LFWSS26 - Ewusie - The Art of London Identity

Image Courtesy of Lobby PR

On an unseasonably warm London morning, I emerged from Embankment Station and made my way to 180 The Strand, poised for the final show of London Fashion Week. The entrance was marked by a bold London Fashion Week poster, a fitting prelude to the day’s creative energy. Inside, an elegant spread of canapés awaited. The 1664 bar winked at me, but 10 a.m. is a little early to answer, even for an outfit this daring.

I entered an expansive, industrial space where guests wandered among the displays, snapping photographs and taking in the details of the Ewusie SS26 showcase. This showcase was made by Joshua Ewusie, a London-born designer, who brings Ghanaian heritage into a sharp, contemporary focus. A recent Central Saint Martins MA graduate and current designer in residence at The Kings Foundation with CHANEL, Ewusie aims to transform the textures and traditions of West African craft into modern womenswear that celebrates community, culture, and a distinctly London sensibility.

The show blended aspirational luxury with grounded, everyday London life, highlighted by the unexpected soundtrack of DLR and Tube announcements filtering through the space. The collection explored lived-in luxury by using oversized T-shirts layered over transparent frocks, glass-beaded minidresses made from kente cloth, and laser-cut leather aprons draped into functional pockets.

One look that really caught my eye was a T-shirt printed with “Welcome to Lewisham” against a backdrop of palm trees. It felt playful and unexpected, mixing South London attitude with a touch of tropics. Perhaps it was a nod to London’s multicultural character, a city defined by the seamless blending of diverse influences and identities. That same sense of connection runs through the rest of the collection; each garment balances elegance and utility, designed to be claimed and shaped by the wearer, reflecting Ewusie’s ethos that clothes reach their full potential when they connect to real lives.

As once said in a Vogue interview, Ewusie “makes clothes for the most stylish women on the DLR”. A sentiment that feels deeply rooted in his own background. He grew up spending time around Kilburn and Shepherd’s Bush, and now works from his studio in Lewisham, an area that he feels reflects the essence of the neighbourhoods he grew up around. His work celebrates that sense of place and identity, drawing on the people and textures of the city he knows. Ewusie draws inspiration from the ‘aunties’ and ‘uncles’ he grew up around, giving their style a modern twist, such as transforming indigo resist-dyed cloth from Ghana or crisp white linen into a dress that reads like denim.

I found myself drawn to an all-black ensemble with a cape-like leather coat with a seamless silhouette, paired with black kitten heels and a large working bag, made of woven leather. This was the only model who moved with urgency; her slicked hair and all-black look evoked the pace and mood of a rainy London morning, yet still stylish, consciously choosing high heels despite the city’s wet streets and slippery tube steps, a clear nod to London’s working women.

In contrast, another standout look that embraced the city’s more artistic, playful side was a pink piece full of energy from the London art scene. The pairing reaffirmed the enduring appeal of the socks-and-kitten-heels trend first seen in February 2025. The top was straight and structured, while the bottom featured asymmetrical layers in varying shades of blue, creating a neo-Memphis feel. 

Altogether, this show was a love letter to London. The familiar announcements of the DLR, which serve as symbols of routine and repetition for most Londoners, were reimagined as the soundscape to an exquisitely curated display of contemporary design. It created a tension between being unafraid to dream and invent, whilst also being grounded by daily realities. Perhaps an ode to London being a city that embraces individuality and aspiration, yet never shies away from its chaos, imperfections, and the occasional sense of isolation.

All Images by Alexander Pierce Zeta and Jesse Crankson, courtesy of Lobby PR

---

Written by Theoniki Dribusch

Edited by Co-fashion editor, Arielle Sam-Alao