The Art of the Risk:

MOEVIR MAGAZINE
Feb 25
5 min read

How Paris Runway Official Turned Emerging Talent Into London’s Most Talked about Runway Show

On February 19, 2026, the vaulted Gothic interiors of St John's Hyde Park became the architectural frame for a study in emergence. Opening Night of London Fashion Week, produced by Fashion Week & The City, unfolded not as spectacle alone, but as proposition. It was a wager that the industry needed to bet on. New talent. New models. New creatives coming out of the city that needed the movement.

For years London Fashion Week has become smaller and smaller. Less designers, less creatives coming out of the city and more and more models heading to Europe instead of London. But last season, London decided to do something about it. They announced that millions would be invested to bring new talent and designers back to the city that some of the largest designers called home at one time. Paris Runway Official announced last fall that they would participate by hand selecting 5 designers to participate in an emerging designer edition of opening night at London Fashion Week.

Curated by Paris Runway Official, the evening deliberately repositioned the conversation around opening night and London Fashion Week... placing five emerging designers at the forefront of one of fashion’s most visible global stages. It was a calculated risk. It was also a necessary one.

The Designers

London Fashion Week witnessed bhai-bhai clothing, the menswear house founded by brothers Rahul and Kunal Mehta. Their debut runway presentation, From Dawn to Dusk, examined the choreography of contemporary masculinity... the transition from ceremony to intimacy, from daylight structure to evening fluidity. Indo-Western tailoring met disciplined detailing; pocket squares were placed with precision, footwear selected with intention, silhouettes constructed with restraint.

“They had never presented on the runway before,” noted Brit Olivia, Director of Paris Runway Official. “And that made me want them there even more. Their attention to detail was exactly what I wanted for a night devoted to new talent in the UK.” The response was immediate; conversations around Paris were already forming.

A shift in tone followed with Jasmine Pho’s Bon de Pho. Presenting ten looks of which five from Her Grace that we had previewed in the Fall of 2025 and five previews from her forthcoming collection Gaia’s Garden. Pho suspended the audience between fantasy and technical control. Ethereal silhouettes, softened palettes, and tactile storytelling positioned her as one of the evening’s defining voices. “Her designs felt like something out of a fairytale,” Brit reflected. “London needed to see that perspective.”

Temiloluwa Fagbemi of MBW FashionAddict introduced The New Harmattan, a collection that operated as atmosphere rather than trend. Autumn was not referenced; it was embodied. Warm tonal gradations, layered textures, and quiet structural authority created a sensory immersion. Handbags, created in collaboration with byReidin, and jewelry by Arts Fashion House extended the narrative beyond garment into total environment. “You could feel it,” Brit said. “Every look carried emotion.”

The emotional register deepened with Scarlett’s Boutique. Founder Samanta presented VIDA’S LUXE COLLECTION, an eveningwear and pageant series conceived in memory of her daughter, Scarlett. These were not merely gowns; they were gestures of remembrance. Sequins and silks shimmered not for spectacle but for sentiment. “It was an automatic yes,” Brit shared. “Her story and her heart were undeniable.”

A designer with structural boldness, German couturière Monika Gruber unveiled MADAME MG COUTURE which was an orchestration of pearls, intricate beading, and unapologetic embellishment. Each look radiated conviction. “I wanted courage,” Brit said. “Monika delivered exactly that. Watching her collection move down the runway gave me chills. Not only was her collection bold but her clothing had her models become bold. That is the power of a garment.”

Together, the five designers reframed Opening Night as an exploration of vulnerability, discipline, memory, and strength showcasing proof that emergence can be as architecturally sound as legacy. Paris Runway Official hand selected the 5 designers from the evening where they wanted to showcase new talent in the UK that truly represented all aspects of the fashion industry. The support came in from all over - including media partners that wanted to support the industry and specifically London Fashion Week.

Rising Models

The conceptual integrity of the evening extended beyond design. Paris Runway Official intentionally paired emerging designers with rising models, widening the parameters of who is seen and celebrated on a global runway.

The catwalk was animated by Harriette James Cresswell (@harriettejamesc), Maria Filipowicz (@maria_filipowicz_), Riona Dighe (@rionakd), Kelly Delahunty (@kellydelahuntyy), Xenye (@xenye), Chanel Brown - Miss London 2025 (@chanellondon), Millie McFarlane (@millie_mcfarlane), Olivia Gear (@oliviagearr), Chloe Ching (@chloe_ching4), and Anetta Berri (@anettaberi_), whose digital influence paralleled her physical command. They were joined by Alex Redshaw (@alex_redshaw), Leah Galloway (@leahgallowayxx), Kaitlin Decker (@travelholic_momma_), Azina Bashir (@azina_bashir), Wendy Valdez (@wendynd_v), Naomi Parisette (@naomiruth377), Megan Stewart (@megxnrebecca), Sangeetha Menon (@mrsglamouruk2025), Tianna Gardiner (@tiannagard_), Paige Coleman (@paigekarinacoleman), Leela Raynes (@leelaraynes), Prerna Kumar (@prernakumar92), Nadiia Zeidan (@nadiia_zdn), and Jonaki Ghodekar (@jonaki_ghodekar).

Some had walked New York weeks earlier. Others were navigating one of their first major international stages. Together, they embodied the thesis of the night: emergence is multidimensional.

bhai-bhai clothing intentionally selected 6 male models for their runway show - each who brought a unique look and feel to the show and brought the entire collection together.

Backstage as Structure

Backstage operated with deliberate orchestration. NOOSH Drinks (@drinknoosh) sustained models through fittings and lineup calls. In-house makeup artist Mary Dego (@makeup_mary_dego) refined final details. Runway coach @modelwithladyboss aligned composure with confidence, while Gena (@genaaspinall_martin) and Sangeetha Menon (@mrsglamouruk2025) coordinated production flow. Photographer @aravind._.mohan documented the process from preparation to final walk, reinforcing the collaborative infrastructure supporting the designers.

Recap: Risk as Expansion

As London Fashion Week continued through February 23, Opening Night at St John’s Hyde Park stood as a study in expansion. When space is intentionally created for new designers, when emerging models are positioned at the center rather than the margins, the industry does not fracture — it evolves.

Conversation became a catalyst. Exposure became acceleration. Attention redirected itself toward the work... toward craftsmanship, toward vulnerability, toward courage.

On that February evening in London, the risk materialized as structure, and the structure materialized as beauty.

Until next time.

Designer: @bhai.bhaiclothing

Production: @fashionweekandthecity

Show: @parisrunwayofficial Emerging Designers Edition

Writer: @onceuponatimebrit @parisrunwayofficail

Paris Runway Official Coordination of Show: @onceuponatimebrit and @mrsglamouruk2025

Photography in house by @parisrunwayofficail team members: @yuliafun and @aravind._.mohan

Backstage Refreshments: @drinknoosh

Producer/coordination: @mrsglamouruk2025

Runway Coach: @modelwithladyboss

Backstage Coordinator & Paris Runway PR Assistant: @genaaspinall_martin