Corsets are back in fashion – and it’s all because of Wuthering Heights

If it isn’t tightly bound and laced up, it’s not getting worn this season. That seems to be the main takeaway from the autumn/winter 2026 collections at London Fashion Week, which have been defined by the humble corset. Call it the “Wuthering Heights” effect, newfound nostalgia for period dressing, or perhaps it has something to do with Bridgerton… whatever it is, the corset is back – and it’s set to be a ubiquitous style staple in the months ahead.

I know what you’re thinking: caging women’s bodies in uncomfortable, absurdly tight clothes designed to shrink our waistlines is, at best, a relic of another, less progressive era, and at worst, a symptom of contemporary Ozempic culture. But this season’s corsets aren’t designed to constrict so much as they are to accentuate and celebrate a woman’s body. At Harris Reed, corsets were modelled on wings, with its tips pointing upwards, while a Chantilly lace corset extended from the waist, taking up more space rather than less.

Meanwhile, at Patrick McDowell, corsetry took a prime spot in the finale bridal look, with a tighty bound bodice that laced up at the back. Sinead Gorey served up pub culture-inspired corsets on her runway, with sheer black bodices peeking out from underneath wide skirts and even becoming the entire look themselves, with lingerie-style corsets giving shape to sheer shirting and, in one particularly gothic case, a liquid satin blood-red mini dress. The craftsmanship of Gorey’s corsets also drew attention to the models’ bodies, which were thankfully all shapes and sizes, an all-too-rare feat in an industry that, by and large, still equates beauty with extreme thinness.

Bora Aksu offered a more haunting take, with models gliding slowly down the runway in an array of gothic frocks that, despite not being strictly corseted, lent themselves to the underlying Wuthering Heights-inspired aesthetic that contextualises them by way of gossamer capelets and sheer lace bridal gowns. It helped, perhaps, that the Turkish designer’s collection was inspired by an 18th-century barmaid whose ghost is said to haunt the halls of the guesthouse where she worked – how very Catherine Earnshaw of her! – hence why all of the models’ faces had been patted with ghostly white powder.

Toga offered a more relaxed yet innovative approach, with models walking down the runway wearing soft, two-tone cardigan-style wraps around their waists. Think corsets, but contemporary – and with more comfort. At Erdem, the corsetry nods were more subtle; think a spliced corset dress in black jacquard, or Edie Campbell in a red mesh, floral embellished gown with a corset body underneath. There were practically quirks, too, like the deep pockets sewn into a candy floss-coloured corseted frock with black floral detailing on the side. Subtlety was the port of call at Simone Rocha, too, whose organza gowns nodded to corsetry via a ribboned lace-up look that could’ve been right out of Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights. Loose-fitting jumpers were also reimagined with a corsetry lens, featuring buckles on either side with giant satin ribbons hanging off in miscellaneous parts.

The bottom line was clear: today’s corseted women are forward-thinking, celebrating comfort, refined silhouettes, and the art of taking up as much space as possible, physically, spiritually, and energetically.

Off the runway, however, the street style set followed a different dress code altogether, one informed by a more recent past. Yes, I’m talking about Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, the late 90s It girl who is back at the forefront of public consciousness thanks to Love Story, a Disney+ TV series about the Calvin Klein publicist’s doomed relationship with JFK Jr. Bessette Kennedy, who passed away aged 33 alongside JFK Jr in a plane crash, lived a tragically short life, and yet her sartorial stamp on the world feels more powerful than ever. A major proponent of 1990s minimalism, Bessette Kennedy was known for her slick satin pencil skirts, cropped jeans, and simple poloneck sleeveless shirts, all of which were common sights on the front rows this season. Then there were the boxy blazers, collared shirts, and black strappy sandals.

Many fashion show-goers opted for square-toed boots underneath their jeans to give the ensemble a more dynamic vibe, while others stayed true to Bessette Kennedy’s signature looks, donning everything from Levi’s 501s and classic black knits to slick Sezane trench coats with Parisian-inspired headbands. Where corsetry is about taking up more space, this off-runway look championed a less-is-more approach that, while forever in favour among the fashion set, really was the dominant street style uniform.

So perhaps this season it’s a case of choosing your sartorial lane: Cathy on one side, Carolyn on the other. Or maybe, you’ll find a creative way to flit between the two, depending on your mood. After all, women contain multitudes.