XOXO, London Fashion Week: How Gossip Girl Captured the SS27 Runways

They say fashion comes back around every 20 years. If that rule holds true, then with the SS27 season now officially underway, the hyper-stylized trends of 2007 are overdue for a nostalgic, high-fashion comeback. At London Fashion Week, one of that era’s most definitive pop culture milestones has already been referenced not once, not twice, but three distinct times. You know you love her. XOXO, Gossip Girl.

The Upper East Side’s favorite anonymous blogger has unexpectedly cast a long shadow over the British capital this season, echoing through soundtracks, set designs, and garment constructions. As the global fashion community turns its attention to the spring/summer collections, designers are increasingly looking back at the mid-2000s zeitgeist, channeling the wealth, privilege, dramatic social hierarchies, and preppy codes of Manhattan’s elite prep schools directly onto the runway.

Oscar Ouyang’s Cygnet and the Upper East Side Aesthetic

This season, Beijing-born, London-based designer Oscar Ouyang presented his latest collection, marking his third on-schedule runway show at London Fashion Week. Ouyang’s aesthetic has consistently leaned preppy, easily imagined on London’s bright young things, modern aristocrats, and contemporary socialites, and his SS27 presentation was no exception.

Titled Cygnet, the collection focused heavily on the concept of young people finding their identity—likening youth to a baby swan before its feathers turn white—as well as the universal rite of passage of raiding family wardrobes and reinventing historical garments for a new era. It is a concept that fits seamlessly into the opulent, dramatic world of Gossip Girl, a universe defined by popular, wealthy teenagers navigating the treacherous waters of self-discovery and high-society politics.

As models stomped down the runway—a line-up that notably included Lily McMenamy, daughter of iconic supermodel Kristen, and Lennon Gallagher, son of musician Liam—verbatim quotes from Gossip Girl blasted through the venue speakers. Specifically, the audio featured memorable dialogue from season one, episode four, capturing the precise moment when Blair Waldorf is controversially replaced by Serena van der Woodsen as the face of her mother Eleanor’s high-profile fashion campaign. The interplay of heritage garments, youthful angst, and explicit dialogue set an unmistakable tone for the week ahead.

Simone Rocha’s Melodic and Sartorial Nod to the Upper East Side

The momentum continued into the fourth day of London Fashion Week, when designer Simone Rocha kicked off morning proceedings with yet another unmistakable Gossip Girl-inspired sonic landscape. Among a carefully curated selection of tracks, Rocha chose a song titled “gg” by Russian-Estonian experimental musician Lolina.

The original track opens with the famously recognizable line, “That’s one secret I’ll never tell,” and explicitly mentions Gossip Girl by name later in its lyrical progression, compounded by its double-G title. Essentially functioning as an ode to the television series, Rocha opted to play the Arca remix during the presentation.

The clothing itself mirrored the auditory theme. The collection featured several sparkling, ethereal gowns that could easily be pictured at an elite debutante ball for the fictional Constance Billard School for Girls. Alongside these grand pieces, the inclusion of Argyle-print sweater vests served as a direct nod to Blair Waldorf’s signature daytime wardrobe, grounding the ethereal runway fantasy in familiar prep-school codes.

Gui Rosa’s Chaotic Debut and the Kiss on the Lips Party

Later that afternoon, Central Saint Martins graduate Gui Rosa made her highly anticipated on-schedule debut with an intimate presentation staged at the St James’s Court Hotel. It was a chaotic affair in the best possible way, capturing the volatile energy of Manhattan youth culture at its peak.

Models strutted around the grand ballroom simultaneously, showcasing an array of slinky camisoles, sharp pencil skirts, and striking neon shoes. Backstage, the Portuguese designer explained the conceptual roots of the presentation.

“It’s my own interpretation of Gossip Girl’s Kiss on the Lips party, from the first season,” Rosa explained backstage. “It’s a deranged version of it, and I’m bringing elements of my own life into it. I could be wearing a ballgown, but then I’m taking the tube and eating crisps on the way home.”

The presentation further cemented the nostalgic aesthetic through its styling and soundtrack. Models sported long, blonde hair styled into dramatic wigs reminiscent of Serena van der Woodsen, alongside a series of party dresses that could have been plucked straight from a rebellious Jenny Humphrey collection. Lady Gaga’s ubiquitous anthem “Poker Face”—which famously featured in Gossip Girl season two—played during the presentation, seamlessly mixed with modern club bangers like Slayyyter’s “I’m Actually Kinda Famous,” a track that characters like Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass would undoubtedly have endorsed.

The Broader Preppy Renaissance in Global Fashion

The recurring presence of Gossip Girl across three distinct shows during London Fashion Week is hardly an isolated coincidence; rather, it speaks to a much broader, sustained macro-trend dominating the international fashion landscape. Over recent seasons, preppy and aristocratic fashion has steadily reclaimed runways across every major fashion capital.

One need only look to Jonathan Anderson’s creative direction at Dior, which has consistently drawn inspiration from young aristocrats, or Conner Ives’s interpretations of New York society girls, or Thom Browne’s meticulously tailored, uniform-inspired collections to see the shift. Designers are increasingly fascinated by the rigid codes of elite institutions, school uniforms, and generational wealth dressing, subverting them with modern sensibilities, ironic styling, and contemporary craftsmanship.

Fashion month is far from over, and as editors and buyers migrate from London to Milan and Paris, the industry is left wondering which house will next delve into the archives of upper-class culture. Who will be the next designer to take inspiration from the Manhattan elite? That’s one secret we’ll never tell. XOXO, Gossip Girl.