For the first time, Ramadan was officially incorporated into a London Fashion Week presentation when British-Yemeni designer Kazna Asker halted her show at sunset to share iftar with models, staff, and guests. The 29-year-old designer's Hour of the Sunset collection drew on Islamic traditions and Yemeni heritage, transforming the British Fashion Council's NewGen space into a communal majlis. Asker aimed to immerse attendees in the spirit of the holy month through shared rituals and culturally inspired garments.
On Monday evening during London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026, British-Yemeni designer Kazna Asker presented her collection Hour of the Sunset, marking the end of her time with the British Fashion Council's NewGen initiative. The 29-year-old designer, who grew up in Sheffield and studied at Central Saint Martins—where she was the first to feature hijabi models in the 2022 MA showcase—structured the event around the rhythm of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
Halfway through the showcase, Asker deliberately paused at sunset, an 'energy-shifting' moment she described. The instrumental Arab soundtrack lowered, lights dimmed, and dates and cans of water were distributed in woven baskets. Sudanese-Australian writer Yassmin Abdel-Magied read Mary Oliver’s poem The Sun, followed by a supplication to break the fast. Models descended from Persian-carpeted platforms to join, while guests sat on floor cushions inspired by Yemeni communal living rooms. The iftar menu featured Iraqi dishes from Juma Kitchen and Palestinian dates, feeding both the fasting team and attendees.
"As soon as I found out that fashion week would fall [now], I had to incorporate it," Asker said in her London studio. "This collection was built around the themes of Ramadan." The British Fashion Council confirmed this as the first official integration of Ramadan into an LFW show. Laura Weir, CEO of the council, noted: "LFW isn’t a single-format showcase. It’s a cultural platform designed to support how designers choose to express and show today."
The garments blended tailored pieces with futuristic silhouettes and Yemeni dress elements, including gold coin headpieces, face coverings, and henna-inspired sun motifs by HuqThat. Asker disrupted gender norms, with one female model wearing a jambiya dagger belt in a power suit to highlight Muslim women's power, and a male model’s imamah headwrap adorned with sunset-colored flowers. Fabrics were sourced from Yemeni markets in Egypt and contributed by her grandmother, father, and uncle, reflecting research across Egypt, Oman, Qatar, Zimbabwe, and India.
"My community and I already know the spirit of Ramadan," Asker said. "So it’s a blessing to invite people who don’t know what it’s about. I hope they’re immersed in what we feel." Guest Naailah Khalifa added: "It’s nice to be in spaces like this one and not feel ‘othered’. It makes me feel hopeful." An orange tree at the room's center referenced Persian folklore about planting for future generations, symbolizing Asker's impact on emerging designers.
The presentation concluded her NewGen chapter, with Asker stating: "It’s the end of the day, and the end of this chapter in my life. I did everything I’ve wanted to do, and don’t have any regrets." Her work emphasized building community sideways, not upwards.