Flair Fashion brought seven designers together for its UNFOLD showcase during London Fashion Week on 19 September 2026, presenting a diverse exploration of femininity through couture, craftsmanship and personal storytelling.
The collective presentation featured BELSIZE25, Juliene Couture, Nesse's Aure, Hayal Couture, SSLB, For Poem and GG CHENN. Each designer approached femininity through a different creative lens, combining expressive silhouettes, intricate detailing and materials that reflected their individual inspirations.
Rather than defining womanhood through a single aesthetic, UNFOLD explored how identity, heritage, memory and personal experience could influence fashion. Flowing satin, sculptural corsetry, embroidery and dramatic volumes created a showcase in which contrasting interpretations of femininity existed alongside one another.
BELSIZE25 Transforms Roman Frescoes Into Fluid Couture
BELSIZE25 presented Diana's Bath, a Spring/Summer 2027 collection inspired by the Bagno di Diana, an elaborate private bathroom within Rome's Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. Drawing from the chamber's frescoes and reflections of water, the collection translated classical imagery into delicate silk chiffon, fluid satin and softly draped silhouettes.
Aquatic tones reflected the movement of light across water, while nude-coloured satin and shimmering sequins suggested luminous skin and droplets remaining after bathing. One standout look featured a champagne-toned gown with slender straps, a fitted bodice and intricate feather-like embellishments extending towards the floor. Its delicate movement captured the collection's romantic interpretation of classical art.
Juliene Couture and Nesse's Aure Explore Memory and Displacement
Juliene Couture introduced one of the presentation's most emotionally significant collections with 20,000 Stories, One Memory. Founded by mother-and-daughter duo Luljeta and Ylberine Lushtaku, the brand explored the lasting impact of conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls during the 1998–1999 Kosovo War. Across six looks, the designers used chains, tulle, silk, rubberised lycra and crystal fragments to communicate restraint, remembrance and resilience.
A striking black ensemble featured an imposing silhouette accompanied by placards bearing personal statements. The presentation turned clothing into a way to express collective memory without attempting to recreate the violence itself. Nesse's Aure also drew inspiration from Kosovo's wartime history, focusing on forced migration and the emotional connection to home. Its six-look collection, Regrounded, incorporated symbols including luggage, letters, keys and footprints to explore separation, belonging and reconnection. Structured corsetry remained central to the brand's design language. A chocolate-brown corseted bodysuit paired with a sweeping pale cape demonstrated the contrast between defined construction and flowing movement.
Hayal Couture Reimagines Albanian Heritage
Hayal Couture explored the relationship between tradition and contemporary design through Unseen Heritage, a collection connecting Albania's cultural past with modern London. Traditional Oya craftsmanship formed the foundation of the collection, appearing alongside leather, metal, eyelets, sculpted corsetry and elongated fringes. The contrasting materials highlighted the designer's interest in balancing delicacy with strength.
A purple corseted dress layered beneath a black fringed covering illustrated this approach, bringing traditional decorative techniques into a contemporary silhouette. Rather than treating heritage as fixed, Hayal Couture presented craftsmanship as a living practice that can evolve across generations.
SSLB Celebrates Nature Through Intricate Embroidery
SSLB, also known as Seven-Spot-Ladybird, brought nature-inspired craftsmanship to the runway through nine looks exploring transformation and the passage of time. Building on its earlier Nature & Creatures theme, the collection followed the lotus flower from summer bloom to its fading autumn form. Chinese-style feitian embroidery introduced delicate movement and decorative detail, reflecting the brand's emphasis on traditional hand embroidery.
One of the most visually distinctive pieces featured an expansive white cape embroidered with a peacock, flowering branches and intricate natural imagery. The peacock symbolised beauty and good fortune, providing a striking expression of the collection's themes of renewal and transformation.
For Poem and GG CHENN Balance Softness With Structure
For Poem presented its Interbloom series, drawing inspiration from Japanese graphic artist Hidetoshi Mito. Founded by Chinese designers Leah Fu and Pan, the label combined minimalist silhouettes with traditional Chinese motifs and painterly detailing. Feather-trimmed lapels, crochet flower fringes and textured fabrics introduced softness without overwhelming the collection's restrained construction.
A cream-coloured coat with decorative neckline detailing, paired with a matching structured hat and metallic gold accessory, captured the brand's understated approach to contemporary femininity. GG CHENN offered a more architectural interpretation through Embodied Memory, the debut collection by London-based designer Gigi Chen. Inspired by femininity passed from grandmother to mother to daughter, the collection explored inherited expectations, personal identity and generational memory.
Sheer fabrics contrasted with rigid metal frames inspired by the designer's grandmother's jewellery, creating garments that balanced vulnerability with strength. A voluminous grey tulle gown featuring curved structural elements stood out for its dramatic proportions, demonstrating how personal memories could be translated into sculptural fashion.
Seven Perspectives, One Collective Vision
Although the seven designers approached femininity from different cultural and artistic perspectives, craftsmanship remained a defining element throughout UNFOLD. From BELSIZE25's romantic draping to Juliene Couture's emotionally charged presentation, the collections demonstrated how clothing could communicate experiences extending beyond conventional runway aesthetics.
Flair Fashion's UNFOLD presented womanhood as layered, evolving and shaped by individual experience. Through seven distinct creative voices, the London Fashion Week presentation demonstrated how fashion could preserve personal and cultural histories while opening new possibilities for expression.
