This season, the ABRA show was an extra-special family affair. The starting point for the Fall/Winter 2026 collection, presented in an industrial space in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, was disarmingly personal. The time the designer Abraham Ortuño Perez spent in the studio with his niece and nephew (side note: how lucky are they to have such a cool guncle!) seeped into the process, leaving traces in the form of doll clothes, school craft projects, and spontaneous material combinations scattered across the workspace.
What began as a pleasant background noise gradually shaped the collection’s striking language: exaggerated details, layered silhouettes, and playful proportions that feel instinctive, rather than engineered. Velour cocktail dresses featured chest constructions reminiscent of plush club chairs, while a lavender mini appeared as an avalanche of swinging leather fringe with every step. The show’s standout looks – in gold and black leather – can only be described with justice as a fantasy on car wash brushes ready to hit the town after dark.
Each look carries a small twist – an offbeat texture pairing, an unexpected construction – that mirrors the spontaneity of childhood creativity. Shirts are given jumbo-sized cuffs, while a deep V-neck blouse is decorated with rows of white collars. Ruffles spill out of an oversized navy blazer with big power shoulders. Elsewhere, a corset detail sat loosely at the hips of a flowing bubblegum-pink dress, tied with an XL satin ribbon.
As the designer took the final lap with his young collaborators, the audience erupted into an ultra-joyous wave of applause. Often in the industry, we lose the sense of fun in favour of unapproachability and putting too much focus on achieving undisputed refinement. Luckily, Ortuño Perez is here to show us that the most compelling fashion begins with curiosity and a refusal to grow up entirely. And with the recent announcement of his appointment as the creative director at CAMPER and CAMPERLAB, the play is just beginning.
Words by Martin Onufrowicz
