British Fashion Council Brings Fashion Britain to Liverpool This September
Liverpool will take centre stage in a major new celebration of British fashion this September, as the British Fashion Council brings its new Fashion Britain programme to the city.
The landmark national initiative aims to take British fashion beyond London and celebrate the designers, creatives, cultural institutions and communities shaping style across the UK.
More than 1,000 cultural events are set to take place nationwide throughout September, with Liverpool joining six other cities in a programme spanning designer talks, exhibitions, retail experiences, workshops, live performances and creative installations.
For Liverpool’s programme, the British Fashion Council (BFC) is working with major local partners including National Museums Liverpool and Liverpool ONE, while two designers with strong connections to the region – Patrick McDowell and Talia Byre – will return for a special event at the Walker Art Gallery.
Patrick McDowell and Talia Byre at the Walker Art Gallery
One of the highlights of Fashion Britain in Liverpool will take place on 21 September, when Liverpool-born and raised Patrick McDowell and Warrington-born Talia Byre join the BFC x ELLE UK National Designer Panel at the Walker Art Gallery.
Moderated by ELLE UK’s Fashion Features Director Tamison O’Connor, the conversation will explore the designers’ creative journeys, the influence of the region and the role local culture has played in shaping their work.
The panel will be followed by a networking session designed to introduce people to potential pathways into the fashion industry.
Talia Byre said returning to Liverpool felt particularly special. “Liverpool has always felt like an important part of my journey as well as the brand’s history, so it feels particularly special to come back and connect with the next generation of designers.”
Patrick McDowell also reflected on the city’s distinctive relationship with fashion and getting dressed up. “Liverpool has a strong and inspiring ability to dress up, which I loved from an early age.”
He described returning with the British Fashion Council and meeting young people interested in fashion as a “wonderful full circle moment”.
The programme will also highlight opportunities for those hoping to enter the industry. Through the Kurt Geiger Kindness Foundation, Kurt Geiger is launching Business by Design Online, a free digital learning course intended to make fashion knowledge more accessible.
Fashion Takes Over Liverpool ONE
Fashion Britain won’t be confined to galleries and talks. Liverpool ONE will host a series of interactive experiences, in-store activations and exclusive offers throughout the programme.
Visitors can expect creative installations across the destination, including a piano and giant magazine cover, while a new competition will give one artist the chance to create a fashion-inspired design for the iconic Liverpool sign on Thomas Steers Way.
Beyond the Rail by All Over The Shop will put Liverpool’s independent fashion scene in the spotlight, celebrating both the clothes and the people behind them.
Through live making, hands-on workshops, curated fashion, styling and interactive installations, visitors will be encouraged to go beyond simply looking at fashion and become part of the creative process themselves.
Bruce Finlay, Retail MD at Landsec, owner of Liverpool ONE, said: “Liverpool has long set its own agenda when it comes to fashion, music and culture, making it a natural home for Fashion Britain.”
He added that the partnership would build on the city’s creative energy while reinforcing Liverpool’s position as one of the UK’s most exciting fashion and cultural cities.
Celebrating Liverpool’s Fashion Past – And Its Future
Liverpool’s fashion history will also form an important part of the programme through the involvement of National Museums Liverpool and the Walker Art Gallery.
National Museums Liverpool holds around 10,000 pieces of costume, ranging from 18th-century dress to pieces by Vivienne Westwood. Many were donated by people from Liverpool or with close connections to the city.
Kerry Williams, Head of Creative Partnerships at National Museums Liverpool, said: “Working with the British Fashion Council puts that history in the same space as the designers shaping things now.”
It is that connection between heritage and emerging creativity that sits at the heart of Fashion Britain.
The programme forms part of the British Fashion Council’s Strategy 2030: Access, Creativity and Growth, with the organisation aiming to create a British fashion industry that is more accessible and geographically representative.
Laura Weir, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, said British fashion has always been shaped by local identities, communities and creative disciplines. “It’s vital that we recognise, celebrate and invest in talent wherever it exists across the UK.”
She added that Fashion Britain is about “decentralising fashion” and creating stronger pathways for creativity, opportunity and growth across the country.
By bringing designers together with retailers, museums, educators, businesses and creative organisations, the BFC hopes Fashion Britain can have an impact that continues beyond September – supporting local creative economies and making it easier for the next generation of designers and creatives to build careers without having to leave their own cities.
And for a city with such a famously individual approach to getting dressed, Liverpool feels like a fitting place for that conversation.
Fashion Britain takes place across Liverpool throughout September 2026, with events, talks, installations and creative experiences taking place at venues across the city.
For more information and tickets visit londonfashionweek.co.uk/fashion-britain.
