Ask anyone what the cardinal tenets of attending London Fashion Week are, and they’ll tell you that wearing flat shoes is a prerequisite. You see, when you’re running from iconic show venues like the Tate Modern along the River Thames to Alexandra Palace deep in the city’s northern suburbs, six-inch slingbacks and heels bound to pinch at your toes just simply wont cut it.
So, it should come as no surprise to see the collections presented over the runways this past weekend were best with flats of all kinds. However, the most prevailing shoe trend, as spotted out by Who What Wear UK’s own editor-in-chief Jane McFarland, was of the fanciful variety. “The standout shows ran the gamut, from feathered flats to decorative brogues to satin sneakerinas!” McFarland mentioned, highlighting the accessories displayed at Erdem, Emilia Wickstead and Simone Rocha as among her favourites exhibited this season.
Of the latter, it was the Irish fashion designer’s collaboration with German sportswear giant Adidas that piqued the most interest. Staged alongside a collection of ethereal dresses and floaty three-stripe streetwear inspired by Celtic mythology, Perry Ogden’s seminal 1999 photobook Pony Kids and the ‘Weird Sisters’ of the Yeats family, Rocha debuted a series of romantic trainers strewn with her signature motifs, including satin bows and decorative sequin embellishments in lieu of technical elements.
However, Rocha wasn’t alone in this fascination with adding mystical elements to the mundane. Elsewhere, Erdem showcased a soft, low-profile flat that featured an explosion of pastel coloured feathers, from butter yellow to capri blue. Toga added structure to the lace-up category, unveiling flats that were both architectural and nostalgic.
Most notably, there was a definitive shift away from studier staples like trainers, boat shoes and loafers—two categories that have reigned supreme over the past few years—highlighting a renewed interest in slip-on styles that add texture, panache and personality to an ensemble, not just practicality. A clear extension of the joy of dressing up doctrine that was set back in September, uncover the key fanciful flats that dominated the autumn/winter 2026 runways of London Fashion Week, ahead.
5 Flat Shoe Trends that Dominated the London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2026
1. Fluffy Feathers
Style Notes: Plume is in bloom, with everyone from Matthieu Blazey at Chanel to Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta fixated on this featherweight accent. Extravagant by nature, this nouveau animal print flocked together at Erdem, with the eponymous designer celebrating his 20th anniversary through flats made for celebration, excess and opulence.
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A style ripped right from the Simone Rocha playbook.
Cobalt blue is a colour trend that will be everywhere come spring.
The pom pom accent is such a glamorous touch.
2. Bejewelled Sneakerinas
Style Notes: Folklore is intrinsic to the creation process for Simone Rocha, with the fables and fantasy of her native Ireland often the starting point for the designer. Here, the award-winning designer put her own spin on the mythology depicted in Jack B. Yeats' 1936 oil painting In Tír na nÓg, in which the painter renders a paradisal realm of youth and beauty through verdant landscapes and a sleeping boy. Speaking to press after the show, Rocha explained that she "wanted to take this mythicism and cut it with realism", resulting in a functional pair of hybrid trainers that were equal parts charming and captivating.
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Note how the square-toe finish mimics the toe box of ballerina's pointe shoes.
The ice blue satin is such a defined way of bringing delicacy to a tough trainer
The crochet lace trim and sheer ribbon add a touch of girlishness to an otherwise classic shape.
3. Delicate Satin
Style Notes: Quiet restraint is a signature of Emilia Wickstead's work. However, for the New Zealand-born, London-based demi-couture label, the austerity and androgyny of 'forgotten' female artists like the sapphic Swiss writer and photographer, Annemarie Schwarzenbach, or French sculptor and actress, Fano Messan, allowed this contrast to be more defined. Case in point: The array of satin flats that featured a razor-sharp point and structured shape, balancing both the delicacy of the feminine and the utility of the masculine.
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Effortless elegance, at such an affordable price point.
This tomato hue demands to be worn during the warmer months ahead.
Forget elasticated trainers, elasticated ballet flats are all the rage.
4. Lace-Up Ghillies
Style Notes: What's the craic, you ask? Just the sheer amount of ghillies proliferating over the London Fashion Week runways. The silhouette and name are derived from a traditional Irish dancing shoe. However, the style is becoming a hotbed for experimentation, with designers toying with the trademark lace-up pattern, like the rigid, derby-style version seen here at Toga.
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The style that kickstarted the revival.
The gilded accents make this pair look far more expensive than their price tag would suggest.
The contrast between the black leather and white lace is a signature of Chemena Kamali's tenure at Chloé.
5. Structured Brogues
Style Notes: From Fred Astaire to Frank Sinatra, men's shoes from the Golden Age of Hollywood are increasingly becoming a more popular choice for women's wear, as seen in Michael Ryder's Oxford-inspired shoes for his first collection for Celine, to Daniel W. Fletcher's sophomore collection for Mithridate.
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Watch this space, monk strap shoes will soon be everywhere.
The perforated edges are a level of detail I've come to expect from Mrs Prada's work.
A more traditional style, for your