Welcomed by the British Fashion Council, His Majesty The King has attended the opening show of London Fashion Week 2026.
At 180 Strand, home of London Fashion Week, The King toured an exhibition curated to highlight craftmanship, innovation and sustainability within British fashion. His Majesty met British makers and apprentices supporting heritage skills and sustainability. This also included students currently studying on King’s Foundation programmes, who did demonstrations of draping and embroidery.
The British Fashion Council (BFC), formed in 1983, is a not-for-profit organisation focused on innovation, responsible growth and local and global amplification of the British fashion industry. Its mission is to champion British fashion on the world stage by pioneering world class programmes that unlock and elevate British creative talent. The BFC amplifies excellence in creativity through The Fashion Awards and London Fashion Week.
In addition to touring the exhibition, The King viewed an exhibition by Brand63Africa and met designers involved in its creation. Brand63Africa is a new social enterprise connecting fashion designers of African heritage with global fashion markets, promoting small-batch production and traditional craftsmanship. The first collection will launch later this year supporting established designers who are committed to sustainability and community empowerment; values inspired by The King’s longstanding support of sustainability and a circular fashion economy.
His Majesty also viewed an exhibition by Stella McCartney which focuses on celebrating sustainable British innovation. As a longer term supporter, and newly appointed Ambassador, of The King’s Sustainable Markets Initiative, Stella McCartney’s showcase uses sustainable materials (such as plant-based feather alternatives and plastic free sequins) to highlights practical, scalable solutions already entering the fashion industry.
After viewing the exhibition, The King was invited to join the front row for the opening show of London Fashion Week 2026. Along with invited guests from across the fashion industry, His Majesty watched a show from British-Nigerian designer, Tolu Coker.
Tolu Coker is a British-Nigerian Fashion and Textiles Designer, Illustrator and Multi-Disciplinary Artist based in London.
Launched in 2018 after graduating from Central Saint Martins, Coker’s work merges artisan craftsmanship with innovative technology. Her mainly-unisex designs focus on identity, social climates and sustainability and have been recognised internationally.