Susan Fang SS26 Took Us to an Alternate Reality

Set within the urban oasis of the Barbican Conservatory during London Fashion Week, Susan Fang's Spring/Summer 2026 show created a stark contrast to the city's chaos just beyond the concrete walls. Titled "Air Evolution," the collection imagined a parallel timeline bridging the year 2025 and its speculative mirror year, 5202. A sci-fi narrative where nature and technology no longer compete but flourish in symbiosis.

Designed to make the wearer "feel like flowing wind," the collection translated this poetic ambition into clothing that felt light, delicate and nature-adjacent. Feather embroidery painted the silhouettes with pastel gradients, while digital prints featured across sheer fabrics to mimic patterns found in natural ecosystems. Dresses billowed in layers of organza and tulle, sheer skirts glimmered with beadwork and accessories, from skullcaps to handbags, dripped in crystals to give the impression of garments submerged in a dreamlike aquatic world. All this while live steel pan music echoed in the background; this is visceral beauty.

Fang's signature fusion of handcraft and high-tech came to the forefront this season. 3D printing and laser cutting juxtaposed seamlessly with natural materials and hand-crocheted details to result in designs that breathed like living entities. The show also saw the return of Fang's iconic "air-flower" technique, developed alongside her mother, to create voluminous floral forms in pleated tulle that bounced down the runway. Meanwhile, sculptural accessories also nodded to organic growth, with coral and fungi-inspired bags alongside 3D-printed eyewear with growing mushrooms for that added whimsy, of course.

Footwear was also a showstopper, with three standout collaborations dominating the runway. Nike debuted chunky trainers in soft baby blues, complete with pearl-beaded Swoosh and pearl floral appliqués. Rockfish Weatherwear added a dose of fairytale fantasy with fuzzy boots and furry ballet flats adorned with gemstones and bows and, finally, Melissa delivered the season's must-have jelly shoes, carved with cherry blossoms that struck a delicate balance between sporty, feminine and futuristic.

Closing the show, dancer Kat Collings embodied this harmony of movement and design, gliding down the runway in a 3D floral gown that moved like a flower adrift in water, marking a poignant finale to a collection that looked toward the future, but felt like a return to something deeply human.

In other Fashion Week news, check out our favorite shows from London Fashion Week.

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