Stitching For Spotlights - The Fashion Trends Defining London’s Theatre Scene in 2024-25
- Khadeejah Masud
- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
In recent years, London Theatre has redefined costume and what stage-wear can be through modern takes on historical narratives, making more socially conscious decisions all while maintaining an edgy new aesthetic. From sequinned corsets to climate-conscious tailoring, costume design isn’t taking a back seat to performance; it’s leading the narrative. In the West End’s current spotlight, here are the moments - and materials - making 2024–25 one of the most fashion-forward seasons in London theatre history.
Six Takes the ‘Reigns’: Leotards of the Queens
Even years after its debut, Six continues to evolve its looks, with the 2024 cast debuting updated costumes that channel Gen Z energy. In an interview with the V&A, costume designer Gabriella Slade talks about the quest to create a “unique aesthetic” for the wives respectively, but also for the “pop band” that they are in the play, fighting to be the leader of it. She relays how her process warranted a choice between selecting period fabrics and contemporary shapes, but her eventual choice came to choosing contemporary fabrics and period shapes.
A look that I’ve had the opportunity to see in person at the Re:Imagining Musicals display was Catherine of Aragon’s, a bold black and gold number fit for a queen of Spanish-Catholic origins. Two of my favourite things to read in the exhibition would have to be that the neon visors used to decorate Aragon’s bodice refract different colours under the stage lights, and were actually inspired by stained-glass church windows from the Tudor era. I also like how this costume took inspiration from Beyonce’s 2017 Grammy’s look, an outfit remembered for its elaborate golden headpiece that made her look like a Greek goddess onstage. You can clearly see this golden inspiration in the studded details of Aragon’s dress. Paired with the classical neckline and bold sleeves with shoulder details that give her a bit of a Whitney Houston edge, Slade seamlessly blends the pop aesthetic across different musical eras, all whilst tying it to the Tudor period.
More recently, fans have noted the resemblance of newer costumes bearing resemblance to more current artists. Olivia Rodrigo, for example, with a side of Glastonbury glitter. Katherine Howard’s ‘GUTS’ reminiscent leotard where the hot pink PVC has shifted to a slightly darker purple shade with more monochromatic undertones.
These updates reflect not just trend shifts but audience demand: younger fans want to see their current fashion reflected in what’s onstage. Six has mastered the art of staying in the zeitgeist.
Money, Money, Money: Cabaret’s Undone Chic
The revival of Cabaret has become a cult fashion moment in itself. With Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley setting the tone in 2021, the show continues in 2025 with costume design that blurs cabaret sleaze, 1930s Berlin grit, and designer minimalism. Current iterations mix vintage lingerie, raw-edge tailoring, and muted palettes - more Ann Demeulemeester than drag.
We see high fashion masquerading as decay, and it’s influencing student theatre wardrobes everywhere. Costume design for Cabaret is immersive and character-driven, making the audience feel complicit just by watching.
In an Instagram post by Tom Scutt, we see a thrilling new take on the ‘Money’ design of ‘Emcee’. In Cabaret he is the Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Club in Berlin - the host and entertainer of the show. He is a crucial character who introduces the performers, interacts with the audience, serving to voice the show's themes and comment on the political and social climate the play deals with.
Many watchers have commented on this outfit’s grotesque nature, considering its pivotal placement in the play that haunts us and forces us to contemplate our own political situation with its eeriness. Its gothic nature is something that forces us to contend with the horror of the ironic moment.
Sustainable Nostalgia of Abigail’s Party
One of the biggest fashion stories onstage right now is not about aesthetics - it’s about fashion ethics.
In the Lyric Hammersmith’s 2024 revival of Abigail’s Party, designer Anna Yates leans into a bold, nostalgic aesthetic while cleverly layering in sustainability.
The visual punch of 1970s suburbia - complete with shag-pile carpet, polyester prints, and gaudy textures - isn’t just for show. Much of the set and costume is sourced from existing vintage pieces or reclaimed materials, drawing attention to the waste-heavy habits of both the past and the present. I’d say this doesn’t just serve for aesthetic purposes, but rather resonates with the modern audience’s inclination to sustainability and investing in quality pieces that will last longer, whilst enriching personal style.
In this case, Yates has invested in many defining pieces that commit to making the legacy of the characters memorable.
What’s especially striking is Yates’ approach to using “secondhand excess” as a form of commentary: rather than toning down the look, she embraces its artificiality to reflect characters trying desperately to impress. The fashion here is deliberately uncomfortable, recognisable, and reused. Designers like Yates are pushing for sustainability not through minimalism, but through intentional, high-impact reuse - proving that eco-conscious design can still be gloriously over the top.
In our more eco-conscious climate, theatre is joining fashion in asking, “Who made this, and how long will it last?”
A Continuous Thread: How current trends are shaping the future of costume design
In 2024–25, London’s stages aren’t just showcasing great performances—they’re showing us how fashion speaks without words. Costumes are veering into new territory, breaking away from binaries and becoming more fluid - blurring periods, silhouettes, and expectations to renew the narratives they represent. In Six, the costumes don’t just support its pseudo-contemporary/historical narrative - they are the narrative. They’re pieces we’ll look back on in fifty years as vivid artefacts of how pop culture, iconography, and identity across time collided in a moment of bold, glittering reinvention. Across the West End, designers are also rethinking waste, up-cycling, and thrifting - but not as background gestures, rather integral to the story. The relationship between costume and narrative isn’t one-dimensional; each factor is actually constantly reshaping the other.
Whether it's a bejewelled bodice or a threadbare trench coat, every stitch tells a story - and in the theatre, fashion is more than fabric. It refracts the audience as much as it reflects the character.
Written by Khadeejah Masud, Columnist
Edited by Daisy Packwood, Fashion Editor
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