London Fashion Week S/S '27: Indie Sleaze Eyes Lead the Beauty Trends
London Fashion Week S/S '27, closing September 21, put Indie Sleaze eyes, intricate braids, middle parts and neutral nails at the center of the season's beauty direction.
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The takeaway
- London Fashion Week S/S '27 ended September 21, with smudgy eyeliner and intense smokey eyes marking the return of Indie Sleaze.
- Edeline Lee, Labrum London and Yuhan Wang showcased intricate braided styles, from twisted ballet buns to crown and stitch braids.
- Neutral nail colors—milky white, tans, blacks and greys—dominated across varied nail shapes and lengths, per Marie Claire.
London Fashion Week Spring/Summer '27 closed on September 21, and its dominant beauty story was the full return of Indie Sleaze eyes.
Marie Claire Beauty Writer Ariel Wilson identified the eyes as the throughline across the London shows. The looks ranged from "a smudgy eyeliner à la Alexa Chung in the '00s" to "an intense smokey eye with equally hardcore lashes," signaling that the Indie Sleaze era is back "in all its glory after a few years of slowly trickling back into the zeitgeist." Among the grungier moments, Wilson singled out the makeup at Dreaming Eli as "hauntingly beautiful."
The London aesthetic contrasted sharply with the beauty direction at New York Fashion Week, where, according to Wilson, trends centered on low ponytails, almond nails and glossy, editorial lids. Across the pond, the mood ran more grungy, eye-catching and sculptural.
Wilson stressed that the runway looks translate easily to real life. From "the ruddy, lived-in cheeks at Maximilian Raynor to the middle parts that felt like they were present at practically every show," she wrote, "you don't have to completely upend your current rituals to get in on the fun."
Flushed and futuristic cheeks
Cheek color appeared across multiple shows in two distinct registers. "Some iterations looked flushed but perfectly pinched, while others looked futuristic and ethereal," Wilson reported, adding that "both aesthetics are attainable" with at-home products. Her picks: Patrick Ta Mini Major Headlines Double-Take Blush Duo in the shade She Knows Who She Is, and Marc Jacobs Beauty Money Shot Multi-Use Illuminating Gel Highlighter in 001 One.
Braids get architectural
Braided hairstyles reached new levels of intricacy this season. Edeline Lee gave the traditional ballet bun a twist. Labrum London, in Wilson's words, "showed one of the most beautiful crown braids I've ever seen." Yuhan Wang demonstrated that "stitch braids aren't going anywhere any time soon." Wilson's takeaway: it's time to get more creative with natural hairstyles, supported by products that keep hair and scalp healthy during experimentation.
The middle part wins
On the middle-versus-side-part debate, Wilson was categorical: "the London fashion crowd is firmly in the former camp." Charlie Constantinou paired the part with voluminous curls and occasional baby braids. Erdem placed the middle part between "a perfectly cut set of bangs." Roksanda matched the style with a minimalist design, a contrast the writer called chic against the show's multicolored tasseled shoes.
Neutral nails, every length
Nail shapes and lengths varied widely, but color did not. Most manicures stuck to neutrals: simple milky white on extra-long coffin nails, a negative space French manicure, or a "naked" nail look, with palettes of tans, blacks and greys. Wilson framed the range as "the perfect color palette to take you from work to drinks with ease." Her product recommendations: OPI Nature Strong in Dawn of a New Gray and essie Nail Polish in Glossy Shine Finish, Serene Slate.
For beauty brands and retailers, the London runways point to clear commercial openings in smudgy eye products, double-duty blush, scalp care for protective styling, and neutral polish ranges heading into the S/S '27 retail cycle.
Source: Marie Claire Beauty
Olivia Hart
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Senior reporter covering business strategy at Eurasian Beauty Journal.
