For Spring/Summer 2026, Ludovic de Saint Sernin looks inward to find the narrative engine for his collection. Inspired by his aristocratic roots, the designer grounds the aesthetic of French nobility in his sensual codes. Frilled and lacy dresses are tight on the body, revealing the skin underneath. Shirt dresses get baroque makeovers in creations that are both structured around the waist and flowy at the hem.
De Saint Sernin’s idiosyncratic sensuality is tamed by aristocratic elements, but it’s erased. Textured bodycon dresses are split at the waist by a stringy belt. A metallic translucent gown has a floral crystal pattern overlaid. Some pieces speak directly to a period inspiration: linen shorts tighten at the knee.
The conceptual framework escapes the clothes. In the lookbook that revealed the collection, de Saint Sernin cast what he describes as a “new kind of nobility.” Emma Chamberlain, Alexa Chung and former Behind the Blinds cover star Corey Fogelmanis speak to an aristocratic class that escapes birthright. Some are born, others become – and a Ludovic de Saint Sernin piece is enough to enact the transformation.
Words by Pedro Vasconcelos
