Leeds RAG Fashion Show presents GAIA: An Earthly Soul

With Belgrave Music Hall as their stage, the committee of this year’s Leeds RAG Fashion Show unveiled their 2026 vision: GAIA: An Earthly Soul.

Gaia is the ancient Greek goddess of Mother Nature, and the central inspiration for the 2026 runway. This concept enthuses designers to delve into themes of thriving femininity, the cyclical nature of the earth, and the inevitable connection between humanity and natural life.

With the dress code, ‘Channel your Soul’, the night itself already had the audience enthralled by creativity. The evening was accompanied by live music, with performances from Romy Taylor, Floco, and The Critters, as well as a set by DJ Ollie Willis, alongside a charity raffle and, of course, the launch film announcing the theme for LRFS26.

The launch film, directed by Nia Southworth, captures the grounding energy of nature and the Earth, and the transcendent power it evokes in us, brought to life through captivating dancers intertwined with striking depictions of nature. This relationship between human and Earth, through the Goddess Gaia, is interpreted through four key themes which will define the show:

Ancestral Whispers explores the beauty of human connection and the interaction between present communities and the human spirit with our ancestors’ everlasting influence.

Bodies of Water demonstrates the beauty that lies beneath the surface, not always seen, and its potential to emerge.

Ghost in the Machine investigates the world of digital voids and portrays the opposing side of natural connection, highlighting the consequences of becoming lost in our contemporary world.

Finally, Threads of Life portrays the cyclical nature of life within the show itself, with the return of the life of Gaia, reclaiming the roots of living organisms and the beauty of the natural world.

“The resilience of Mother Nature always survives and thrives” – RAG

Since 2008, LRFS has raised over half a million pounds for various charities. Within Leeds, this includes MAP, a charity that supports children who are unable to access mainstream education, and Behind Closed Doors, which supports those suffering from domestic abuse, among many.

Leeds RAG Fashion Show is a society that is forever growing, driven by its search for models, designers, photographers, and fellow creatives. This year, however, the opportunity for growth is greater than ever, with the launch of their very own collab with Lippy.

Lippy is currently seeking journalists to write for their new print issue, which will document the 2026 RAGs show. Ideas for this issue can be proposed until the 12th of January, 2026.

Now that GAIA has been set in motion through bold themes and striking creative works, LRFS26 is poised as we keenly await the spirit of the Earth to be revealed on the runway.

Words by Lisa Clark, she/her

Photography credit to Isabel Hasani, @isahasxni