This June, we graduated our Design Leaders 2026 cohort. To celebrate the year of learning, we hosted a gala ceremony at the iconic Barbican Conservatory with a theme Future Reflections inviting our alumni and faculty to share their vision of the future through their outfits.
From female-owned brands to talented solo designers to unique vintage pieces — here is what Heads of Brand, Chief Product Officers and Founders wore and how that reflects the future they believe in.
"I’m wearing a traditional Western suit. Coming from north Mexico, this is such a great part of our identity and culture. And this little bolo tie with a sun reflects how I feel now – like the future is gonna be so bright, and I feel so positive and so confident about it."
" I'm wearing a sample from the Stella McCartney collaboration with H&M. The whole collection was focused on sustainable materials and all these beads are recycled. It's nice to be able to wear something fabulous but also know that it's been made thoughtfully. We need to think about sustainability – creating things from recycled materials, but also giving back that to the Earth when we have used them. As for my shoes, they are from the same collaboration and the earrings are from H&M Studio and were created by my two teams."
"I am wearing sparkly boots, reflecting on pathways taken and pathways treading. And this lovely dress by Tallulah and Hope, an independent brand, with an embroidery of birds, representing travel and journeys we all take."
"This outfit spoke to me, because it is so bold. And this is what I want my future to be. After the programme, I want to go into the world and really change it for the better. The suit was designed by a local Nigerian designer named Adenike Richfield – she's a fantastic designer. It's an Aṣọ òkè fabric, and the use of bold color, symbolism, and patterns is so distinctly African. I just knew I had to wear this outfit because it represented everything I'm going into the world to be."
" I'm wearing this art piece by Freddie Yauner, inviting everyone today to see what I see: those beautiful people that surrounded me for this beautiful year-long journey, reflecting back what I see in them. And my dress is from Essentiel Antwerp, which I found when I was cycling along Columbia Road. It just spoke to me."
"My outfit comes from all sorts of international places, uniting east, west, and everything in between. This is my friend’s coat from now-closed New York label Sies Marjan that was actually flown in from New York yesterday. I got some boat shoes from Vinny's, a Universal Works suit, a Liberty scarf and a Muji shirt."
" The blazer is vintage, and I'm wearing it because I loved it, and I saw it and I had to have it. The dress is by Mr.Larkin, an incredible women-led brand and fashion team. They do really cool, like, sexy menswear vibes. The shoes are by a brand called Freda Salvador, also women-led and from the Bay Area, and they're really wonderful. And then the earrings are FoundRae, they're really beautiful, and there's a lot of meaning behind their pieces,"
"This is an Indian-style Jodhpuri jacket. I wanted reflective details. They represent more than light; the silver lining.
And presence is the silver lining stitched into distance and uncertainty. When life becomes uncertain, it isn’t the photograph you return to; it’s the presence of a person, a moment or a feeling that stays with you. The beauty of presence is that it’s boundless and timeless. You can access it anytime; from the past, the future, or even now. No subscription, technology, or password required. It’s free.
The real silver lining isn’t what shines through the clouds. It’s the presence that helps us walk through them. Light gives us hope. Presence gives us courage. And that’s what this Jodhpuri jacket reminds me of."
"I'm wearing a dress by Atsu Sekhose x Anthropologie. Atsu is an award-winning designer from Nagaland, India. I chose this dress not only because it's absolutely beautiful, but also represents my rejection to minimalism, it’s an expression of maximalism and made me think of the colors and vibrancy of Latin America. It’s the balance of softness and boldness, a reminder to live our lives at our fullest, which is something I have learned a lot about at Future London Academy."
"Today I went for timeless elegance. I’m wearing Self-Portrait, the set with the shiny, sparkly studs, because I want all of us to find what makes us spark."
"Each flower blooms for a season; each handcrafted piece preserves that beauty beyond it. These earrings are an invitation to carry a small reminder of nature’s elegance wherever you go. They were created by Natalia Vavassori Design, the jewellery brand founded by the sister of Isabel Vavassori, who is also graduating with me today."
" I'm wearing a dress by J'amemme and shoes by Miista, two female-owned brands who create incredible pieces. I went for the futuristic aesthetics from the sci-fi movies from the '70s and '80s. They are a bit naive, but very bright and fun with a beautiful vision of the future where cars are flying, and we’re exploring different universes living in harmony with inhabitants from other planets.
But the most fun part about my outfit is that it's a collaboration. One of my friends gave me her dress, the other friend gave me the rings, and the shoes are a birthday present from my other friends. And this is what I want the future to be about: connections, friendships, collaborations, sharing, supporting and empowering each other."
" I love women-owned brands, and I wanted to support a British brand as well, so I've got a very sparkly Karen Millen dress. I customized it a little bit 'cause I'm a creative, so I can't just take pieces as they are, and I hope the Karen Millen team doesn't hate me for that, but I added some layers to it.
I'm also wearing Solomeina jewellery, a jewellery brand that I run together with my sister. And all the wonderful rings and pearls and earrings are from one of our most famous collections, so it's really special to wear it today."
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