Bora Aksu presented his Spring/Summer 2027 ready-to-wear collection during London Fashion Week on September 18, transforming the light-filled interior of St. Cyprian’s, Clarence Gate, near Regent’s Park into a setting for romantic fantasy with a darker edge.

The show opened with a procession of pastoral bridal-inspired looks featuring puff sleeves, lace-trimmed ruffles and broderie anglaise. The delicate, feminine designs established the collection’s romantic mood before more structured elements gradually entered the lineup.

Trench coats and tailored pieces introduced a sharper sensibility, while bib harnesses, apron ties and cummerbund-style sashes added unexpected structure. The contrast between softness and restraint became a defining feature of the collection, reflecting Aksu’s continued interest in balancing romantic femininity with more subversive influences.

A deeper Gothic mood emerged toward the finale, when three looks in rich oxblood brought exposed corsetry and yarn-like details that spread across the body like tree roots. The darker palette and intricate textures contrasted with the earlier lightness, giving the collection a more dramatic finish. A soundtrack of 1970s British psychedelic folk further reinforced the show’s atmospheric character.

The collection drew inspiration in part from Mary Beale, the 17th-century portraitist widely recognised as Britain’s first professional female painter. Her historical significance provided a point of departure for Aksu’s exploration of femininity, artistic expression and the tensions between delicate appearances and underlying strength.

Throughout the collection, Aksu combined decorative craftsmanship with tailored silhouettes and unconventional details. Bridal references and intricate lacework sat alongside harnesses and corsetry, creating a dialogue between innocence and rebellion, tradition and experimentation.

For Spring 2027, Aksu continued to build on the romantic visual language associated with his label while introducing a more pronounced darker edge. The result was a collection that moved between pastoral beauty and Gothic drama, using historical references and contrasting construction to explore the complexity of feminine expression.