The Glossy Podcast

Episode: A Buyer's Take on London Fashion Week and Emerging Designers, with Mytheresa's Tiffany Hsu
Date: February 27, 2026
Host: Zofia Zyglinska (International Reporter at Glossy)
Guest: Tiffany Hsu (Chief Buying Director, Mytheresa)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the unique character and creative edge of London Fashion Week (LFW) 2026, focusing on emerging designers and the buyer's perspective. Zofia sits down with Tiffany Hsu, Mytheresa’s esteemed chief buying director, to discuss standout shows, the practicalities and challenges of bringing emerging brands to global retail, and London’s dynamic mix of multicultural talent.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Distinctive Spirit of London Fashion Week

• Creativity & Non-Commercial Edge:
  Tiffany underscores that LFW is celebrated for creativity and ideas that diverge from mainstream, commercial fashion—unlike New York, which is more “constrained to the fashion norm.”

  "When you come to London Fashion Week, you always want to see something that's refreshing, something that maybe you haven't seen in the market or like a new idea, something a little bit out there, maybe a little less commercial." — Tiffany Hsu [05:21]

• Romantic Gothic Themes Dominating the Season:
  This year's collections are united by a romantic, gothic feel with rich, dramatic looks, abundant shearling, opulent furs, and regal references.

  "I actually thought this Fashion Week was very romantic, Gothic... Even brands that you didn't normally relate to that kind of theme felt quite opulent." — Tiffany Hsu [08:39]

2. Standout Shows and Brands at LFW 2026

• Burberry: Remained true to its heritage but with a commercial, accessible luxury. Outerwear made a strong statement.

  "It was... quintessentially Burberry with Daniel's take. It's commercial in a good way... very luxurious." — Tiffany Hsu [07:39]

• Other Highlights:

  • Joseph and their dramatic outerwear
  • Simone Rocha for romanticism
  • Chipova Lorena’s shift into theatrical gothic, featuring corsets and tartans
  • Erdem’s consistent gothic romanticism
  • Connor Ives' silk pieces noted for opulence
  • Richard Quinn, again recognized for regality

• Memorable Moment:
  Reference to Margot Robbie’s Margot Robbie's Wuthering Heights tour look, created by Dilara and drawing attention to the intersection of pop culture and London’s fashion scene [10:36].

3. The Reality Behind Supporting Emerging Designers

• What Buyers Look For:

  • Creativity must meet the practical requirements of production, delivery, commercial viability, and price point.
  • Not all runway pieces are producible or scalable for e-commerce; often, the most creative designs are special orders or limited editions.

  "A lot of the time you appreciate a collection or the creativity of a designer, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the product is easy to retail in a digital retailer environment." — Tiffany Hsu [11:56]

  "If we buy very little, it disappears on the website. And I don’t want the brand not to do well either... There is a balance." — Tiffany Hsu [12:45]

• Challenges with New Designers:
  Buyers must see actual pieces (not just show samples), and brands must be able to reproduce what is shown. Sometimes, buyers have to wait before a brand can scale up for larger retail orders.

  "As a retailer, if we're gonna pay, we need to make sure we get the product, and that is usually the biggest challenge… Sometimes they send down the runway something very special, but they can’t reproduce." — Tiffany Hsu [13:19]

• Discovery Process:
  No advance notice from most brands; discovery occurs via social media, university shows, and word of mouth [16:07].

• Competition Among Buyers:
  Some competition exists (mainly around exclusivity deals), but for Tiffany, the drive is to provide clients with the newest and coolest options [17:32].

4. London’s Global and Multicultural Scene

• London is an “incubator” for international talent thanks to globally respected fashion schools like Central Saint Martins and LCF.

• The city’s schedule is uniquely international, hosting designers and brands with backgrounds in Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.

  "London’s a big melting pot of culture and creativity... a lot of London designers are known to be thinking outside of the box." — Tiffany Hsu [05:21]

  "I think New York is also very... different cultural backgrounds are well presented in New York... But New York, I have to say, probably way more ahead... supporting multicultural background designers than London has." — Tiffany Hsu [26:26]

• The episode touches on cross-cultural nods in collections, such as Chet Lo and Connor Ives incorporating Chinese influences during Lunar New Year [29:11].

5. The State and Strength of E-Commerce for Luxury Fashion

• Why Mytheresa’s Model Works:
  E-commerce wins by offering convenience, curated selection, swift shipping, and digital immediacy.

  "What we are offering that's different to bricks and mortar... is the convenience and the customer service. Everything is very instantaneous. You see something on Instagram, you want to shop, you can have it on your doorstep tomorrow." — Tiffany Hsu [32:34]

• But Physical Experiences Still Matter:
  While online cannot rival the “emotional part” and sensory experience of boutiques like Dover Street Market, Mytheresa tries to bridge this with in-person events [34:04].

6. Designers to Watch: Buyer Recommendations [35:04]

• Excluding established names, Tiffany recommends:

  • Theo (Daniel Delval) — “Conceptual, well-crafted, beautiful collection”
  • Dilara — “Personal favorite; beautiful, but with limited retail availability”
  • Steve O. Smith — “Incredible craftsmanship, shortlisted for the LVMH Prize”

  "My personal favorite is definitely Dilara, and then also Steve O. Smith... The collection is so beautiful... more people need to see this collection." — Tiffany Hsu [35:28]

• Zofia adds Libero and Raw Mango as noteworthy, with a nod to India's growing fashion presence in the UK [36:06].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gothic Romanticism as the Defining London DNA:
  "The darkness, the romantic darkness, is a very uniquely London kind of DNA, I have to say." — Tiffany Hsu [09:47]

• Production Realities:
  "Sometimes what’s in the show isn’t... able to put in production or they can’t produce more." — Tiffany Hsu [13:19]

• Discovery and Competition:
  "Instagram includes fashion stuff, new brands, memes, cute pets... I’m not hunting, but it comes through." — Tiffany Hsu [16:59]

• On Physical Versus Digital Retail:
  "We do a lot of things physically, but in terms of a retail environment... the reason why e-commerce is taking off, it's really just the convenience that we're offering." — Tiffany Hsu [34:34]

Important Timestamps (MM:SS)

• [05:21] — Tiffany on what makes London Fashion Week exciting for buyers
• [07:39] — Insights on Burberry and drama as a trend
• [08:39] — Discussion on the “romantic gothic” motif
• [11:56] — The buyer’s challenge: creativity vs. commercial retail
• [13:19] — Deep dive into production realities for emerging brands
• [17:32] — Buyer competition & exclusivity
• [24:03] — Collectibles: When fashion becomes art, not just retail
• [25:46] — London’s unique multicultural atmosphere & comparisons to New York
• [32:34] — The value and future of e-commerce in luxury fashion
• [35:04] — Tiffany’s top three emerging designer recommendations

Conclusion

This episode provides an authentic look at how a leading global luxury buyer evaluates talent and trends at London Fashion Week, all while candidly outlining the balancing act between creative vision and retail reality. Listeners are left with an enriched sense of what makes London unique in the global fashion calendar, and the challenges and joys of championing tomorrow’s style leaders.