Dame Prue Leith stole the spotlight at London Fashion Week this week, strutting down the runway just before her 86th birthday in a show-stopping celebration of age, style and sustainability.
The beloved TV personality and restaurateur, best known for her long tenure as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, modelled for avant-garde British design duo Vin + Omi during their eco-fashion showcase at The Art’otel in Hoxton, east London.
@britishbakeoff When do you think we'll get our first Prue innuendough? We're going ep one. #GBBO ♬ original sound - The Great British Bake Off
Leith’s appearance came on 17 February 2026, the eve of her 86th birthday, and marked a memorable moment at the fashion week event. Rather than a typical editorial model walk, she brought her own charisma and humour to the runway, wearing a vibrant ensemble featuring a tailored orange suit, a pink ruffled shirt and an extravagant floral headpiece, and completing the look with a pair of trainers. The striking outfit formed part of Vin + Omi’s latest sustainable collection, JORD, built around recycled and repurposed materials including holly, nettles, butterbur, wood clippings, and recycled aluminium.
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From the kitchen to the runway! Prue Leith walks in the Vin + Omi show during London Fashion Week. 🤩
Her suit in particular was crafted from fabric developed using waste clippings from the King’s Sandringham Estate, highlighting the designers’ ongoing collaboration with environmental sustainability and material innovation. That partnership has seen plant waste from royal estates transformed into wearable textiles, underscoring the growing fashion movement towards eco-conscious design.
Leith, who was made a dame in 2021 for her services to food, broadcasting and charity, has become as well known for her bold and colourful fashion sense as for her authoritative judging on baking programmes. Though she joked about the “ludicrous” image of an 86-year-old on the catwalk, she embraced the moment with confidence and flair, bringing a sense of joy and acceptance to the celebrated event.
The audience roared with applause as she completed her walk, and the show concluded with a surprise rendition of “Happy Birthday” in her honour. In attendance were familiar faces from her Bake Off days, including her husband, retired fashion designer John Playfair, broadcaster Charlene White and former co-hosts such as Alison Hammond and Matt Lucas, who cheered her on from the front row.
@fartchie28 Vin and Omi closing walk #fashion #londonfashionweek #london #vinandomi #chic ♬ What Cha' Gonna Do for Me - Chaka Kahn
Her presence on the runway follows an announcement last month that she would be stepping down from The Great British Bake Off after nine years as a judge, saying she wanted to “work less and play more” as she moves into a new stage of her career. Beyond television and fashion, Leith has had a remarkable six-decade career in food education, running a world-class cooking school and serving as a judge on other culinary shows such as Great British Menu.
The London Fashion Week appearance was not only a tribute to her enduring spirit and willingness to defy expectations about age and style, but also a showcase for a growing movement in fashion that blends creativity with sustainability.
With this latest runway moment, Leith has once again proved she can captivate audiences — whether giving tough but fair critiques on a baking show or bringing an audience to its feet in a bold, eco-centric outfit at one of the world’s biggest style events.
