CARVEN SS26

Marking his first collection for the French house, Mark Thomas showcased his vision for Carven. This season, the premise was simple: a Parisian summer.

Looking at the collection, one can easily imagine the woman who wears it: yoga or Pilates in the morning, matcha afterwards, a meticulous skincare routine, working from home, and a preference for organic food. The collection transports us into a lifestyle that feels slow, natural, and peaceful, embodying a woman who is refined yet seeks ease, comfort, and practicality.

The colour palette is refreshing and clean, with no strong hues or bold prints. The lines are simple, while the fabrics feel delicate and luxurious, creating a refined balance between minimalism and fluidity. Rooted in clean tailoring, soft femininity, and quiet luxury, the overall aesthetic is elegant yet modern, emphasising ease of movement, versatile layering, and sculptural silhouettes.

Oversized blazers, elongated trousers, and fluid coats convey a sense of nonchalant sophistication. Clean slip-style gowns, column dresses, and airy maxi silhouettes evoke understated elegance, allowing the body to breathe and move naturally.

Statement pieces such as billowy tops and dresses are paired with slim or wide trousers, creating a playful balance of proportions. A muted, neutral base of ivory, cream, black, and navy is elevated by soft pastels and subdued tones, shaping a versatile everyday wardrobe. Whites recall the orchid so dear to Madame Carven. Fabrics like lace, lingerie-inspired details, cotton voile, jacquards, and silk introduce a natural sense of fluidity.


Words by Carolina Benjumea

ACNE STUDIOS SS26

Stockholm-based label Acne Studios showcased its Spring/Summer 2026 collection at the 13th-century Gothic church Collège des Bernardins, transformed into a moody cigar salon featuring artworks by Pacifico Silano. The show centred on themes of queer culture and gay erotica. Creative director Jonny Johansson’s multidisciplinary approach once again delivered a collection where contemporary culture and art merge to convey a deeper meaning.

Borrowing from masculine codes and accented with touches of lace, transparencies, and corsetry, the collection felt both deeply political and undeniably wearable. It presented a vision of femininity that is androgynous and deconstructed – an exploration of styles and identities. Tailored suits, reimagined for women with strong, commanding shoulders, were paired with pointed heels, creating a striking juxtaposition between self-expression and artistic exploration. Gender here was defined not as a strict norm, but as an ambiguous, fluid sensation.

Leather was spotlighted in oversized statement jackets, while wide trousers and tailored coats were softened by flowing fabrics in neutral shades of beige, cream, and grey. Transparency brought an erotic yet delicate edge – sheer skirts, lace overlays, and translucent trousers contrasted with the weight of masculine tailoring. Eclectic styling – mixing checks with sheer skirts or distressed denim, and blending casual pieces with formal wear – reinforced the sense of deconstruction, freedom, and controlled chaos. Altogether, the collection evoked a desire to dismantle traditional gender norms. Each look reinterprets feminine and masculine codes, transforming them into pieces designed for everyday life and the everyday person. Far from complicated constructions, the designs are straightforward in form, yet styled to reflect the house’s distinctive artistic DNA.


Words by Carolina Benjumea

DIOR SS26

Jonathan Anderson understands allure as a slow burn. For the past couple of months, the Northern Irish designer has been dropping carefully calibrated hints about his first womenswear collection for Dior — teasing us with cameos at the Venice Film Festival, then charming us with a pastel-hued Lady Dior campaign starring Greta Lee, Mia Goth, and Mikey Madison. The day before the show, Dior stoked the fire further, unveiling images of new, delicate heels and statement jewellery that only heightened anticipation.

Even the prelude felt like a performance in itself: a playful short film charting the house’s history and creative lineage, set to the hypnotic drama of Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die. By the time models began their stride across a futuristic runway, it was clear Anderson wasn’t just entering Dior’s orbit — he was building an entirely new universe within it.

Anderson is not one to abandon his own vocabulary. Echoes of his debut Dior menswear collection resurfaced with a fresh charge: knitted capes reimagined in jersey, high-neck bows, miniskirts twisted into couture-like cargo forms. The silhouettes conjured a Left Bank nostalgia from the mid-2000s — Oxford shirts tucked into micro-denim skirts, snug polos, bootcut jeans grazing slingback heels, chain-draped handbags swinging with purpose. It was a French preppy mood refracted through Anderson’s instinct for charm and provocation.

But just as the collection flirted with familiarity, it pivoted into something more structural, more architectural. Wool peacoats were stripped down and reconfigured. Off-the-shoulder dresses rippled with panniers hidden beneath ruching. Origami-like folds disrupted the purity of grey and black shifts. And then, Dior’s ultimate relic: the Bar jacket. Anderson cropped it, slashed it open at the back, and paired it with a pleated skirt in speckled tweed — a reverent rebellion that felt distinctly his own.

Accessories, of course, were the exclamation marks. Stephen Jones’ Tricorne hats lent a surrealist edge, balancing whimsy with drama. Shoes ranged from slingbacks and stilettos sprouting bunny ears, to mules crowned with oversized roses, to chunky D-shaped loafers stamped in gold. Bags, meanwhile, became vessels of fantasy: the Lady Dior covered in daisies or clover leaves, tiny ladybugs crawling across the surface. For daytime pragmatists, Anderson offered a softer note — the classic reimagined in supple brown suede, already a contender for bestseller status.

Anderson’s Dior debut was less an arrival than an incantation — a weaving together of codes old and new, playful and severe, Parisian and universal. It teased, seduced, and ultimately delivered what Dior at its best has always promised: a vision of elegance forever on the verge of transformation.


Words by Martin Onufrowicz

COURRÈGES SS26

Courrèges' show invite was a pair of sunglasses. The choice, besides being much appreciated (the first few days of Paris fashion week have luckily been sunny), was a clue to the collection’s theme. For Spring/Summer 2026, Nicolas di Felice ponders the sun, not as a divine inspiration as it is routinely treated in an estival collection, but as an enemy to find cover from. And that’s just what the Belgian designer did. The opening looks hid models’ faces behind a covering that connected from their pointed caps to their miniskirts. These were not just stylistic statements; they were environmental too: in shades of blue, these veils were all functional UV blockers.

Appropriately named Blinded by the Sun, the collection was paired with an installation in the show’s habitual venue, Le Carreau Du Temple. Instead of breathing floors or flying confetti, this time around, the ploy was less fun and more worrisome. As the show went on, the lights got brighter, the temperature hotter. Luckily, di Felice proposed the ideal summer wardrobe. Denim shorts with long rectangular tails. Asymmetric draped tops that expose half the torso.

As always, the Belgian designer’s creations are as engineered as they are sensual. Ingenious dresses connect fabric draped at the lap with the neck of the dress. Tight minidresses, made entirely of what seemed like hundreds of belts, were rubberised; as the increasingly bright lights shone on them, they appeared almost wet. By the end of the show, we sure wish we had been. When the last triad of looks came out – structured minidresses that elevated the neckline past the nose – the heat was practically suffocating. But still, we all watched, sat. Di Felice made a point, and we proved it.


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

DRIES VAN NOTEN SS26

 Ah, what a joy it is to wake up on the day of a Dries Van Noten show. Coincidentally, it was precisely joy that inspired the Spring/Summer 2026 offering of the house. For his second womenswear collection, Julian Klausner finds solace in the concept of surfing. Emphasis on the concept – backstage, the designer admits to not practising the sport himself, but to being fascinated by the tranquillity it must bring. Perhaps it’s this distance that allows him to design based on an elusive feeling, a calm happiness that is hard to achieve in today’s climate. Like so many designers this season, Klausner is designing in response to the world.

The collection is permeated with Dries Van Noten staples – loud prints, heavy embroideries, interesting textures, vivid colours. It makes sense that the Belgian designer finds solace in the brand’s signatures. Before taking over the creative reins, Klausner worked for over a decade under his predecessor. Still, Klausner isn’t merely replicating Van Noten’s work; he’s expanding it.

To the sound of crashing waves, the collection opened with a romanticism that is Julian’s own. Ruffles on grey jersey sweats flounce casually. Ruched turtlenecks project tulle streams away from the body. Heavily crystalised – but light – casual jackets are wonderful oxymorons. Eventually, the Dries language becomes indistinguishable from Klausner’s.  Long printed coats are delightful, with their lapel folded inwards, revealing a tinge of white. As you’d expect, they manifest in a variety of prints. At first, relatively controlled in baroque yellow flowers, but eventually they grow in double prints – a moiré texture is overlaid on a dead-nature colored angular pattern.

Print has always been a Dries’ language, but with Klausner, it’s reinvigorated. Translucent dresses and capes are optical illusions, placing opposite-colored polka dots in proximity, tricking the eye.

The show’s inspiration rears its head in the colour palette. Bright yellow and vivid blues totalize the collection midway through in striped bodysuits and embroidered robes. Later, classic Dries prints were maximised, engorged till they took another shape entirely. A nipped-in waist blouse and pencil skirt combo is to die for. Klausner makes more than good collections; he creates appetising clothes. The offering wraps with sheer caftan dresses, both quietly sheer and incredibly loud.


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

HODAKOVA SS26

Paris has a legacy of designers that push the function of fashion to the limit, weaponising its form as language. The generation of Japanese designers that invaded the city in the 80s has left its mark. Of course, throughout the decades, the legacy has mutated, congealed, expanded, sharpened, deflated and reinflated. Hodakova is a brand that speaks to that tradition. Her presence in the city is refreshing. Unlike those that came before it, its medium isn’t limited to clothing alone. In Spring/Summer 2026, Ellen Hodakova Larsson manipulates books, pillows, leather bags, metal, raffia, and so many other materials for the sake of her expression.

Given the designer's reputation for experimentation, the collection opens with looks that are surprisingly wearable, almost simple at first glance. Further inspection reveals double waistlines – one fictitious, another real – capes made from suiting, wool jumpsuits with pockets that lead straight to the body. Eventually, the idiosyncratic sound of Larsson’s pieces is heard, even through the music that fills the venue. Clanky rings grow louder as metal structures are utilised as hats, skirts, and ponchos. This season felt particularly architectural.

It wasn’t just a personal hunch. Backstage, the designer explains some of her inspirations. “I was trying to relate to this method of making roofs through straw; it’s such an old traditional way of doing it, but I was trying to bring it to modernity.” The final section of the collection spoke to this intent. Straw was first fitted to the body, woven to become a mini dress, but it eventually took over the bodies of those who wore it. By the final look, it had grown completely outside of it, forming a large triangular shape that engulfed the catwalk.

Her materiality is inspiring. It doesn’t just inform the textures the designer creates, it dictates their silhouettes. Shift dresses are restrictive in raffia, bending begrudgingly to the model's movement. Books sway open and shut in the hem of an otherwise simple dress. It wasn’t the first time she’s worked with books, but it’s certainly the most significant. “They’re all old books about Swedish history,” she relates. When asked how it was to work with books, she’s comedically sincere: “Heavy.”

Domesticity seemed to be a focal point of the collection. Dresses were made, and often were entirely made, of pillows. Elsewhere, a short dress was made with colourful socks that resembled animal plushies. This time it’s pure speculation. Larsson leaves it up to the imagination. “There’s a lot of undertones that can be read by themselves, and it's interesting to see how people see them.” Hodakova refuses definition as much as it invites interpretation.


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

LOUIS VUITTON SS26

There was an almost meditative quality to Nicolas Ghesquière’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection for Louis Vuitton. Cate Blanchett’s velvet voice, reciting the words, “Home is where I want to be,” lingered in the air like incense, setting the mood for a show that unfolded less like a spectacle and more like a serene passage. Nearly twelve years into his tenure at the brand, Ghesquière feels very much at home. This season, he invited us to join him in his calm, personal sanctuary.

The opening look felt like a whispered proposal: a fluid chiffon ensemble in soft grey, traced with stark black piping, gliding through the summer apartments of Anne of Austria in the Louvre. A designer’s ode to loungewear, perhaps, but elevated to the sublime. From there, silhouettes softened into languid jersey coats, terrycloth-like vests in pale blush, and glimmers of crystal constellations scattered across the body like dream fragments.

Ghesquière’s instinct for historical resonance surfaced, as always, in details refracted through his futuristic lens. A blush-pink mini trimmed with shearling echoed Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette – a wink to decadence repurposed for the now. Exaggerated collars, at once silken and stiff, crowned relaxed blazers and shirtdresses, merging the past’s ornament with today’s ease.

Even the accessories carried this notion of cocooning luxury. Moccasin boots and fur-lined slippers padded softly alongside loose lace socks. Twisted headpieces — part hat, part pillow — added an off-kilter wit. Knitted shoulder bags, oversized and tactile, seemed designed not just to carry but to comfort.

What emerged was a wardrobe not for retreat, but for inhabiting space differently – calm, tender, yet resolutely modern. In Ghesquière’s hands, home is not just where we live, but a state of being.


Words by Martin Onufrowicz

SAINT LAURENT SS26

The best thing about any given Saint Laurent show is the appreciation Anthony Vaccarello has for Monsieur Saint Laurent’s legacy. He understands nuance in the work of the founder of the maison he leads. At every chance he gets, he reminds us of the legendary designer’s impact – not just in fashion, but in culture at large. For Spring/Summer 2026, he articulates this legacy to deliver a particularly topical message.

The collection opens with a scenario as unlikely as it is appetising. Statuesque women with engorged, angular shoulders cruising along delicate bushes of hydrangeas. Just as in the Fall/Winter 2025 menswear collection, Robert Mapplethorpe is made a muse. Vaccarello looks to the photographer for erotic appeal. Shiny leather reflects the light as it passes by, hats tilted forward to imply interest. Of course, here, instead of the sweaty bodies hidden underneath the jackets, elegant blouses illuminate the shiny darkness with their white starchiness.

The structured shoulders and nipped-in waists are decisively ‘80s. It’s not the first time Vaccarello favours the silhouette – we would go as far as to say it’s one of the staples of his tenure at the maison. And still, despite being immediately identifiable in a time and place, it doesn’t feel dated. Not because of the silhouette’s recent popularity, or even its appeal that swerves around the trend cycle, but because Saint Laurent’s legacy is indistinguishable from 20th-century fashion. Here, the inspiration isn’t chronological; it’s self-referential.

The maison’s legacy is further explored in mousseline trenches and translucent dresses in acidic shades of chartreuse and vermillion. These harken back to some of Rive Gauche’s iconic silhouettes. The line, founded by Mr Saint Laurent, sparked the ready-to-wear revolution. Vaccarello doesn’t ask for vehemency – though we certainly do – he frames it as an important statement. The rise of conservative movements and its trad wives has made the women’s liberation movement have to reclaim its ideological grounds. Vaccarello reminds us of what YSL has always been: clothing made for independent, strong women.

The collection ends dramatically. Inspired by the Duchess of Guermantes and Madame X, the Belgian designer creates billowing gowns. A parade of jewel-toned dresses floats in the wind, as if inflated by it. Cleverly made of nylon, these are light; models move freely. Even in their regal structure, the designer finds freedom. Vaccarello doesn’t just honour the Saint Laurent legacy, he pushes it forward. He recontextualises it and reminds us of its importance. 


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

BURC AKYOL SS26

Burç Akyol’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Gülistan, borrows its name from the rose: a symbol of rebellion, dignity, and hope that runs deep through Eastern traditions. More than a floral reference, it becomes the prism through which Akyol refracts poetry, politics, and memory – fashion as an act of resistance.

Rooted in his personal encounters with the Roma community, charged by the theatricality of Galliano’s 2000s spectacles, and softened by the sensual generosity of his mentor and one-time boss, Esteban Cortázar, Akyol’s garments feel both intimate and declarative. They seduce, but they also speak, dissolving the binaries of gender, time, and seasonality.

On the runway, structure met sway. Tailoring – sharp, lapelled, with exaggerated ‘80s shoulders – was undone and retied around the body, offering a more bohemian cadence. This motif of twisting and reconfiguring reappeared throughout: knits tucked into flounced skirts, mini and maxi dresses bound at the bust or hips with taffeta or jersey, each piece reconsidering how garments might hold and release the body.

The rhythm accelerated in bold chromatic clashes: emerald silk blouses melted into beige wool trousers, secured with belts in electric pink; navy satin skirts swayed against crimson tops, their tension punctuated by a flash of gold ruffle. It was flamenco reimagined—not as costume, but as attitude, a choreography of fabric and colour.

Threaded through, Akyol’s signatures – black sheerness, nocturnal elegance – remained present, anchoring the new propositions to a familiar lexicon. Yet here, they were less about ephemerality than about endurance. Gülistan insists on beauty as a form of permanence, generosity as a design principle, and layering as a refusal of cultural erasure. It is a collection that blooms, thorns and all.


Words by Martin Onufrowicz

GIORGIO ARMANI SS26

In a season of new beginnings, Giorgio Armani’s latest collection was a definitive goodbye. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the brand, the show was the last we’ll ever see of Mr Armani’s groundbreaking vision. And what a vision it was. His take on clothing didn’t just revolutionise the way we dress; it reimagined the way we interact with fashion. And yet, despite his impact, he refused to follow the mythology of the fashion designer. He wasn’t an artistic prodigy or a master of reinvention. Mr Armani believed in his fashion philosophy.

Just above the venue of the show, an exhibit displayed his theories quite plainly. Clothes that were designed for real life, that prioritised both form and function. Spring/Summer 2026 feels true to his legacy. This was, in a way, like so many Giorgio Armani collections in the past. It followed a comfortably familiar rhythm. First, the greige looks, presented mainly in pairs. Softly tailored jackets and lightly pleated pants moved softly with the body, offering no resistance. Eventually, the palette grew darker, introducing silk asymmetrically draped sets and reflective jackets before dipping into a sea of navy blue. The palette and silhouettes matured into something exotic: a cerulean dress softly jotted out at the hips, a mandarin-collared, cropped shirt was encrusted with crystals over its petroleum silk.

It was everything a collection that both celebrated and grieved Mr Armani should be. The show ended with a collection of intricately crystalised dresses, the last of which – a deep blue set – was breathtaking. As the picture of the designer shone in silver crystals on the model’s chest, his portrait and gaze immortalised, it became impossible to keep our eyes dry. What a life! What a legacy!


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

BOTTEGA VENETA SS26

Beginnings aren’t always about fresh starts. In fashion, we’ve come to crave newness – a clean slate, a bold departure from the past that we can sink our teeth into. Louise Trotter, however, offered a different take with her Bottega Veneta debut. Her appointment wasn’t designed to usher in a new era, but to carry forward a legacy.

Bottega Veneta has always occupied a singular place in fashion. In recent years, through the visions of Daniel Lee and Matthieu Blazy, it has entered the mainstream lexicon of luxury. And yet, since its inception, the house has distinguished itself by what it refuses to do. It has never relied on logos. It has never chased hype. Trotter’s appointment is masterful. For years, the British designer has been developing an intellectual, mature language in brands like Lacoste and Carven. Here we see the apex of her work.

Blazy’s Bottega was whimsical. Stuffed animal chairs and Intrecciato children’s books: there was a real sense of play. Trotter crystallised it into something more mature. The sense of whimsy was still there, but sharpened, deliberate, as if Trotter were testing the boundaries of what a house so devoted to craftsmanship can achieve. Not just through Intrecciato (though that ankle-length leather coat was mouthwatering), but through other, less expected techniques.

Material experimentation was pushed further: technical fabric dresses were both stiff and light, and feather sleeveless tops jutted out of the body effortlessly. But no other technical feat stood out quite as much as sweaters and skirts made of recycled fibreglass. The first reaction was astonishment, followed by confusion and ultimately awe. In the age of artificial intelligence, we’ve become weary of what we can’t understand. The first of these pieces, a sweater made of blue strands that seemed to shine from within, was hard to think real. As others came out, first in gold and then in a fiery red, the initial disbelief vanished. Similarly, fuzzy skirts in abstract patterns were perhaps even greater, the movement of the legs highlighting their prowess.

It wasn’t all just a parade of showpieces. Trotter punctuated the collection with her characteristic oversized tailoring. Shoulders on sculptural jackets bulged out elegantly. The menswear offers were equally as bright. A fuzzy pair of shorts elongated just past the knees. A structured long coat nipped in the waist almost architecturally, pushing the arms out of rounded shoulders. 

Trotter’s appointment at Bottega wasn’t a gap to fill. She wasn’t tasked with revival, nor with cleaning up after a predecessor’s mistakes. And while it may not be as immediately satisfying to point out stark differences, to dissect what is before and after, perhaps that is precisely what makes it more interesting.


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

SPORTMAX SS26

For Sportmax, the Spring/Summer 2026 wardrobe is minimalist, tailored, and fluid. Their rendition of summer dressing creates a tension between softness and structure, giving corporate ease meets laid-back holidays.

In the juxtaposition between tailoring and experimentation lies the signature of Sportmax. Clean cuts, feminine silhouettes, and volumes are all part of a visual language that is recognisable but creative enough to deliver innovation in each show. Femininity was interpreted in a myriad of ways, from structured to flowing, bold, and subtle.

For this collection, pieces are versatile with strong details, but always keep wearability in mind. Fluid, elongated shapes dominated the runway, from wide trousers to floor-skimming skirts and draped dresses. Presenting a tension between bold and refined, with a variety of layered tailoring seen in oversized jackets, belted trench-style coats, structured vests, and pieces with relaxed volumes.

Effortless trousers, seen throughout the show, break with the structure of jackets or coats and the clean lines of skirts and deconstructed blazers. The juxtaposition between fluidity, oversized pieces, and structured garments creates an elevated wardrobe meant for experimentation and freedom.

Keeping an interest in minimalist style, neutrals and soft pastels were at the centre of the collection, while deep black and burgundy gave a sense of sensuality. Femininity was transmitted through the use of sheer and silky fabrics, while leather and denim created a casual ease that disrupted the classic taste of the rest of the collection, giving a sense of edge.


Words by Carolina Benjumea

LORO PIANA SS26

In the Loro Piana world, elegance takes shape through craftsmanship, precious discretion, and natural tones. For this season, the brand renewed its conception of luxury with a wardrobe that feels fresh and youthful, yet just as lavish as before.

Presented in the 18th-century Palazzo Citterio, Loro Piana showcased its Spring/Summer 2026 collection in an artistic environment where colour, graphics, and accessories were central in creating their universe.

The offering follows Loro Piana’s identity of rich fabrics and sleek design, while adding a playful palette, exaggerated silhouettes, and sculptural accessories. The garments play with proportion: from cropped jackets and high-waisted trousers to boxy suits with softened shoulders. In an effort to showcase a modern and contemporary image, far from its classic roots, this year, there is a clear emphasis on volume and comfort, in contrast to past collections where fabrics and minimalistic constructions were at the centre of the looks.

Accents in rich tones like red, brown, olive green, lilac, yellow and taupe showcase a youthful vibe, far from the ‘quiet luxury’ we are used to seeing from the brand. However, it is the accessories that showcase a complete rejuvenation. From oversized, surreal headpieces, such as textured, plant-like hats, knit caps, and hood-like drapings, to structured and architectural bags that bring a slight avant-garde feeling, the collection redefines the codes of a luxury game they once ruled, where elegance was understated and silent. This proposition feels like an effort to give a second life to the brand, with an identity that is fresher, easier, and more artistic, while preserving its functionality, elegance, and timelessness.


Words by Carolina Benjumea

VERSACE SS26

Just hours before Dario Vitale’s debut for Versace, the brand teased the collection on Instagram with a striking triptych shot by Tyrone Lebon. The campaign featured an Adonis-like hunk with the brand name strategically emblazoned across his body, an androgynous (and ripped) model lounging in nothing but a jewel-encrusted vest, and a close-up of black heels adorned with a Medusa-ring detail. Together, the images conjured an updated '80s-inspired fantasy — decadent, sensual, and unmistakably Versace.

The show itself unfolded at Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan’s oldest museum, where Vitale staged a baroque spectacle to match the grandeur of its surroundings. His vision drew directly from the house’s late-’70s and early-’80s beginnings, revelling in excess and deliberate provocation. Jewellery was oversized, colour combinations were intentionally clashing, and styling leaned into opulence. A pair of lavender capris, cinched with a black belt adorned with an oversized gold buckle, was layered beneath three ultra-sleeveless shirts. A plunging, knee-length dress with power shoulders was paired with sharp red stilettos worn over white socks, while a classic skirt suit was reimagined in gleaming black leather.

In menswear, tailoring was a highlight. Cropped and oversized vests came embellished with Western-inspired silver details, while tailored suits were matched with rolled-up shorts and wide ties pinned with an assortment of brooches. The brand’s signature naughty streak remained front and centre: tight, high-waisted jeans cut to emphasise the bulge, undone trousers held together with leather cock rings, and classic white tank tops reimagined with a daring backless cut.


Words by Martin Onufrowicz

TOD'S SS26

With the Tod’s Spring/Summer 2026 show, designer Matteo Tamburini set out to capture the languid ease of late summer. His vision was expressed through a sun-warmed palette of deep apricot, buttery yellow, tangerine, oyster white, and sand – shades that perfectly conveyed an understated sense of nonchalance.

Renowned for its supple leather, Tod’s provides Tamburini with a rich canvas for experimentation. Nappa leather shirts were styled with mini dresses, while their suede counterparts peeked out beneath softly crinkled coats. In one of the collection’s most striking gestures, leather was cut into fluid dresses that echoed silk scarves, striped and effortless, radiating desirability.

The theme of ever-so-slightly dishevelled elegance carried through the lineup. Sleeveless black and white ankle-grazing dresses, finished with raw-edged hems, emerged as standouts for their restrained yet tactile charm. A bouclé top interwoven with fine black leather strips was paired with a low-slung black leather pencil skirt, balancing polish with ease. Even tailoring was reimagined with a casual spirit: lightweight wool suits softened by airy sports jackets that suggested everyday wearability.


Words by Martin Onufrowicz

EMPORIO ARMANI SS26

For the Spring/Summer 2026 collection, the brand showcased the quintessential summer holiday wardrobe. Loose, flowing fabrics such as sheer chiffons and silks allowed for a poetic movement of the garments, creating a laid-back feeling, almost bohemian. The show began with a rendition of fifty shades of grey in a variety of ethereal silhouettes. It then evolved into muted metallics – silvers, soft golds, turquoise, and pastels – with occasional pops of deeper tones.

Inspired by the clean-girl aesthetic and the quiet luxury trend, the collection felt fresh and contemporary. The wardrobe showcased more than clothing – it revealed a state of mind where fluidity, relaxation, ease, and disconnection are expressed through flattering pieces and a nonchalant style. Free and easy silhouettes unveiled a lifestyle where effortless and casual translate into chic.

Starring headscarves for an artistic look and flats for a comfortable, feminine, and minimalistic touch, the show felt romantic, blurring the line between daywear and eveningwear. Toward the end, more elaborate silhouettes walked down the runway: defined waistlines, draped chains and necklaces, billowing skirts or harem-style trousers, and wide belts that sculpted the volume into shape while preserving its natural movement.

The show felt intimate and thoughtful, honouring the memory of Mr. Armani, who passed away just a couple of weeks prior. During the finale, models joined the crowd in clapping, and there was a palpable emotion caused by not seeing the legendary designer take his classic bow on the runway.


Words by Carolina Benjumea

PRADA SS26

In June, Prada presented its most recent menswear collection. Deep inside its titular Fondazione, the Italian house proposed an escape from the current world. The approach was surprising: the industry’s most intellectual brand suggested intellectual avoidance. Confronted with an overwhelming world, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons advised a summer vacation. Now, with the rentrée in full effect, the strategy is different. Retreating was only the first step. For women’s Spring/Summer 2026, we got the next chapter of Prada’s guide on how to deal with chaos. Step two: filtering information.

Considering the medium of clothes, the response was quite literal at first. The show opened with a monochromatic set, where a navy shirt and trousers blended into a strict uniform. But this season wasn’t an exercise in minimalism. The point wasn’t removal, but filtration. Soon, similar sets were accompanied by opera-length gloves in shiny satin and pliable leather.

Distillation doesn’t mean austerity. Patchwork skirts hit just below the knee, revealing more of their multiplicity as models walked by. It was a great season for Prada skirt lovers (ourselves included). Paper-bag-waist iterations came in bright blues and whites, while wrinkled nylon ones were rendered neutral. Colourful dresses were hiked at the hem, revealing contrasting crumpled crinolines. At the top of these funky creations, crystallised collars were reminiscent of Prada’s early explorations. Just like in the men’s show before it, here, bubble-hemmed micro shorts made an impactful appearance.

The standout of the show was undoubtedly the intentionally ill-fitting skirts attached by suspenders. These seemed like a continuation of Prada’s Fall/Winter 2025, where imperfection was proposed as a response to culture’s tight standards. These skirts conveyed a similar sentiment in shades of sheer black, pale yellow and navy. Or perhaps, they could inspire a different interpretation altogether. Maybe these off-kilter creations weren’t made as a response, but as a reconsideration. Why should a skirt hang off the waist and not the shoulders? Why should a bra offer support and not freedom? In a time of chaos, Prada invites us to think critically and make our own decisions.


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

JIL SANDER SS26

With his debut at Jil Sander, Simone Bellotti brought the house back to its core: an obsession with precision. The Spring/Summer 2026 collection appeared deceptively simple at first glance – slim sweaters with pencil skirts, boxy coats over tapered trousers, dresses anchored by kitten-heeled oxfords. Yet, the refinement lay in the details and construction. Skirts and trousers featured Lucio Fontana–inspired slashes and purposeful creases, transforming minimalist staples into subversive statements. Sweaters revealed subtle openings at the back, lending a sense of sensuality and ease. Even the coats, cut with an intentional “messy” cinch, created a striking tension between structure and lightness.

The palette was equally considered: cobalt-blue dresses, hot-red sheer knits, and raw-edged baby-pink silk dresses with an almost ethereal quality to them. Vibrant accents peeked through the house’s signature black, grey, white and navy — whether as fitted jumpers layered beneath or socks slipping out under cropped trousers. Bellotti also showcased his mastery of leather, honed during his tenure at Bally, with sharply tailored blazers and coats in black, ocean blue, and butter yellow. Accessories followed suit: a range of sculptural, covetable bags, with our particular favourites being those distinguished by bold, contrasting straps.


Words by Martin Onufrowicz

FENDI SS26

God bless Silvia Venturini Fendi! In her third collection after Kim Jones’ exit, the heir of the Fendi legacy gave a masterful lesson in pushing a legacy forward. The house, long associated with fur and a sense of whimsy, leaned into its play element. Inspired by her large family (and her pregnant daughter), the designer brought about a collection that was light – even youthful at times – but never infantile.

The use of colour was one of the highlights: bright blues in chic shirt dresses and red suits weren’t garish. Bright rectangular straps united the buttons on smart jackets, almost resembling Legos. Knitted sets grounded the collection, the homely connotation of the textile neutralised by tighter silhouettes.

Athleisure elements interjected moments of definite femininity. A drawstring punctuated the waist in a pleated, tiered dress. A hooded nylon parka broke up a pencil skirt and grey jacket set. A particularly brilliant tracksuit combined the same grey fabric with the idiosyncratic Fendi fur. Brown furry stripes placed at the collar, ankles and hip made an otherwise sane outfit into a textured dream.

Classic femininity was more than a muse for Venturini Fendi; it was a medium. Floral patterns were subverted and then reintroduced with precision, appearing sparingly in full lace sets. Cut-outs in the shape of simplistic flowers revealed the skin underneath cropped leather jackets and heavy overshirts.

Just like in these, a transparent combo of a shirt and jacket showed the model’s body through the two layers. And, while the idea of translucency is inherently sensual, here that tone was overruled by something more clever. The last section explored this idea thoroughly, with sheer dresses with misaligned panels giving the impression that they were put on the wrong way around, like a child might. Spring/Summer 2026 felt like a balancing act. Venturini Fendi is aware of the weight on her shoulder – the same that has been in the family for two generations before her – but she’s handling it with deft lightness. 


Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

DIESEL SS26

In typical Diesel fashion, the runway became a place for experimentation and subverting the codes of luxury. This year, the brand decided to skip the runway and stage an unprecedented egg hunt in Milan instead. The premise? The democratisation of fashion showcasing that, in their world, everyone is welcome.

XXL eggs with models inside were placed all over Milan, unveiling the Spring/Summer ’26 collection. Around 5,000 people signed up to walk around the city, find the 34 eggs, and win prizes – disrupting the traditional spirit of Milan during fashion week. Glenn Martens later said about the idea that the objective was to “bring a little bit of fashion back to the city.”

The showcase reaffirmed the strong character of the brand: irreverent, rebellious, and playful, but always with wearability in mind. With its urban, characteristic flair, the collection portrayed a futuristic approach, expressed through exaggerated shoulders, sunglasses, and metallic footwear.

Martens used his satin denim fabric across different garments, creating the classic Diesel vibe, but it was the distressed effect that truly brought the brand’s identity to the forefront. Denim dominated, with bleached, stone-washed, and painterly finishes.

Oversized accessories such as coats and belts, paired with short hemlines, fitted cuts, and draping, created an interesting balance. Earthy tones added a raw, industrial feel, while iridescent, metallic, and glossy hues introduced a striking juxtaposition of aesthetics. The looks mix eveningwear codes with street style, something intrinsic to the DNA of the brand.

The collection served as a reminder of the brand’s experimental language, where fabrics, colours, textures, and concepts come together to form a recognisable identity. In Diesel’s countercultural approach, authenticity and self-expression remain at the core of its creations.


Words by Carolina Benjumea