This season’s London Fashion Week saw a shift in the usual buzz, with several emerging brands skipping runway shows due to financial and logistical challenges. However, Knwls, led by Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault, is thriving. The duo is juggling multiple projects, including a new design director role in Europe, a denim collaboration, a jewelry partnership, and a menswear capsule collection. Their busy schedule has kept them from presenting a runway show this season, but they’re embracing the moment as an exciting turning point in their careers.

Despite their packed agenda, Knwls unveiled a fall collection that explores new creative territory while nodding to their Y2K roots. Presented through a playful lookbook and campaign images featuring Iris Law, the collection blends nostalgia with a fresh perspective. While it includes signature elements like miniskirts, thigh-high boots, and oversized belts, the designers hinted at bidding farewell to some of these 2000s tropes. “It’s kind of a last goodbye to this whole 2000s era,” Arsenault noted. Knowles added that they aimed to celebrate the kitsch luxury of Y2K brands while reimagining them through the Knwls lens.

Titled “Baby” as a tribute to Baby Phat, the collection also drew inspiration from David Beckham’s 2000s style, featuring ruched leather, chunky metal studs, and glossy puffers with rib-knit details. A standout series reimagined Juicy Couture tracksuits with a spray-painted, faded effect, adding an edgy twist to the nostalgic silhouette. The collection also showcased a more mature direction, with butter-soft leather jackets, pants, and intricate knitwear that revealed unexpected textures, like shaved shearling.

Knwls has been increasingly focused on comfort and wearability, balancing their signature corsets and waist-cinching designs with pieces that resonate with everyday customers. “We’ve been thinking about merchandising and the customer more than ever before,” Arsenault explained. The challenge, he added, is to create items like sweatshirts that still carry the distinct Knwls aesthetic. Despite the flood of high-street imitations, Knwls’ unique vision ensures their designs remain unmistakably their own. This season, they’ve proven that even without a runway show, their creativity and ambition continue to shine.