The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026 - Issue 39

bitefashion T here is a particular electricity in the air at London Fashion Week when a show feels less like a product presentation and more like a gathering of kindred spirits. On the evening of Friday 19 September, in- side the grand historic walls of The Dixon on Tooley Street, that energy filled the room as emerging Brit- ish-Irish designer Olivia Black unveiled her non-sea- sonal 2026 collection, ‘Serendipity’, a deeply personal meditation on the unplanned encounters, support and accidental treasures that shape a creative life. As guests mingled over drinks before the 5.30 pm show, there was a palpable warmth in the room, fitting for a collection built entirely around human connection. At its core, ‘Serendipity’ is an homage to the men- tors, collaborators, family and friends who have car- ried Olivia Black’s vision forward, turning individual creativity into a collective practice. That gathering theme finds its perfect metaphor in the magpie, the collection’s guiding muse, with its iconic black-and- white plumage and innate instinct for collecting small, shining treasures. The palette follows suit: a sharp, graphic foundation of black and white is threaded through with metallic gold accents that catch the light as models walk, each glint a symbol of richness, discovery and un- expected connection. For Olivia, fashion works the same way: it is a mosaic of fragments borrowed from influences, handed-down craft, and shared stories, assembled into something wearable, meaningful, and whole. Beneath the conceptual poetry lies a wardrobe built for real life, refined from the designer’s signature formula of elevated basics and timeless classics. Tailored blazers, structured coats, wide-leg trou- sers, fluid dresses, soft skirts and crisp shirts form the backbone of the collection, each piece cut to transcend seasons and outlast fleeting trends. Every garment is constructed in the UK by local makers, using sustainably sourced natural fibres and careful- ly selected deadstock fabrics that give pre-existing material a second life. It’s a commitment to responsi- ble fashion where ethics are stitched into the seams. Running through every look is the brand’s powerful recurring safety-pin logo motif. Far from a throwa- way punk reference, it carries layered personal and collective meaning. It stands for community, for holding things together when they threaten to fray, and most importantly, for the seamstress legacy of Olivia’s nana, the family matriarch whose craft remains the emotional heart of the brand. In one Images provided by B Global Group