"IT WAS A WAKE UP CALL": BILLY SHAKESPEARE FOR PROPHETIK BY JEFF GARNER SS26 AT THE TOWER OF LONDON

September 17th, 2025: a palpable feeling of anticipation, an intense atmosphere of secrecy, and the sense that a veil was about to be lifted fills the air as guests gather beneath the looming presence of the White Tower, eagerly waiting to be ushered in to experience Jeff Garner's latest collection for his organic label Prophetik: Billy Shakespeare.

Photography courtesy of POP PR

Marking the first runway presentation inside the White Tower (the former royal residence of the iconic Tower of London) the energy was high. Models greeted guests on horseback at the gates, while honey-infused cocktails drew an ever-growing queue. Yeomen entertained attendees - having traveled from as far as America, Rome, and Spain - with tales of Anne Boleyn’s ghostly sightings.

The dramatic runway unfolded against the backdrop of the Tower’s Romanesque interior. Emerging from the neighboring archway, models paraded the runway one by one in ethereal, medieval-inspired lightweight garments, while amber hues played into the collection’s historical roots evokes the glow of candlelight.

Photography courtesy of POP PR

This sense of nostalgia and yearning only deepened with each passing model. Their dewy, natural faces and the collection’s muted, earthy palette (shades of terracotta, dusty rose, and sage green) cemented Garner’s work firmly in the natural world and in the context of his upcoming documentary.

Accompanying the forthcoming premiere of Suzy Amis Cameron's Let Them Be Naked, which is set to offer a gripping exploration of the toxic truths woven into our modern clothing, Billy Shakespeare’s ties with sustainability underscored part of a much bigger movement. Intended to rebuke fast fashion practices, the collection simultaneously honoured Mother Earth’s abundance, created using natural dyes sourced from Garner’s Tennessee farm and non-toxic biodegradable materials.

The Tower’s intense brickwork and ornate detailing heightened the collection’s thematic concern with the superiority of traditional craftsmanship techniques, acting as a portal to times when garments and buildings alike were constructed by hand with the careful and limited use of the earth’s resources. The background music, carried by live acoustic vocals from a traditional folk band, further deepened the effect.

A powerful convergence of fashion, filmmaking, and environmental advocacy, Garner’s collection celebrated the past in hopes of a brighter future for fashion. Drawing on Victorian silhouettes like puffed sleeves and pairing them with Western accents (cowboy boots and hats) the collection clearly evoked the spirit of the early pioneers. Their craftsmanship was positioned as a sustainable and innocuous alternative to today’s fast fashion.

Photography courtesy of POP PR

The models’ hair also strategically enhanced the collection’s environmental significance. Adorning an assortment of long braids, they paid testament to Garner’s Native American roots, where braids carry profound cultural and spiritual significance, acting as a sacred symbol of connection to family, ancestors, and, of course, the planet.

Photography courtesy of POP PR

Garner’s evocative display concluded in the very rhythm it had set from the start, culminating with a grand gown constructed in almond-white fabric, embellished with dainty embroidery and an eyelet lace trim. The dress was Garner’s final plea to viewers to acknowledge the beauty that can be crafted without the use of toxic chemicals, its bridal silhouette reflecting humanity’s duty and interconnectedness with nature.

Billy Shakespeare was more than a runway. It was a wake-up call.

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Daisy Culleton is an Essex-based writer with a degree in BA American Studies and History from the University of Nottingham. She works full-time as a Business Education writer.