Who is Pauline Dujancourt, the French designer who has conquered the catwalks of London?

Yesterday, the London Fashion Week came to a gentle close with the Burberry show, after showcasing various FW25-26 collections that were all more avant-garde and intriguing than the last. Yet, before diving headfirst into analyzing the new pieces debuting this week at Milan Fashion Week, followed by Paris, let’s not rush. Instead, let’s pause to highlight a French fashion figure who managed to stand out among British designers. Amidst renowned names on the London scene like Thom Browne, rising stars such as Sinéad O’Dwyer, and those embodying British eccentricity like Dilara Findikoglu, Pauline Dujancourt, a young Parisian designer, held her own among the greats, captivating all attention with her delicate FW25 collection.

After studying fashion and textile design at Paris’s École Duperré and earning a master’s degree from Central Saint Martins in London, she developed a particular love for wool work, crochet, and knitting. She launched her eponymous brand in 2022 after honing her skills with prominent British designers, including Simone Rocha. Last year, she competed alongside Duran Lantink, Ellen Hodakova Larsson, and her Belgian neighbor Marie Adam as a finalist in the coveted LVMH Prize. Although she left empty-handed, the French designer has since continuously demonstrated her quiet strength. Inspired by her grandmother, Pauline’s FW25-26 collection was a tribute to delicacy and sensitivity, centered around the concept of blooming: “When my grandmother was alive, my father and his siblings gave her a plant with a large flower. It died and never bloomed again,” she told British Vogue. “When she passed away, my uncle kept the plant and propagated it so the entire family could have one. For my uncle, aunt, and father, the plant now blooms every February, which we find beautiful as my grandmother’s birthday was in February.”

The delicacy of flowers is reflected through a precise sense of draping, both fragile and powerful, with deconstructed silhouettes designed to regrow like the plant that inspired Pauline. Lightweight materials such as mohair, silk satin, and feathered tulle blended with wool create the perfect balance between heaviness and airiness. Inspired by the works of British artist Tracey Emin, the pieces are painted in hues ranging from deep, dramatic reds to ethereal greys, symbolizing mourning, the need to hold onto memories, and the desire to let go to avoid pain. Unlike her British peers, who may take a more radical or provocative approach, Pauline subtly and gently captures the attention of fashion insiders with an authentically sensitive and organic style that resonates with her entire audience, from the prickliest roses to the most delicate orchids.