Now entering its 59th year of existence, Notting Hill Carnival is known for a number of different cultural exchanges. There’s the music, of course, with huge soundsystems posted up on every street corner, blasting dancehall, reggae, soca and the like; there’s the Caribbean food, with lines of stalls offering the best roti, ackee and curry goat this side of the Atlantic; and then there’s the fashion, with loud and proud outfits lining the streets from Notting Hill Gate to Ladbroke Grove.
For the 2025 edition, Rae Martins Ashton was on hand to capture all of those looks, and just like last August, the carnival revellers didn’t disappoint. Classic markers of Caribbean style, like string vests and flag bikinis, were mixed in with the current signifiers of London cool for a transatlantic fashion fusion. Camo cargo shorts were paired with athletic trainers, body jewellery was slung around waists, and Sharkkini’s Puma collab t-shirt was spotted on practically every other person. Off-the-shoulder tops with bikinis underneath were also extremely popular, as were yellow-tinted sunglasses, low-slung denim and (of course) 2025’s most-loved item: the slogan tee. Elsewhere, the signature Mas costumes with their gemstone embellishments and huge feather plumes lit up the carnival route, while others repped their heritage with Trini, Bajan and Jamaican flags wrapped around their shoulders and dangling from belt loops.
Scroll through the gallery above for all of this year’s looks, and read our report on the future of NHC here.
