We might be biased, but London really is the best dressed city in the world. To celebrate the finale of London Fashion Week’s fabulous 40th birthday we’ve rounded up our favourite style setters from the capital. The ones who make us rethink our party dresses, the ones who inspire us to try just a little bit harder in the morning, and those who we could happily stare at all day, such is their skill with a colour combination and jaunty shoe choice.
We may not have the financial might of New York, Milan and Paris but London has always punched above its weight when it comes to creative talent and stylish panache; Fashion Week’s 40 years is complete testament to that. Style is, of course, entirely subjective. But in our subjective opinion, these are the purveyors of the best looks in town.
Michaela Coel, actor
Her public appearances might be rare, but she never misses with her clever command of the avant garde, from Schiaparelli couture to supporting fledgling British talent. Also, does a gold naked dress better than anyone.
Emma Corrin, actor
This Miu Miu muse has carved out a singular style. Knickers on the red carpet? Sure! Corrin has a knack for turning the bizarre into the best dressed.
Katie Grand, editor
The woman with the wardrobe — bursting with archive Prada — every fashion editor is desperate for. She is the epitome of cool.
Yasmin Finney, actor
Nude knit meshes and huge fur coats are staples — the Heartstopper star is a Gen-Z style icon. Always brings a look to Pride march, too. Last year, it was 16Arlington. Ncuti Gatwa, actor One of the best dressed men in the capital, the new Doctor Who Harry Styles’s tailored moments are really quite remarkable. When he adds a Gucci corsage, it’s magic
Ib Kamara, editor
The Dazed magazine editor has not lost his Central Saint Martins edge since climbing the industry ladder. Halter neck tops, jeans, beaded braids? What more could you want?
Kenya Hunt, editor
The American in London is the editor-in-chief of Elle, and knows a great frock — but does a mongolian lamb coat and Nike Jordans particularly well too. We’ve never seen her not look polished.
Trino Verkade, fashion executive
She was Alexander McQueen’s first ever hire, and now continues his legacy with the Sarabande Foundation supporting young designers — go figure, then, her wardrobe is all exceptional McQueen.
Alexa Chung, influencer
She would look great in anything, but it doesn’t stop her putting the best new Loewe, Huishan Zhang and Nensi Dojaka frocks to the test. Also does a great flared suit.
Sienna Miller, actor
We’ve forgiven her for her Noughties coin belt patronage. Hell, she even makes M&S look good.
Sonam Kapoor, actor
The Bollywood sensation is a Notting Hill girl and international fixture of the couture circuit — not to mention one of Dior and Valentino’s top clients.
Rosamund Pike, actor
Our red carpet Mother. Veiled archive Dior at the Golden Globes? Heroic.
Bianca Jagger, actor
An unlikely titan of London’s party scene (at 78), Jagger has swapped white horses for ivory silk Dior pyjamas, gloves and a cane for public appearances. Impossibly chic.
Paapa Essiedu, actor
Total heartthrob. Wears cummerbunds with tracksuit tops — enough said.
Nicky Haslam, designer
Arbiter of taste, emperor of a cream, aran knit turtleneck — anything but common.
Harry Styles, singer
Single-handedly brought back the feather boa (not the selling point) — however, his tailored moments are really quite remarkable. When he adds a Gucci corsage, magic happens.
Stormzy, rapper
Undisputed King of London. Does an Issey Miyake Pleats Please very well in the day, but is most dashing when sporting a Ferragamo tuxedo with white sash. Also great shirtless.
Skepta, rapper
Rapper turned designer, Skepta mixes sportswear with a tie and shirt with ease. But the secret ingredient is young milliner Benny Andallo’s hats.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, royal
Love or hate it, the Princess of Wales’s attention to detail when it comes to public dressing is astounding. Taylor Swift is even copying her now…
Kate Moss, model
Her archive is so great, she has to house it in her Cotswolds “party barn”. She invented the naked dress, then brought it back 30 years later — there’s a good reason she still reigns over every designer mood board.
Naomi Campbell, model
The Boss. Only Ms Campbell could whip up a collection made for germ-phobics. She’s made a sharply cut suit (usually McQueen) her staple.
Adwoa Aboah, model
Impossibly cool uniform of baggy blue denim and vintage blazer by day, and every brand wants to dress her by night — her favourites are London labels 16Arlington, Molly Goddard and Conner Ives, though.
Cora Corré, model
It helps that her grandmother was Vivienne Westwood but the model certainly wears the archive better than most.
Fat Tony, DJ and Evening Standard columnist
He’s had a front box view of every fashion party since the Nineties — and it’s paid off.
Kai-Isaiah Jamal, model
Jamal’s fluctuating gender presentation allows them to switch between masc and femme looks on a daily basis — Wales Bonner tuxedos and skimpy, white crochet dresses both fly. And do so very well.
Edward Enninful, editor
The outgoing editor of British Vogue is a stickler for uniform, rarely seen out of a smart black suit. His Fashion Awards custom beige suit (Phoebe Philio’s first menswear design) last December proved his stellar contacts count.
Natasha Poonawalla, business person
The Poonawallas bought London’s most expensive house in 2023 (Aberconway House, £138 million). Read: Natasha has the funds to invest in some pretty astounding “wearable art,” as she calls it, including emerging designers like Harris Reed and Chen Peng Studio.
Roksanda IlinÄiÄ, designer
The Serbian designer is one of London’s best current women making clothes for women — and is no wallflower when it comes to wearing the vivid splashed gowns herself.
Stella McCartney, designer
Devoted to a blazer dress, tights and stacked stilettos. Never seen in real leather — and looks fantastic for it. Ozwald Boateng, designer One of Savile Row’s most fashionable assets, you’ll most likely find Boateng has dressed his 6ft 4in stature in his loud-printed three-piece-suits.
Phoebe Philo, designer
Often spotted pottering around Notting Hill in an old Celine mac, and now of course, her own eponymous line. Carries a perfectly lived-in tote.
Daphne Guinness, socialite and musician
A true aristo-eccentric and a muse by nature. Guinness trots across town in custom-made, heel-less platforms (which she doesn’t mind falling over in) and McQueen archive looks.
George Skeggs, Soho George, personality
The ever so dapper Mr Soho George arrived in the city in 1959 — one of those characters that makes this city tick. Keep up the braces and boaters.
Luella Bartley, artist
The fashion designer turned artist has that London-girl knack for looking cool. Small details count — a perfectly slouchy jean, a lightly turned-up collar, just the right amount of scuff on a trainer.
Maria Balshaw, director of the Tate
It’s Frieze-fashion on steroids — Balshaw is a master of almighty clashing. Continued from Page 15 She was radiant at the Burberry Harrods party this month, sporting an egg yellow trench with a pattern-clashing panelled silk shirt.
Zadie Smith, author
London’s literary hero flits between block-shade frocks and splashy, silver sequin numbers — her array of pastel-shade headscarves brings an out-out look together like nothing else.
Charles, singer and Laylow front of house
The voice of an angel, the stature of a giant — and a bang-on dress sense. Charles is the full-London package. Find him front of house at Laylow or at Gucci parties in full look, yes, Gucci.
Justine Simons, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries
She’s an Erdem girl — and the best dressed person in City Hall. Simons actually knows her designers.
Akshata Murty, businessperson and wife of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
The UK’s first lady started timid when the couple entered 10 Downing Street in October 2022 — since, we’ve borne witness to a fabulous transformation: cue neon green slacks, the odd Rixo dress and those JW Anderson slippers.
Trevoh Chalobah, footballer
Find the Chelsea footballer in actually cool clothes by the likes of London brands Chopova Lowena and Charles Jeffery Loverboy. Pray his teammates take note.
And our badly-dressed gongs go to...
Barry Keoghan, actor
It’s nice to see a man in something other than a black tux on the red carpet, sure — but bare arms.
James Corden, presenter
The power blue blazer and shiny tracksuits are not what we covet.
Emma Watson, actor
Having left acting and embarked on a gin-making career, Watson’s designer gowns have been replaced by a French farmer aesthetic — floral midis and wistful stares across Chablis vineyards.
Louis Theroux, journalist
We’re sure it’s all part of the intricate, “ironic” image, but Theroux’s incessant desire to have a skew tie at all times is irking.
Andrew Garfield, actor
We just can’t get on board with SpiderMan’s penchant for skinny-fit purple suits. We’ve tried.
Jess Glynne, singer
In a 2020 highlight, the singer screamed “discrimination” at Mayfair haunt Sexy Fish, when they refused her entry for wearing a tracksuit. She might have worked on improving a little more since.
Liam Payne, singer
Skinny ties plus skinny jeans is a combination nobody asked for.
Tom Daley, diver
We adore Daley and appreciate out-of-the box thinking — it’s just the eye-watering bright block colours can lean into the quirky.
Lewis Hamilton, racing driver
Just because you can afford to buy everything in the private shopping suite, does not mean you have to. Nor need you wear it all at once.
Penny Mordaunt, MP
London’s resident sword-bearer provided a jolly Halloween costume with her air hostess Coronation look — unfortunately, costume is not going to cut it.
Brooklyn Beckham, chef
These days, Becks Jr solely wears black slacks and a white shirt, though. At least Mark Zuckerburg can justify his uniform with a busy work day ahead…
Roman Kemp, radio host
A jazzy suit offender. At its worst when the trouser leg is actually tighter than the loosely threaded derby shoes.
Laura Whitmore, presenter
The presenter does a Vivienne Westwood gown well, but could do with steadying up on all things floral or gingham for the next month or two.
Richard Osman, author
His very literal interpretation of smart casual — banker shirt and jacket on top, too-tight, washed out jeans on the bottom — is a tough pill to swallow.
Liam Booth-Smith, Downing Street Chief of Staff
Anyone who has earned the moniker Treasury Travolta raises eyebrows. His go-to leather jackets would have put him in the top 50 most stylish, had this list been published in 2004.
Lottie Moss, model
The face tattoo. Disaster. This much she has admitted. But a telling lapse of judgement nonetheless.
James Maddison, footballer
The Tottenham midfielder — face of Boohoo and lover of all things beige or extremely largely branded.
Chloe Kelly, footballer
Huge fans of Kelly and Lionesses as a whole, of course. Also not staunchly against a naked dress. But does every red carpet call for one?
Meg Bellamy, actor
Playing Kate Mid in The Crown was always going to be a harsh task. The shoes are sometimes too big to fill.
Ashley Roberts, singer
The former Pussycat Doll’s catwalk to Heart FM is extraordinary. Orange snake print skirts and a stacked heel to the office? Effort overload.
