Charlie Constantinou’s ‘SEASON 5’ SS26 Collection at London Fashion Week

There’s something calm, deliberate, and quietly powerful about Charlie Constantinou’s Season 5. Instead of chasing spectacle, this collection takes its time, unfolding like a slow transition from darkness into light.

The journey starts in deep graphite greys, darker than we’ve seen from the brand before. From there, the palette gently opens up: washed blues and turquoise give way to earthy browns and greens, before flashes of red and purple cut through like moments of energy. Colour isn’t just decoration here — it’s doing the work, shaping the mood and structure of the collection as much as the silhouettes themselves.

At the core of Season 5 is Constantinou’s ongoing obsession with textiles. Linens and cottons are layered with technical fabrics, giving otherwise lightweight garments a surprising sense of strength and resilience. Fabrics are brushed by hand with ink, warped through puff printing, and dyed in irregular tones, meaning no two pieces feel exactly the same.

History quietly threads its way through the collection too. References pull from medieval Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia, but never in a literal or costume-like way. A shoulder line hints at armour. A geometric pattern suggests something ancient. These moments feel remembered rather than recreated,

Accessories step forward this season. Constantinou’s expandable quilted bags return, now finished with silver pigments and new coatings that change their texture and feel. Footwear also evolves through his continued collaboration with Demon Footwear. Shoes become modular, with detachable coverings and gaiters that turn them into protective, adaptable pieces.

Presented in partnership with Icelandic skincare brand BioEffect, Season 5 marks Constantinou’s third on-schedule London Fashion Week show. And it feels like his most materially ambitious yet.

Read more Fashion articles from KLATMAG

Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo