Why Was Men’s London Fashion Week Canceled This June 2025?

Currently, the U.K. womenswear market, valued at $48.74 billion, is almost double menswear at $26.54 billion. However, percentage growth is similar—womenswear is projected to grow annually by 3.50% vs. 3.30% for menswear. And according to Drapers, the industry bible, things look quite rosy for the latter, with the market “forecasting stronger growth in 2025, fueled by demand for value-for-money, high-quality casuals with a seasonless feel.” So, amid a relatively buoyant market, why did the British Fashion Council cancel its London Men’s Fashion Week, which has taken place every year since 2012?

The Rise And Fall Of London Collections: Men

The first edition of London Collections: Men was a big deal with just about every major menswear brand involved, a reception was hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales to celebrate the launch and Paul Smith hosted an event at BAFTA. The 2012 event included iconic British brands like Burberry, Dunhill, Hackett and Alexander McQueen, plus heritage brands and tailors from London’s legendary Savile Row. Over the years that followed, newer menswear brands like JW Anderson, Sagaboi, Saul Nash and Denzil Patrick raised their profiles at men’s fashion week, contributing to the growth of the U.K. menswear industry.

Menswear Focus In London Show Rooms, Paris

However, maintaining a separate week for men’s fashion is an expensive proposition, and recognizing the trend toward co-ed collections, the British Fashion Council has decided to focus on providing more commercial opportunities for menswear through a London Show Rooms showcase in Paris. With a focus on menswear, the showrooms will run from June 26 to July 1, 2025. And of course, there will be menswear shows during the regular London Fashion Weeks every February and September.

The reaction from the London fashion industry to the cancellation of London Men’s Fashion Week this June has been mixed. Of course not all brands are being taken to Paris. And, as Ash Smith, founder of Lobby PR suggests, “There’s a real place to make a short summer schedule in London strategically useful for brands, being able to showcase men’s (and increasingly women’s pre) collections in a city with international media reach, before attention turns to Italy and Paris.”

The Future Of Menswear In London

Paris showrooms aside, the future of menswear design in London and throughout the U.K. still seems bright, judging from the prevalence of menswear in the fashion graduation shows last week that filled the LFW Men’s gap. In fact, Nicola Hitchens, Graduate Fashion Foundation director says that “this is the first time that Graduate Fashion Week has run a dedicated menswear show GFW | Men’s to celebrate British menswear. We were sad to hear that the BFC decided to not go ahead with menswear this season as it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase talent from a less represented market in fashion.” Ms. Hitchens sees the importance of “providing a platform for support emerging menswear designers whilst the fashion industry is going through a transitional period and we want to spotlight young talent as they enter the industry.”

Presented by the Graduate Fashion Foundation, Graduate Fashion Week represents the future of creative design talent and showcases the work of over 3,500 fashion graduates each year, this year featuring catwalks from 12 British universities. The showcase is positioned as an excellent opportunity to scout top talent.

Elsewhere, individual London universities held their graduation shows, and the amount of creativity on show was impressive. University of Westminster BA Fashion showed multiple looks from 30 young designers, many of which were menswear. Azeika Nelson’s menswear featuring pieced-together patchwork was inspired by the fragmented narrative of the 1968 film Je t’Aime, Je t’Aime directed by Alain Resnais. Lily Rose Murphy draws on British naval discipline and tradition, reimagining classic maritime uniform elements through a bold, modern lens. Westminster also offers an MA Menswear, so the university is clearly confident that London provides a great environment for fashion design.

At the Ravensbourne catwalk, 10 out of 36 designers showed menswear, including a clever collaboration with British heritage brand Harris Tweed.

Menswear Trend: Eco-friendly Is Key

The United Kingdom’s men’s apparel market (like women’s apparel) is experiencing a surge in demand for sustainable and eco-friendly clothing options in luxury and mainstream markets alike. Remade, reduced and recycled have been the pillars of Christopher Raeburn’s eponymous brand since launching in 2009. He’s been a pioneer of reworking surplus fabrics, transforming de-commissioned military stock like nylon parachutes into jackets. Likewise, Denzil Patrick, launched in 2022, sources from weavers, printers and embroiderers who use sustainably sourced materials: RWS wool, GOTS cotton and recycled fiber. The brand also uses surplus materials to create artisanal pieces, and its direct-to-consumer operation means that all garments are produced in small batches to avoid overproduction.

London will always be a buzzy global fashion hub with its unique blend of heritage and innovation. New technology like 3D body scanning and AI-driven design tools to offer bespoke garments is being embraced by Savile Row. And the city’s menswear scene is one of the most inclusive, if not the most inclusive in the world, embracing gender-fluid designs and celebrating cultural diversity.