David Bowie famously said, “Whatever you wanna wear, whenever you wanna wear it, wherever you wanna wear it—that’s fashion,” reflecting his belief in individualistic freedom when it comes to style. A nod to the British music scene of the 1970s and 1980s, luxury British fashion designer John Richmond’s latest spring/summer collection emphasizes that same virtue of fearless artistic expression—described as a rebellious, street-style-rooted fusion of punk and glam rock aesthetics.

Having cited Bowie extensively as a major influence on his work, John Richmond says he learned about fashion from the music of his teenage years—which, beyond Bowie, consisted of many tracks from Marc Bolan and Roxy Music, as well as tons of punk and new wave sounds. Embedding that ethos of rebellion, authenticity and liberation that both punk and rock music celebrate as the foundation of his design career, Richmond has grown into a hugely successful clothing designer known for having dressed dozens of rock legends, including Bowie himself, Mick Jagger, Madonna and George Michael, to name a few.

His latest collection, titled Culture Vulture: Picking at the Bones of Subcultures, which premiered this London Fashion Week at Covent Garden’s iconic Stereo club, draws on Richmond’s authentic musical heritage, playing tribute to various subgenres of his existence—such as 70s soul boys, American pre-punk, clubland chic and Goth. A patchwork of subcultures known exclusively to Richmond, the show mindfully meshes music and fashion, blending runway and nightlife into an edgy yet romantic display of personal style.

Leather, studs, lace, fishnets, graphics and distressed denim set the tone of the collection while the palette is grounded in black and ivory, as well as occasional flashes of gold, turquoise and yellow embellishments. Styling was done by Mirko Pedone, whose editorial vision is said to amplify Richmond’s non-conformist DNA, while casting for the show was curated by Carola Monteleone. The1989, a known group in contemporary underground culture, helped Richmond throw the party in true London spirit, consisting of a stacked line-up that included Paul Simonon, Dan Donovan, Faris Badwan, poet Solange Smith and many other underground names.

Next, John Richmond will present at the upcoming Milan and Paris Fashion Week shows, which run from September 23 to September 29 and September 29 to October 7 for the spring/summer 2026 womenswear collections, respectively.