While preparing the guestlist for her spring/summer 2025 show in central London, Tolu Coker, the British-Nigerian designer and British Vogue cover star, invited her closest friends to bring their mothers as well. “My collection was more than just one narrative,” Coker reflects on her upcoming spring collection, which she dedicated to her impeccably stylish mother, Olapeju, who was unaware of her daughter’s celebratory theme until the day of the show. “It represents the experiences of countless mothers who have dealt with displacement and are building new communities,” she elaborates, noting that her mother emigrated from Lagos to west London, where she established a new network of African, Caribbean, and Irish immigrants from her living room. “Witnessing my mum’s joy at the show felt like witnessing the joy of many who are often overlooked… it was a significant moment for mothers and matriarchs to be acknowledged.”
Mothers played a prominent role on the spring/summer 2025 catwalks in London, with several designers delving into themes of motherhood – ranging from matriarchal heritage to maternal transformation – in their collections. Chet Lo honored his mother, Ma-Wah Cheung, a pioneer in the computer sciences field in New York during the ’90s, who later served as the CIO of Univision before pursuing painting and teaching. This collection marked a shift for Lo, transforming his brand from club-kid aesthetics into refined C-suite elegance. “This was my attempt to elevate the brand and convey something truly elegant,” Lo expressed to Vogue.
In another creative twist, who needs a changing bag when you can opt for Chopova Lowena’s whimsical multi-pocketed “mommy” bag? This unique collaboration with Hellman’s features various playful items, including plasters, a rattle, a toy car, a jar of mayo meant for fish and chips, and an emergency antique spoon. The brand’s underground spring/summer 2025 show occurred shortly after co-founder Laura Lowena-Irons welcomed twin daughters, incorporating fashion messages she hopes to pass on to her children, such as: “Show your knickers because ruffled and laced satin bloomers are in. Let your emotions spill onto a hoodie adorned with poetry and verse. Wear your heart on your sleeve, your shoe, your bag, your necklace…”
During a recent sample sale by Chopova Lowena in Deptford, where eager fans of the carabiner-clip skirts lined up from 3 am, Lowena-Irons was spotted with one twin on each hip, welcoming friends and family. The importance of mothers has long been embedded in the fabric of this South London-based brand: it’s Emma Chopova’s Bulgarian mother who curates the second-hand textiles used in their signature skirts, such as embroidered aprons and tartan blankets—materials that traditionally would serve as a bride’s dowry until the mid-19th century. “Every household had a weaving loom, and mothers would begin working on these dowries from the moment their daughters were born,” Chopova shared with Vogue. “It’s remarkable to repurpose these textiles, as they would often end up discarded or hidden away in old cedar chests once traditional attire fell out of use.”
