LONDON — Two days before the first London Fashion Week under British Fashion Council chief executive officer Laura Weir kicks off, a first-of-its-kind debate about its cultural contribution took place at Parliament.

Organized by former Asos buyer Rosie Wrighting, the Labour Member of Parliament for Kettering, the debate was aimed at spotlighting fashion’s role in shaping the U.K.’s global cultural influence, its economic value, and the opportunities and challenges facing designers and businesses in Britain.

Weir attended the debate alongside several other industry figures to show support for the upcoming London Fashion Week and the British fashion sector.

During her opening remarks, Wrighting said the thought of a career in fashion gave her drive and determination that shaped the rest of her life, from working on the shop floor at a Topshop store in Kettering to pursuing a buyer position at Asos.

“That belief that creativity can be a path forward is something that London Fashion Week represents to me and thousands of young people across the country who see that opportunity to be a part of something bigger,” said Wrighting.

But she worries that fashion is no longer accessible to young people today who are not from privileged backgrounds.

“We have to make sure that fashion remains a viable career for young people, particularly those who are outside of London and in working-class communities. And that means making it easier for designers and brands to scale up their businesses without being forced to sell early or relocate abroad,” she said.

“It means providing stronger financial education and mentoring for young creatives, so that talent is matched with tools to build sustainable businesses, and it means tackling unfair payment practices because too many freelancers, small brands and suppliers wait months to be paid, making it impossible for them to grow or sometimes even survive,” Wrighting added.

The former fashion buyer then stressed the crucial role the British Fashion Council has been playing in promoting British designers.

“I couldn’t talk about the British Fashion Council without mentioning decisions made by the new chief executive officer, Laura Weir, who is here in the gallery today, leveling the playing field for independent designers and small brands that have been priced out of participating in recent years,” said Wrighting.

“Her choice to extend the Newgen program for three years and expand scholarship funding and mentoring for fashion students will directly benefit children who grew up in situations like me,” she continued.

Wrighting believes these initiatives will support working-class creatives in the space and influence an industry that is better off with working-class voices within it.

“The variety of voices that have made fashion week what it is, an opportunity to bring together different cultures and lived experiences, especially in a week when London has faced division on our streets. Fashion week shows off British values, culture, and inclusivity at its best, and at a time like this, that should be celebrated,” she said.

Slated for Friday to Sept. 22, the spring 2026 edition of the London shows was hailed as the beginning of “a bold new era” by Weir, as this edition will have 18 percent more designers showing on schedule, signaling a designer-first approach to the 41-year-old London Fashion Week that is “ambitious, purposeful and rooted in the creative energy of London.”

The five-day event will see runway regulars, including Burberry, Erdem, Simone Rocha, Roksanda, Richard Quinn, Emilia Wickstead, Labrum London and Harris Reed, continue to hold the fort for the city’s fashion industry. JW Anderson will host an event in partnership with the BFC on Saturday to celebrate the relaunch of the brand.

Emerging brands, including Chopova Lowena, Priya Ahluwalia, Marques’ Almeida, and Patrick McDowell, this year’s winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, will make their runway returns this season, while buzzy names like Conner Ives, Paolo Carzana and Lulu Kennedy’s emerging talent support platform Fashion East will continue to show on schedule as well.

Newcomers to the runway showcase this fall include Dreaming Eli, Kseniaschnaider, Kyle Ho, Lucia Safdie, Rory William Docherty and adaptive label Unhidden.

Designers in the BFC Newgen program will show on schedule both physically and digitally, with ones to watch including Aaron Esh, Derrick, Johanna Parv, Karoine Vitto, Louther, Oscar Ouyang, Steve O Smith, Tolu Coker and Aletta, the young brand founded by Freddy Coomes and Matt Empringham.