The direction of a single stripe can completely transform a figure - and that's exactly what happened when Lily James arrived for London Fashion Week in a form-fitting dress that doubled as an optical illusion. The Downton Abbey actress, 36, sat front row at the star-studded Erdem show on 22 February in a distressed bodycon look made up of striped panels of different widths, travelling from her neck to below the knee.
The actress had horizontal black and white stripes of varied widths adorning the long sleeves and length of the turtle-neck dress, which featured a leg split right down the middle. While vertical stripes can elongate and slim the figure, a horizontal direction can create structure in a look. Lily draped a similar patterned scarf over the dress and tied a red striped sweater around her waist for a busy and bold finish.
© Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty ImaThe star slipped into a pair of black boots with a square toe, which peeked out beneath the hem of her dress. Lily let her clothing do all the talking, keeping her accessories to a minimum with a simple black bag in one hand and subtle earrings for her jewellery. She let her hair cascade below her shoulders in natural waves.
A star-studded front row
© Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty ImaLily had some A-list company in the front row at the Erdem show on Sunday. Designer Erdem Moralioglu's London-based fashion label held its London Fashion Week show at the Tate Britain, with several big names in attendance.
Lily watched the runway spectacular between The War Between the Land and the Sea actor Russell Tovey on one side, and Dame Helen Mirren on the other. The rest of the star-studded front row was made up of One Day star Ambika Mod, DJ Princess Julia, The Morning Show actress Bel Powley, Irish actress Denise Gough, of Andor fame, and English actor Omari Douglas, who has been in the Channel 4 series It's a Sin. Lily had her phone out to film the fashion strutting down the catwalk in front of her.
© Hoda DavaineCelebrities and royals descend on fashion week
London Fashion Week has returned for the 2026 Autumn/Winter season, with designers debuting their new collections from 19 to 23 February. The coveted front row at each show has featured everyone from actors to musicians, and even royalty.
Just hours after releasing a statement following his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest, King Charles made his front row debut on Thursday, 19 February for the London Fashion Week show by British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker. The monarch enjoyed the runway show alongside designer Stella McCartney and Laura Weir, CEO of the British Fashion Council.
Princess Margaret's son, David Armstrong-Jones, who is the cousin of King Charles, was later spotted at Julien Macdonald's show on 21 February alongside his partner Isabelle de la Bruyère. Model Amelia Windsor, who is the granddaughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, also stopped by London Fashion Week for multiple shows.
Other A-list guests throughout the week included actress Keira Knightley, Hollywood star Glenn Close, singer Lily Allen and Emily in Paris star Lily Collins.
