Charles Jeffrey Loverboy’s 10th Anniversary Show Was All About Celebration, Camaraderie, and Commerciality

Charles Jeffrey summed up his fashion career thus far, and nodded to where he’s heading with his spring 2025 show in the courtyard of London’s Somerset House, where the Loverboy label started a decade ago.

He offered a clean and commercial collection that distilled his aesthetic, and values: British heritage, queer club culture, inclusivity, and an appreciation for art and craft. There was even kawaii monster energy in the form of claw shoes and animal-ear beanies.

“The whole collection itself was a representation of London, this idea of building on Roman structures, but then queer-ifying it, taking all these British and London codes, turning them upside down and regurgitating them with a sense of humor,” said Jeffrey.

The designer offered playful interpretations of the striped shirt, as well as deconstructed and oversized outerwear, and visual illusion t-shirts. Prom dresses came with XL rosettes, and looks were finished with witty banana boots.

The biggest stars in the collection were the playful knits, which now represent a significant portion of Jeffrey’s business.

“You do all of these weird and wonderful things over 10 years, and it’s interesting how the knitwear has been the one thing that’s carried us through. So I wanted to introduce knitwear throughout the collection, into small details and huge garments,” added Jeffrey, who sold a majority stake in his label to brand accelerator Tomorrow in 2021.

The show featured a diverse cast, many of whom were from Jeffrey’s inner circle, including the photographer Jordan Hemingway; the writer Tish Weinstock; and American singer Beth Ditto, whose plus-size fashion line Jeffrey used to style.

Not only did Ditto walk in the show wearing a flowy scarlet and purple dress, she also gave a rousing performance during the finale in front of guests, including Tilda Swinton, singer Bobby Gillespie, and “Shadow and Bone” actor Jack Wolfe.

Erin O’Connor closed the show wearing a sweeping polka-dot gown and purple horns sticking out from her headpiece, shoulders, and arms.

Jeffrey has certainly evolved over the past decade and, despite the those purple horns, is thinking more commercially. For once, he decided not to paint his face blue for the show, a trademark of his early days in fashion. “I don’t want to get blue on the clothes,” he said.