collections around the capital. This year's event promises an exciting mix of vivid colours, creative patterns, and attention-grabbing accessories. Here are five key trends to look out for.

Bold Hues

Neutral tones and minimalist palettes begone, this year it's all about being bold. Adam Laws, a fashion expert and founder of Baked Clay London, predicts blue will be "the IT colour". "We’re currently seeing the rise of the ‘Unexpected Blue Theory’ trend - adding a pop of blue to a muted or neutral outfit to create an eye-catching and elevated look," he tells the BBC. Of course, in the fashion world, an item of clothing can't just be blue, so Laws says he thinks cornflower and cobalt blue will make a particular appearance across shows. He says the colour also ties in with the "likelihood of us seeing double denim back on the catwalk" in a nod to the 90s trend that has regained popularity over the past years. It won't just be blue outfits that will be making an appearance - some designers will likely incorporate the bold colour more discreetly. At New York Fashion week, coloured mascara was all the rage and the cobalt blue mascara was a particular stand out at LaQuan Smith's catwalk.

Pastel Power

During the February London Fashion Week pastel hues were all over the runway from lilac puffer jackets to baby pink padded coats, and it seems like the trend will continue. Designer Patrick McDowell says we should look out for soft pastel shades like lemon and peach which "are symbols of hope and brighter times". Their SS25 collection "embraces these joyful pastels via prints and colourways" which create a sense of "bright optimism".

Maximalist Patterns

Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking. While Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada would turn her nose up at the suggestion, we can expect to see a lot of it on the catwalk. As we've ditched the clean girl aesthetic, we can also bank on other maximalist patterns like spikes, fur and fringes. Designer Sanyukta Shrestha say there will be plenty of "complex yet spontaneous patterns, and unconventional colour pairings" that will be sure to catch our eye. Expect a variety of textures, prints, and shapes that evoke the creativity and playfulness that London Fashion Week is known for. Abstract and surrealist-inspired prints, geometric shapes, and hand-drawn illustrations will dominate. Designers are drawing inspiration from both modern art and classic motifs, blending these into garments that are visually captivating.

It's All About the Accessories

Not only is an outfit never complete without with the right shoes, jewellery and bag, but sometimes the accessory IS the outfit. When it comes to bags, we've often been made to choose between something practical and reliable or uber-fashionable and practically unusable (think Lizzo's white Valentino microbag to the American Music Awards). But it seems this year we are in luck as fashion finally meets practicality with a range of big and slouchy bags debuting on the New York runways, with Coach leading the trend as their shoulder bags became the star of the show. Of course, there's always room for a bit of playful creativity when it comes to accessories and designer Nikolas Bentel is no stranger to that. He is the mastermind of the internet-breaking Pasta Bag and has now created The Croissant Handbag in partnership with Lidl. He says we'll see a "leaning into narrative fashion accessories" that tell some sort of story. "Narrative objects and accessories allow for a deeper connection with the wearer, as they can convey personal stories, cultural heritage, or conceptual ideas," he says. The more is more philosophy is likely to also be embraced on the runway when it comes to jewellery. Ben Roberts, who manages jewellery brand Clogau, says this fashion week is all about "self-expression" and "making bold statements". He says we will see brightly coloured gemstones like rubies, emeralds, and sapphires take the spotlight and "a lot of asymmetrical designs and chunky, unconventional shapes".

Nostalgia is Back

Fashion from bygone decades is always an inspiration to designers and this year's fashion week is no exception as we're likely to be taken on a nostalgic rollercoaster over the next few days. Zandra Rhodes tells the BBC that she's channelling "the 70s hedonism that people are nostalgic for right now". Think Boho chic with "printed chiffon, large statement prints and floaty shapes". Ukrainian designer Andreas Moskin's collection was also inspired by the Boho aesthetic. "It's a reflection of our Ukranian society that addresses the themes of nostaligia for the lost and underappreciated," he says. Other designers are also channelling nostalgia with shoe designers Malone Souliers going big on the T-bar shoe. "It's so nostalgic - many of us would have had them in leather as school shoes or jelly versions to go to the beach," say co-creative directors Coco Fong and Valerio Bava. Fashion isn't always known for its practicality but Fong and Bava say that's changing and now there is a "real demand for classic, reliable, and comfortable shoes, and the T-bar shoe is exactly that".

The Future is Sustainable

Sustainability is a trend and topic you'll have heard mentioned at many fashion weeks, but this year re-purposed garments really take centre stage. Once again, Oxfam will be opening London Fashion Week with its runway show, Style for Change, which will showcase a collection made from pre-loved fabrics, recycled materials, and zero-waste designs. For the first time, eBay will be running a live, shoppable runway show - Endless Runway - which will include pre-loved looks from designers like Khaite, Off-White, Christopher Kane and Simone Rocha. eBay’s pre-loved style director, Amy Bannerman says the collection will "blend vintage treasures with cutting-edge styles". Sustainability will play a part for many designers this year, but one particular designer to watch for is Lucy Tammam, who is using her show to call for stronger legislation to protect the planet. Collaborating with Stop Ecocide International, Tammam has created a one-of-a-kind dress - One Dress: PLANET which features a series of hand embroidered motifs of endangered flower and plant species. Tammam says we can expect to see more "archive fashion, upcycled clothing, bespoke pieces using surplus fabrics, and rental pieces". As London fashion week kicks off, 'trophy vintage' is increasingly sought after. Samina Virk, US CEO of fashion resale site Vestiaire Collective, on how pre-loved has become a go-to.

A Celebration of Creativity and Community

London Fashion Week kicks off today with a continuation of its 40th anniversary celebrations. For Spring/Summer 2025, the British Fashion Council has created a retrospective within the new show space at 180 Studios, complete with a comprehensive timeline of the last four decades of LFW. "[This season], we will celebrate the creativity, communities and culture that makes the UK unique and consistently the envy of the world. We will wrap up our anniversary with a vibrant line-up of events and activations," says Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council (BFC). LFW’s 40th anniversary celebrations thus far have acknowledged the city’s past while planting eyes firmly on its future, placing a spotlight on its most exciting young talent. In June, the BFC trialled a new format to celebrate the South Asian, Black and Queer communities with a three-day event consisting mainly of panel talks, events and activities. The retrospective has been curated by Sarah Mower, Vogue chief critic and BFC ambassador for emerging talent, and Robin Derrick, renowned photographer and creative director. Along with charting the history of LFW, the exhibition will feature a concept bookstore of over 150 rare publications honouring “the visionaries who’ve shaped fashion over the past four decades”, according to Rush. On Monday, the BFC is hosting a reception at 10 Downing Street to provide “a platform for industry leaders and government officials to discuss the sector’s future”, Rush adds. The celebrations will come to a close with the LFW40 Icons party on Monday night in Kensington, in partnership with Burberry. London is back in party mode, with an array of afterparties from brands including 16Arlington, Nensi Dojaka, Knwls, Chopova Lowena, Harri, Natasha Zinko and Fashion East. Wonderland is hosting a party with Ugg, and there’s also H&M’s event on Thursday night, where Charli XCX and Jamie xx are performing. For the first time this season, LFW’s city-wide celebrations — activities open to the public — are taking place in Manchester and Newcastle, as well as London, in partnership with 1664 Blanc. This season marks a few changes for London Fashion Week. Firstly, the BFC’s show space, which is offered free of charge to all designers taking part in the Newgen incubation programme, is moving back to 180 Studios for the first time since 2020 (from the Old Selfridges Hotel on Orchard Street). "It’s completely different [designing the set for the 180 space]," says Newgen designer Tolu Coker when I meet her in her studio ahead of the show. The British-Nigerian designer points to photos taken in her late father’s living room on her research board, which have formed part of the inspiration for the collection. The challenge is to recreate the feeling of intimacy in a new space, she says. "You’ve got to really consider what the magic of the experience is, and how you translate that experience. You’re not just problem-solving on the design element, you’re problem-solving on the feel of the physical space." Coker is also among the designers who are taking part in the BFC’s Paris showroom, which has been reintroduced for the first time since January 2023. The showroom is available to all BFC Foundation designers at a low cost. Almost all of the 15 current Newgen recipients are taking part: Ancuta Sarca, Charlie Constantinou, Chet Lo, Derrick, Di Petsa, Harri, Johanna Parv, Karoline Vitto, Lueder, Masha Popova, Sinéad O’Dwyer, Coker and Yaku. Two BFC Foundation brands are also involved: Labrum London and ELV Denim. "[Showrooms] are so helpful to get feedback to go to market and sell your products and survive from your own business," says Marie Lueder, who founded her namesake brand in 2019 and took part in the showroom two years ago under the BFC’s digital showcase platform DiscoveryLab. She’s looking for buyers from China, North America and Europe in particular. "I have more categories and a bigger collection this time. We’ll just show the best of the best — our favourites — because this year hasn’t been the easiest and [buyers] aren’t taking many risks." While there are a few London regulars missing from the schedule — including Supriya Lele and Molly Goddard — there are plenty of exciting brands to keep an eye out for. This season will kick off on Thursday night with Harris Reed’s first on-schedule show. The designer typically opens LFW unofficially with an off-schedule show that is known for its star-studded runways and front row. On Friday afternoon, 2022 LVMH Prize winner SS Daley will present his first womenswear show, part of the brand’s expansion following investment from Harry Styles. On Saturday night, press and buyers will have to pick between witnessing Nensi Dojaka’s return after a two-season hiatus or Skepta’s off-schedule Mains show; both are taking place during the 8pm slot, followed by afterparties. On Sunday, Roksanda Ilinčić will show her namesake brand for the first time since it was acquired by The Brand Group, while on Monday, Burberry’s Daniel Lee will present his fourth runway show for the brand — marking the first under new CEO Joshua Schulman. It is a pivotal time for the British luxury brand, which critics argue should transition to a more accessible positioning and price point. "This season, the schedule is jam-packed," says Rush. "I always look forward to Burberry and to see designers such as 16Arlington, Ahluwalia, Chopova Lowena, Erdem, KNWLS, Richard Quinn, Roksanda and Simone Rocha." There are also a swath of newcomers this season. Fashion East graduates Standing Ground (who won the first-ever Savoir-Faire LVMH Prize on Tuesday) and Parv are putting on their first solo shows. Vitto’s London debut will also be highly anticipated; the Brazilian designer skipped AW24, but the memory of her SS24 collection still holds strong (she presented her first solo show in Milan under Dolce & Gabbana, and tapped Ashley Graham to walk). Other newcomers include artist-turned-designer Steve O Smith, French knitwear designer Pauline Dujancourt (who was a finalist in this year’s LVMH Prize) and menswear designer Yaku Stapleton (who nabbed the L’Oréal Professionnel Creative Award at Central Saint Martins). New York darling Puppets and Puppets will host its debut London presentation. The brand made headlines after founder Carly Mark announced earlier this year that she would halt ready-to-wear and move operations to London. For Lueder, it’s a homecoming as well as a debut. The Royal Academy of Arts graduate showed digitally at LFW in 2020 under DiscoveryLab, but recently showed her SS25 collection at Berlin Fashion Week. "I got accepted for Newgen five days before I got accepted for Berlin, so I knew from early on that I would be doing two shows," she tells Vogue Business from her East London studio. Her show on Saturday will be an "evolution" of the Berlin collection, she says. "London gives a more commercial platform. Berlin felt more like being an artist who works in fashion." "The BFC Newgen designers always blow me away," says Rush. She notes that the Newgen criteria has changed, which may be why there are "quite a few debuts" this season. "This year, we have moved away from standard criteria, such as minimum stockists, as a way to ensure that creative businesses with varied business models can showcase at London Fashion Week," she explains. The shift is notable given that many London brands are still struggling following the closure of Matches. In October, the BFC will publish a report, titled ‘Commercialising Creativity’, to encourage new business models, particularly when it comes to building out a direct-to-consumer channel. "The industry is rapidly changing, and criteria that were once relevant no longer reflect new ways that designers show and sell their collections," Rush says. "It felt important to us that the schedule reflects the current environment, supports designers and different stages of business, and continues to showcase the best of fashion talent to an international audience."