London Fashion Week Streetstyles AW26

OUTSIDE THE SHOWS
*That’s London Fashion Week AW26

written LE MILE

Beyond the curated cadence of catwalks and official showrooms, London Fashion Week AW26 played out on its streets, in the lively interstices between presentations and the unchoreographed gestures of a city steeped in creative flux. This season, the capital’s mood carried equal parts resilience and reinvention. Established houses revisited heritage with renewed focus, emerging voices amplified cultural narratives, and design vocabularies were re read through lenses of inclusivity, texture, and urban poise.

In the in-between moments — arriving guests, impromptu clusters at side streets, front-row departures and post-show conversations — London’s style set assembled its own dialect of expression. Classic British tailoring appeared alongside bold colour juxtapositions; sculptural coats and ballet-flat combos shared pavements with purposeful layering, kitsch accoutrements, and subcultural inflections. Rain-ready outerwear, unexpected colour duos and inventive accessories punctuated everyday movement, revealing how personal style reflects and disrupts the season’s formal narratives.

Captured by Ian Kobylanski in the heart of London’s fashion-week flux, Outside the Shows turns its gaze toward the characters who populate these spontaneous spaces — individual storytellers forging distinctive looks from the season’s fragments. Seen and documented across late winter streets and show day thoroughfares, the series traces style in motion, observing how fashion is performed, adjusted and recalibrated beyond the frame of the runway.

all visuals
(c) IAN KOBYLANSKI

London Fashion Week FW26, February 2026

Christian Louboutin - Colorful Summer 2026 Collection

Christian Louboutin Unveils Colorful Summer 2026 Collection

A review of the Christian Louboutin Summer 2026 womenswear collection

written MALCOLM THOMAS

On Tuesday, Christian Louboutin unveiled its sunny summer 2026 collection. Inspired by Louboutin’s lifelong admiration for the stage—the set reminiscent of the interior of a René Magritte, supported models propped in playful poses in the candy-colored collection. 

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Summer 2026 Collection

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Summer 2026 Collection

Debuting a new line of bags, dubbed the Venus after the Greek goddess of love, a range of styles from tote to mini-crossbody, with a focus on timeless luxury and pragmatic functionality, are sure to add a bit of excitement to the everyday.

Just in time for high summer, Christian Louboutin’s new footwear offerings are abundant. Meet Mulazee, a taffeta kitten-heel mule featuring a delicate ton-sur-ton bow that highlights the feminine décolleté. It’s high-heeled cousin Cassia, and its ankle-boot counterpart Pavolva will also be making their debuts in leather and crepe satin, both complementary additions to smart eveningwear. 

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Summer 2026 Collection

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Summer 2026 Collection

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Summer 2026 Collection

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Summer 2026 Collection

Finally, the classic Chambelimoc and Chambelimonk silhouettes return in embossed crocodile-style burgundy calf patina leather, rounding out a collection that promises bright days (and fun nights) ahead.  

all visuals
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SS26

A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban - Presenting metal eyewear collection

Why A$AP Rocky expands Ray-Ban into Metal and Optical

A$AP Rocky has presented his debut metal eyewear collection for Ray-Ban, marking one year since he became the brand’s first Creative Director. The release introduces both sunglasses and, for the first time under his direction, optical frames. It arrives with a campaign film co-starring Nas, staged in a late-night New York diner and built around an exchange between two figures from different eras of American rap.

Ray-Ban, founded in 1937, remains one of the few eyewear brands whose silhouettes have consistently crossed military use, Hollywood cinema, and music culture. Styles such as the Aviator and Wayfarer shaped decades of visual identity. Rocky’s appointment formalised a longer-term creative role that moves beyond capsule collaborations. His first full collection therefore carries structural weight: it signals how a musician with established influence in fashion translates an archive into product.

RAY-BAN / A$AP ROCKY METAL COLLECTION
A$AP Rocky

RAY-BAN / A$AP ROCKY METAL COLLECTION

The metal collection draws directly from historic Ray-Ban shapes while adjusting proportion and construction. Soft oval frames sit alongside narrow rectangles, each rendered in classic metallic finishes. Several designs adopt rimless engineering, emphasising lens shape and reducing visible structure. A wraparound silhouette, available exclusively in selected stores, introduces a more futuristic line and extends the range into sport-informed territory. Material focus defines the collection. Metal frames replace acetate as the primary structural element, shifting the visual language toward sharper contours and lighter builds. In the rimless models, thick lenses heighten the geometry of the silhouette, creating a pronounced edge around otherwise minimal hardware. Across the line, the emphasis rests on proportion, lens thickness, and the tension between archival reference and present-day styling.

The campaign situates Rocky and Nas inside a New York diner, visually echoing 1990s iconography without turning the setting into nostalgia. Nas represents a generation that shaped East Coast rap’s visual and lyrical codes; Rocky has consistently revisited that era in his own fashion vocabulary. Placing both figures in dialogue positions the collection within a broader cultural lineage that connects Ray-Ban’s long-standing ties to music with contemporary authorship.

RAY-BAN / A$AP ROCKY METAL COLLECTION
A$AP Rocky + Nas

RAY-BAN / A$AP ROCKY METAL COLLECTION

RAY-BAN / A$AP ROCKY METAL COLLECTION

RAY-BAN / A$AP ROCKY METAL COLLECTION

The inclusion of optical frames expands the scope of Rocky’s direction. Prescription eyewear functions as a daily object, extending beyond seasonal styling into routine wear. Integrating optical designs signals that the collection is embedded in Ray-Ban’s ongoing catalogue rather than framed as a limited collaboration.
After a year in the role, Rocky’s first metal line establishes a clear trajectory. It engages the brand’s archive through material and proportion, anchors itself in music history through casting, and extends into optical territory with practical intent. The result is a collection that operates inside Ray-Ban’s legacy while marking a distinct authorial imprint.

all visuals
RAY-BAN SS26

LV Tilted Sneaker - Louis Vuitton’s Spring Summer 2026

This Is the LV Tilted Sneaker Leading Louis Vuitton’s Spring Summer 2026

At Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Spring Summer 2026 show, the silhouette defined the atmosphere from the first look. Jackets carried volume through the shoulder, trousers moved with controlled ease, and the overall line of the collection held a steady, deliberate rhythm. Attention was placed on proportion and stance, on the way fabric settles on the body and how that body advances through space. Within this framework, the LV Tilted Sneaker anchored the season at ground level, shaping the posture of each look and reinforcing the calibrated balance that ran throughout the show.

The LV Tilted entered the season during the Men’s Spring Summer 2026 Pre collection preview before taking its place on the runway as part of the collection’s full silhouette. Its reference to classic skate culture is visible in the padded tongue and overall profile, while the construction reflects the house’s attention to proportion and balance. The sole is widened and engineered so that right and left are dimensionally equal, making the pair initially interchangeable. This calibration shifts the stance of the wearer in motion, as the foot meets the ground evenly and the body settles into a more centered posture. Beneath the elongated tailoring and controlled volume of the Men’s Spring Summer 2026 collection, the LV Tilted subtly reshapes how the look carries itself from the ankle upward, influencing the way fabric falls and how the silhouette reads across the runway.

LV Tilted Sneaker
MEN SS26 Campaign

LV Tilted Sneaker

The LV Tilted carries its identity through a few deliberate gestures. The angled LV on the padded tongue introduces a slight visual shift that breaks the symmetry of the form, while the upper’s defined stitching keeps the construction clean and controlled. Underfoot, the sole carries Monogram and Damier codes in relief, making the house signature visible in motion. The materials feel considered and lightweight, giving the sneaker a composed presence that aligns naturally with the direction of the Men’s Spring Summer 2026 season.

LV Tilted Sneaker
MEN SS26 Show

LV Tilted Sneaker
MEN SS26 Show

LV Tilted Sneaker

LV Tilted Sneaker
MEN SS26 Show

The LV Tilted appears in multiple treatments this season, moving through worn denim, calf suede, woven Damier, plaid canvas and embroidered finishes with ease. Each material brings a different tone to the same silhouette, shifting its mood from understated to expressive while keeping its outline consistent. On the runway, those variations registered almost like subtle edits within the same sentence, small adjustments that altered the feel of the look without disturbing its balance.

Within Men’s Spring Summer 2026, the sneaker sits comfortably inside the collection’s language of controlled proportion and steady line. It feels resolved, considered, fully absorbed into the way the season presents itself on foot, giving the show a quiet coherence that holds from the first exit to the final walk.

all visuals
LOUIS VUITTON SS26

Copenhagen Fashion Week at 20 - Cecilie Bahnsen and Fine Chaos

Two Generations of Copenhagen Fashion

In The Designers’ Words

written JUSTINA SNOW

Do you remember the time when you turned twenty? It seemed like from now on you would enter a different era, and everything would be different. You feel more professional when ‘-teen’ is no longer attached to your age, and you feel like now you will finally be taken seriously.

Copenhagen Fashion Week SS26 / Cecilie Bahnsen by James Cochrane

Copenhagen Fashion Week SS26 / Cecilie Bahnsen by James Cochrane

Copenhagen Fashion Week just turned 20. And even though Copenhagen has long been a major city on the fashion map, it still is a big milestone. Maturity really shows here - Copenhagen Fashion Week has developed its own values, which include sustainability - it’s the only fashion week that has mandatory standards requiring at least 50% of collections to be certified, recycled, or upcycled. It is also the only fashion week where 70% of the brands on the schedule are women-led.

As it’s so appropriate for a bright young thing, it is very progressive and fast-changing, and it also has so much power to influence other cities. I met two brands from different fashion generations — Cecilie Bahnsen and Fine Chaos — to discuss about how they view the fashion industry change in Copenhagen (and as a whole), to reflect on its past and future, and to see if any generational differences exist, even in fashion.

Designer Portrait / Cecilie Bahnsen

Cecilie Bahnsen, who began working as an assistant to Danish designer Anja Vang Krag in 2007, is now one of the most well-known and successful Danish fashion names. I met Cecilie Bahnsen in a bookstore, where she hosted a signing event for A Magazine Curated by, marking the first time the magazine was curated by a Danish designer, with her name standing alongside Martin Margiela, Riccardo Tisci, and other fashion legends. Cecilie revealed that she is also a collector of the magazine.

Copenhagen Fashion Week SS26 / Cecilie Bahnsen by James Cochrane

Copenhagen Fashion Week SS26 / Cecilie Bahnsen by James Cochrane

Justina Snow
You founded your brand more than 10 years ago. What changes in the fashion industry, and in Copenhagen specifically, have you noticed since you started the brand?

Cecilie Bahnsen
For me, being part of Copenhagen Fashion Week was a way of finding my Scandinavian voice - or my brand’s voice - and embracing it. When I started, it was amazing to see so many Danish designers beginning to establish their Scandinavian identity. Seeing how far Copenhagen Fashion Week has come over the past 10 years, and being part of that journey, has been very special.

Copenhagen Fashion Week is the only major fashion week with so many women-led brands on its schedule. Why do you think Copenhagen has this, while other fashion weeks remain more male-dominated?

I think life happens at a different pace here, and I see more balance, which gives room for collaboration and creativity. The inspiring environment and calmness of the city also make it easier to thrive and seem to encourage and motivate this focus on women-led brands.

You’re very active internationally. How does the experience of being in Paris compare to being in Copenhagen?

Copenhagen is an amazing base - it’s home, but it's also true that the brand is very international. First, moving to Paris was really incredible. For me, the couture and the romance are deeply inherited in the brand. I spent a few years in Paris before moving back to Copenhagen (Cecilie was interning for John Galliano in Paris early in her career), and now I feel like my heart belongs to both places. It’s incredible to come back to Copenhagen but also to show collections in Paris.

And I think it´s a perfect balance because your brand in the context of Paris feels and looks very different.

Yes. But also nowadays fashion weeks are collaborating more, which is really exciting.

A slightly wishful question: we’re now celebrating 20 years of Copenhagen Fashion Week. Looking ahead, where do you see Copenhagen fashion in another 20 years?

I hope it continues to celebrate creativity, personality, and uniqueness. I appreciate that you see the brand as established, but I remember when I was a student, the first show I saw in Copenhagen was Henrik Vibskov and it was a big thing for me. That energy of creativity was something important to hold on to. It’s about staying inspired, following your creative vision, and seeing how far you can take it.

Designer Portrait / Fine Chaos

The young, ambitious brand Fine Chaos also hit major milestones in their career this time. While only having their first show in 2023, they recently expanded their creative team, which helped them develop their jewelry and accessories line, creating an even more immersive, futuristic, yet still underground universe. Tone-Lise, who is now the head of design, started at the brand founded by Marc C. Møllerskov as an intern and emphasizes the importance of community in fashion.

Copenhagen Fashion Week FW26 / Fine Chaos by James Cochrane

Copenhagen Fashion Week FW26 / Fine Chaos by James Cochrane

Copenhagen Fashion Week FW26 / Fine Chaos by James Cochrane

Justina Snow
You started the brand in 2021, with the first show being in 2023, and a lot of growth has happened since then. In the grand scheme of things, five years is not a lot, but do you already see a difference in the fashion scene from when you started to now?

Fine Chaos
I think consumers are reaching a turning point where they need to have a story behind the garment. Also, before, the fashion industry was very closed off, and we’re trying to open it up to everybody, to be seen as humans and not as somebody who sits on their throne. It’s important not to be a private party, because at the end of the day we are all expressing ourselves through it.

If you had to pick only one thing about Fine Chaos, what are you most proud of?

That people are so open-minded within the brand, and that it feels like a family. When I started as an intern, I was actually homeless, and it always felt like home. Also, the ability to sense what is going on in the world and to communicate it through clothing. You can turn off your phone, turn off the TV, but we still try to confront people using fashion as a medium.

I liked the phrase on your homepage that ‘you as a brand are not yet sustainable.’ That’s very honest. Do you think the fashion world would benefit if more brands admitted that?

Definitely, because there’s no brand that’s truly sustainable. It’s not possible to produce something new without impacting the planet. It’s about taking accountability and thinking about how to make it better. That’s why, for us, it’s very important to be responsible, because we are also part of the burden on the world. It’s also important that consumers see value in what they’re buying - it has to be an investment.

Copenhagen is the only fashion week where the majority of brands are women-led. Why do you think this happens here and not in other fashion capitals?

I would say we see each other more as equals here. In our brand, too - Mark and I - we are equals. It’s funny, because a lot of internship applicants we get are mainly women. We haven’t had a man apply for a design internship, which actually would be great too. In other fashion cities, however, sexism in the fashion industry is a huge problem. I think some people are still drawn to how it was back in the day, and it has become seen as ‘how it should be.’ My brain is sobbing thinking about this. I hope one day they will look at Copenhagen as one of the leading fashion weeks and take it as an example.

We are celebrating 20 years of Copenhagen Fashion Week. If we look 20 years from now, what kind of fashion industry would you like to find yourself in?

To be honest, I would love to see fewer brands, with all of them understanding how their production affects the planet and people. I would also like to see fashion be more open to everybody, not like a private party, as we talked about before - because everybody is wearing clothes, regardless of whether you are into fashion or not. And more women.

Copenhagen Fashion Week FW26 / Fine Chaos by James Cochrane

Copenhagen Fashion Week FW26 / Fine Chaos by James Cochrane

Berlin Fashion Week - New Generation of German Fashion

Berlin Fashion Week frames a New Generation of German Fashion

A review of the BFW Fall/Winter 2026 Collections

written KLAAS HAMMER

New and emerging labels, established talents and brands that found their way to the city through "Intervention" initiated by Reference Studios all presented their collections, while at the very beginning only one topic was on everyone’s minds: the icy cold.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / IOANNES seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / IOANNES seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / IOANNES seen by Lewin Berninger

IOANNES

Friday evening opened with one of the most hyped brands on the schedule. Ioannes, the label by designer Johannes Boehl Cronau, delivered a show that practically screamed chic and expensive. The looks were undeniably sexy, defined by sharp cuts, confident tailoring, and styling that paired pointed-toe stilettos with sleek, polished sunglasses. For what he describes as his final traditional runway collection, Cronau delved deep into his own archive to distill what "Ioannes-ness" means today. Looking ahead, he plans to step away from the seasonal fashion calendar altogether, evolving the brand into a holistic lifestyle project that will eventually include furniture and objects. Berlin, he explains, is the ideal place to pursue this vision—a city that allows him to build on his own terms, free from the crushing weight of heritage or the immediate pressure of commercial perfection.

The collection itself drew heavily on the aesthetics of the 1990s: sleek silhouettes reminiscent of his mother’s black Jil Sander office suits, sharp yet relaxed in their execution. There was a distinct Euro jet-set mood hovering somewhere between glamour and ennui. Yet playfulness was never far away. Cronau employed pyrography, burning wood, to transfer floral motifs onto garments, describing it as a "tension between the precision of tailoring and the rawness of the burn on bodycon dresses." Trousers flared subtly at the hem, while outerwear leaned into tactile textures, with coarse, hair-like surfaces that nodded to retro luxury without directly imitating it. With this collection, Cronau made it clear that he is no longer interested in proving relevance. For him, true resonance cannot be measured by algorithms; it can only be felt. Watching the show, I felt it instantly: I want to be a person who wears Ioannes.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / MARKE seen by Andreas Hofrichter

MARKE

The next label to watch is MARKE by Mario Keine. What Ioannes represents for women, MARKE positions itself as a compelling counterpart in menswear. For those drawn to precise tailoring and classic silhouettes with a subtle, playful twist, this is a name worth remembering. The new collection combined clean, corporate forms with historic materials, highlighting the tension between discipline and emotion, individuality and conformity. It would not be surprising to see a major VIP step onto a red carpet in one of Keine’s designs in the near future. Like few others, MARKE manages to feel timeless and contemporary at once. Born from a sense of helplessness triggered by the constant flow of information on social media, where context and knowledge often dissolve into fast-consumed, surface-level content, the collection explored a softer side of masculinity. Black veils, roses, and long draped silhouettes brought emotion and vulnerability into sharp tailoring.

On a cold, grey winter day in Berlin, the looks, especially those in shades of grey, felt striking, quietly powerful and unexpectedly sensual. They were the kind of pieces you immediately wanted to take home, look after look. As the fashion crowd moved on to the next show, Keine remained by the exit, visibly relieved and content.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / SF1OG seen by Tom Funk

SF1OG

SF1OG presented a runway show that explored the tension between privacy and visibility, guided by the central question: "Who are we when no one is watching?" Designer Rosa Marga Dahl and Jacob Langemeyer drew inspiration from intimate paparazzi images of early-2000s pop stars and the Victorian era’s mourning dress, using fashion as both a shield and a form of expression. The collection played with contrasts—revealing versus hiding, softness versus structure—through layered silhouettes, high collars, hoods, and garments designed to obscure the body and face. Tailoring appeared in new, sculptural forms shaped away from the body, while slim-fit denim referenced early 2010s youth culture, a bold move that resonated strongly with international buyers. Materiality remained central to SF1OG’s identity: reused antique linens, leather, and shearling were combined with silk, sequins, and velvet, creating pieces that felt worn-in rather than pristine. Signature elements such as bar jackets with flared peplums were paired with oversized knits and scarves, reinforcing the idea of clothing as emotional protection.
Set in a brutalist postwar building in Berlin, the show emphasized SF1OG’s clear point of view and increasing confidence as a brand. SF1OG continues to position itself as one of the most relevant emerging labels shaping the future of German fashion.

Taking place on February 2 during Berlin Fashion Week, INTERVENTION V is a one-day festival combining runway shows, talks, and listening formats at Kraftwerk Berlin. The former power station serves as a multidisciplinary venue for fashion, music, and contemporary culture.

The program opens with the first-ever collaboration between Reference Studios and TED, bringing fashion and design into TED’s cultural dialogue for the first time. Runway shows unfold across Kraftwerk’s ground and first floors, featuring BUZIGAHILL, Kenneth Ize, DAGGER, JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN, and GmbH, offering a focused snapshot of independent, globally minded fashion today. Let’s have a look at our two favorite shows:

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / John Lawrence Sullivan seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / John Lawrence Sullivan seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / John Lawrence Sullivan seen by Lewin Berninger

JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN

One of the new brands to arrive in Berlin through INTERVENTION was John Lawrence Sullivan. Founded by Arashi Yanagawa, who worked as a professional boxer before turning to fashion, the label has previously shown in Tokyo, Paris, and London. After the show at Berlin’s Kraftwerk, it was clear that John Lawrence Sullivan fits seamlessly into the city’s often dark, raw aesthetic.

The collection featured long coats, tailored jackets, and bomber jackets, with hero pieces shaping the body into a forward-leaning posture reminiscent of a boxer’s fighting stance. A predominantly dark color palette, well suited to Berlin’s nightlife, was complemented by snow white and icy silver tones that evoked Nordic nights and a sharp sense of cold. Stud and spike details on boots and bags, along with sheer mesh long sleeves, completed the subculture-inspired looks, perfectly aligned with a fashion crowd moving through the city in temperatures as low as minus ten degrees. The womenswear followed the same concept as the menswear, with exaggerated shoulder silhouettes as a key visual element.
Speaking after the show, Yanagawa cited Norwegian black metal as a major influence, emphasizing themes of strength, independence, and looking forward. A strong and convincing Berlin debut from the former boxer.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / GMBH seen by Lewin Berninger

GMBH

One of the most anticipated shows of Berlin Fashion Week, GmbH returned to its hometown with a powerful runway presentation that reaffirmed fashion as a political voice. Designers Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Işık continue to position the brand as an advocate for marginalized communities, using clothing as a form of resistance and expression.

Titled "Doppelgänger," the collection responded to a world shaped by violence, fear, and manipulation, referencing the idea of distorted realities where power, greed, and ideology blur truth and fiction. Drawing inspiration from Berlin’s early 1980s experimental music scene, particularly industrial and synth influences the show reflected a time when the city stood for counterculture and utopian ideals. The collection featured signature GmbH pieces: over-the-knee boots, leather trousers with zipper details, fur bomber jackets with oversized collars, and sharp tailoring with trousers in focus. Voluminous silhouettes were balanced with slim long-sleeves and loose tops, while long scarves softened the structured looks. A mostly neutral palette was interrupted by a striking black floral print on white. Beyond the clothes, the show emphasized community and solidarity. The casting brought together men of different backgrounds and body types, reinforcing GmbH’s inclusive ethos. Presented in freezing temperatures, the designers also used the moment on Instagram to call for donations to Berlin’s "Kältebus", underlining their commitment to action beyond the runway. With this show, GmbH once again proved why it remains one of Berlin’s most relevant and politically engaged fashion brands.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / GMBH seen by Lewin Berninger

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 / GMBH seen by Lewin Berninger

Taakk - Fall/Winter 2026 Review

Taakk FW26 - Over 2,000 Years in the Making

A review of the Taakk Fall/Winter 2026 collection

written MALCOLM THOMAS

A rain of mist fell on La Tour d'Eiffel, its imposing presence seemed to devour the streets around it. Standing proud amongst its subjects, gazing in awe. Perhaps its purview extended to Taakk’s Fall/Winter 2026 show held at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine on January 25, for which anyone should certainly be proud. Undoubtedly, Japanese designer Takuya Morikawa, who delivered his strongest collection to date. 

Paris Fashion Week FW26
TAAKK Fall/Winter 2026 Menswear

Inspired by the Jōmon, an early Japanese hunter, gatherer, and agricultural society spanning 10,000 years (roughly 14,000-300 BCE), much like the Jomon themselves, Morikawa wanted to pay tribute to the land, “living in harmony with nature; the forest, ocean, rivers and all,” the designer wrote in his program. 

This started from an unlikely and controversial place—fur, which was collected from production byproduct and pieced together to create the most beautiful and ethical jackets, bags, and trimmings—a new offering for Taakk. To gradient fabrics and masterful embroidery techniques. Warping cotton on denim to imitate tree bark, raw and unpolished, is one of many Morikawa innovations over the years.

After the finale, models stood for guests to marvel. People cheered, took out their phones, ran their hands through the textiles, and wondered why they hadn’t discovered Taakk sooner. I imagine Morikawa must’ve felt this, too. Now it was time for people to pay tribute to him.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
TAAKK Fall/Winter 2026 Menswear, Final

Paris Fashion Week FW26
TAAKK Fall/Winter 2026 Menswear, Takuya Morikawa

about the editor
When not reviewing shows or writing features, Malcolm spends his time as Founder & Editorial Director of Malcolm + Friends Agency. A full-service agency powered by a global community of freelancers, consultants, and creative partners from leading brands and institutions.


all images (c) TAAKK Press

Paris Fashion Week Streetstyles AW26

OUTSIDE THE SHOWS
*That’s Paris Fashion Week Menswear FW26

written LE MILE

Outside the official schedules and away from the controlled choreography of the runway, Paris Fashion Week Menswear FW26 revealed its most telling moments in motion, on the pavement, between shows, in passing glances and improvised silhouettes. This season unfolded against a backdrop of recalibration. Many houses leaned into clarity over spectacle, refining archetypes. Tailoring returned with sharper intent, volume was handled with restraint, and references to utility, workwear, and heritage were filtered through a more personal lens. Elsewhere, softness crept in through colour, texture, and gesture, suggesting a quieter confidence shaping contemporary menswear.

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
RICK OWENS

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
RICK OWENS

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
TAAKK

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
TAAKK

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
KIDSUPER

Captured by Ian Kobylanski, Outside the Shows turns its focus to the characters who animate this in-between space. Individuals assembling their own visual language from fragments of the season: elongated coats, experimental layering, archival gestures, subcultural echoes, and moments of playful disruption.

Shot during the final days of the Paris circuit in late January, the series reflects a city momentarily transformed into a moving archive of ideas. Outside the Shows shows how fashion is lived, negotiated, and reimagined in real time.

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
Michèle Lamy, COMME des GARÇONS

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
COMME des GARCONS

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
White Mountaineering

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
KIDSUPER

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
AMIRI

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
LOUIS VUITTON

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
HERMES

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
LOUIS VUITTON

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
DIOR

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
Pharell Williams, SACAI

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
JOON.J

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
JOON.J

Paris Fashion Week FALL-WINTER 2026
DOUBLET

all visuals
(c) IAN KOBYLANSKI

Paris Fashion Week Menswear FW26, January 2026

Celine - Inside the Fall/Winter 2026 Menswear Collection

How Michael Rider Is Reframing Celine Menswear for Fall/Winter 2026

A review of the Celine Fall/Winter 2026 menswear collection

written MALCOLM THOMAS

“We took the frame of menswear, and what Celine stands for, and then talked a lot about the energy of today, the here and now, the way people live and want to look,” said Celine Creative Director, Michael Rider.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Celine Fall/Winter 2026 Menswear

Officially, his second collection for the house. It appears Rider’s approach is more Phoebe Philo than Slimane, and entirely more down- to-earth, 16 Rue Vivienne, to be exact, the brand’s headquarters and showroom, where his under-the-radar second collection was presented. Unlike his debut, there was no runway show. No flashing lightbulbs, no V.I.P. wrangling or seating politics, this season. No pomp and circumstance. Instead, a well-merchandised presentation, a tower of American-style blue jeans, an S-curve footwear assortment, and a thoughtfully curated edit of key looks to peruse with champagne and hors d’oeuvres in hand. “Character over costume,” was the designer’s directive.

An electric blue button-up paired with trousers and a camel coat first caught my glance; the same blue also made an appearance in a shirt jacket and matching sweater. Then there were the bolder pieces: the single shoulder button pin leather jacket, for instance, rock n’ garde remnants of Monsieur Slimane’s time at the house, featuring hippie hugger sayings like “Hugs Not Drugs,” and “It won’t be a party if I’m not invited.”  You know the saying, once a bad boy…

But while Slimane was more likely to rock the boat, Rider is more likely to steer it.

Who wants to get wet anyway?

about the editor
When not reviewing shows or writing features, Malcolm spends his time as Founder & Editorial Director of Malcolm + Friends Agency. A full-service agency powered by a global community of freelancers, consultants, and creative partners from leading brands and institutions.


all images (c) CELINE Press, seen by Zoe Ghertner

Algieri - Paris Fall/Winter 2026 Show Review

Algieri Paris: Fashion and a Show

A review of the Algieri Paris Fall/Winter 2026 show

written MALCOLM THOMAS

Deep in the 14th arrondissement on a cold night, I sat inside the Chapelle Sainte Jeanne D’Arc, a Neo-Gothic church so remote even a Parisian taxi driver couldn’t find it. The grand darkness of the church, named after patron saint Joan of Arc (you know the one), was as much of a character as the performance itself.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Algieri Paris Fall/Winter 2026 Show

A ghoulish fog hung over the stage as a DJ appeared, and shortly after, a chanteuse unveiled her bejeweled-encrusted gown that shimmered as her voice soothed even the darkest corners of the church. Dancers in white enveloped her like a dying flower come back to life, then made their way to the tables populated with silver dishes in the center of the floor. They began staining their white uniforms black. One let out a scream, and the fashion part of the show began.

The collection, entirely in black, created (mostly) in deadstock fabric and exaggerated and restrictive structures and silhouettes in varying cashmere, leather, lace, feathers, metal, and stones, needed no such introduction.

Yet, the full-bodysuits, one made entirely of feathers, the voluminous floor-length fur, and the chainmail dress made of keys cling-clanging as it walked past to a melody of its own, were their own kind of show. 

Founded in 2022, Algieri Paris has a vested interest in the re-contextualization of gender and body norms, often collaborating with local drag queens and underground celebrities. Raphaël Algieri’s sex-positive avant-garde design language was honed at L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués (LISAA) and École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC). Nods to Louise Bourgeois and the sensuality of Robert Mapplethorpe’s famous black and white portraits can also be found in Algieri’s work. Named after the designer’s Italian great-grandmother, Filomena Algieri, who decided not to marry and to pass down her name instead. There is not an inch of Algieri that isn’t rich with subversion. 

When the show ended, I walked the eighteen minutes to the nearest metro in the rain. I laughed to myself. I almost missed this show. I’m glad I didn’t.

about the editor
When not reviewing shows or writing features, Malcolm spends his time as Founder & Editorial Director of Malcolm + Friends Agency. A full-service agency powered by a global community of freelancers, consultants, and creative partners from leading brands and institutions.


all images (c) Algieri Paris Press

H&M and e.l.f. Cosmetics - Translating Everyday Beauty Into Fragrance

Why This H&M and e.l.f. Cosmetics Collaboration Thinks About Scent as a System

written LE MILE

Fragrance rarely enters the world quietly. New launches tend to arrive wrapped in mythology, spectacle, or aspirational distance. The collaboration between H&M and e.l.f. Cosmetics takes a different route, it begins with recognition.

Eau de parfum bottles from the H&M and e.l.f. Cosmetics
fragrance collaboration inspired by Power Grip, Halo Glow and Camo

The limited eau de parfum collection represents a first for both brands. H&M enters a formal beauty partnership for the first time. e.l.f. introduces fragrance into its product universe for the first time.
Power Grip, Halo Glow and Camo are already embedded in everyday use. They are functional, widely used products with established emotional associations. Translating them into fragrance is a practical decision as much as a creative one.

Power Grip – Salty Drip is built around eucalyptus, cedarwood and sea salt. The structure is clear and restrained. Cooling notes meet dry woods and mineral elements, resulting in a fragrance that feels direct and purposeful. It carries a sense of clarity that mirrors the product line it references, something designed to hold, to stabilise, to stay in place.

Halo Glow – Luminous Cloud moves into a softer register with magnolia, vanilla and amber. The scent develops gently, staying light and consistent over time. It reflects the visual logic of Halo Glow as a product known for diffused radiance and subtle warmth.

Camo Blend – Nude Canvas brings vanilla, musk and palo santo together in a composition that sits close to skin. The scent develops gradually, shaped by body heat. There is a quiet depth to it, one that mirrors Camo’s long-standing association with adaptability and coverage.

All three eau de parfums are vegan and positioned at an accessible price point. Scale, inclusion, and everyday use have long shaped both brands’ identities, and the fragrance collection reflects that continuity. The campaign supporting the launch reinforces this approach. Directed by Tanu Muino, it centres on movement. An original track titled “spritz. walk. waft.” provides rhythm, while choreography demonstrates how scent travels through bodies in motion. Fragrance is treated as physical and spatial.

watch film by TANU MUINO

Launching globally on 29 January 2026, the collection will be available in selected H&M stores and online.

all images (c) H&M Press

Christian Louboutin - Jaden Smith Debuts Menswear Collection FW26

Jaden Smith Debuts Menswear Collection For Christian Louboutin

A review of the Christian Louboutin Fall/Winter 2026 menswear collection

written MALCOLM THOMAS

When it was announced last September that Christian Louboutin had appointed its first-ever Men’s Creative Director, it marked a bold new chapter for the brand. A brand that, at that point, had already left its global footprint on one of fashion’s most lucrative categories.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

Emerging not just as another shoe brand, catered to women on the rise but as a sexy symbol of status, most notable for its blood red soles, known en masse as red bottoms, and framed in perpetuity as “bloody shoes” by Cardi B in her chart-topping smash, Bodak Yellow, a song that ironically did as much for her career as it did to cement Christian Louboutin in the culture.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

It was over 15 years ago that Louboutin launched its menswear line. A sub-category which now accounts for 24% of its business, and it was more than six years ago when the designer began a dialogue with then, 21-year-old, Jaden Smith. A child of parents who in their own right, had a part in shaping culture. A dialogue between the two seemed fitting— his appointment as a creative stakeholder seemed shocking—remember that bold new chapter?

Unveiled Wednesday at an elaborate exhibition in Paris, somewhere between cinema and mythology, the Fall/Winter 2026 menswear collection was displayed. Heroed by shoes, of course, merchandized on antiquity-inspired columns throughout, with accompanying wall placards, the same kind you might find in a gallery or museum. The positioning was clear. Less status. More art.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

From the virality of the campaign imagery, projected full screen on the wall and in a viewing area, Smith’s bare-chested body, painted in red, also on display—a kind of nod to the rapper’s full creative immersion, to the role itself, these were made for see and be seen moments. Some moments, bolder than others, fur boots for instance, worn by Jaden Smith, himself in the video, certainly not made for wallflowers, but rather a temperature check of how far Christian and Jaden are willing to go. Wax-dripped boots were another editorial moment, which I think may also have a retail moment too, as well as logo-ed belts and a utility bag with titled pockets and compartments, stone masons and scribes among Smith’s inspiration and romanticization of the working man.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

Next: a full collection slated for runway and sale next season, and the capsule collection in select boutiques and on christianlouboutin.com. Available now.

Paris Fashion Week FW26
Jaden Smith Menswear Collection for Christian Louboutin

about the editor
When not reviewing shows or writing features, Malcolm spends his time as Founder & Editorial Director of Malcolm + Friends Agency. A full-service agency powered by a global community of freelancers, consultants, and creative partners from leading brands and institutions.


all images (c) Christian Louboutin Press

Pitti Uomo 109 - The Future of Menswear FW26

Threads in Motion
Pitti Uomo 109

written CHIDOZIE OBASI

Everything is movement, transformation, story and progression: the theme chosen for the winter edition of Pitti Immagine unleashes a tale of dynamic expression, alongside the many inspirations that stem from this idea of movement.

Motion is a concept that transcends all manner of disciplines from politics to cinema, but also stands as a commitment and as an ability to to bring together an energy that leads to new figures in fashion. Movement, like the word itself, refers to something that evolves, breaking away from tradition and returning to it: it becomes a voice for ideals, cultures, connections and commitment. It also adapts to the body and, by dressing it, amplifies its presence by becoming a gesture and identity. Motion also becomes an emotion: a poetic flow, an energy of becoming and a movement of the soul.

Pitti Immagine Uomo 109
FW26 Season

Antonio De Matteis, President of Pitti Immagine, has a positive mindset of this edition. “If we have this quality across the board, we need to be thankful for the commercial partnerships between institutions and the brands,” he opined at the press conference. “Let’s look at the beauty of what we do, and the effort of our entrepreneurs — Pitti Uomo is the only fair on an international scale for menswear that was able to grow and scale its weight globally. It’s not easy to renovate a fair every six months, but it’s all down to the exceptional team work we pour in. We have the most important buyers in the world in town, and the distribution — given by the key retailers — helped some of the smallest names who started from here, who grew so much.”

There’s some highlights of this season, including the FW26 collection from Sebago which revolves around three creative worlds. Preppy Heritage evolves the iconic brand aesthetic by combining tradition and urban spirit with modern materials, updated lines and sartorial details. Fly Fishing draws inspiration from fly fishing and outdoor life in Maine, with functional garments, textured fabrics and natural colour palettes reminiscent of forests and water. Ranch, on the other hand, reflects the more rural and mountainous side of the American outdoors, with sturdy garments, handcrafted finishes and an authentic, raw aesthetic reinterpreted in a contemporary key.

GAS decisively reaffirms its essence: denim.
 A fundamental element and hallmark of the brand, denim once again becomes the starting point for a story that spans cities, cultures and attitudes, transforming itself into a universal language capable of adapting to different styles, genres and contexts. Under the theme Urban Souls, the collection explores the dynamic, metropolitan soul of the season, giving life to Collective Denim Identities: a choral narrative in which denim becomes a symbol of freedom, personal expression and belonging. A versatile material that transcends barriers and transforms itself depending on how it is worn, moving from everyday to special occasions, from essential to fashionable. At the heart of the collection is a wide Wash Spectrum, which spans all shades of indigo – from the deepest raw to the lightest and most authentic shades – creating a solid, recognisable and contemporary denim offering. The colour palette is based on essential neutrals, the ideal base for essentials and fashion items, enriched with seasonal accents.

Pitti Immagine Uomo 109
FW26 Season / brand SEBAGO

Pitti Immagine Uomo 109
FW26 Season / brand SEBAGO

Pitti Immagine Uomo 109
FW26 Season / brand SEBAGO

Consinee, a leading Chinese group in the global market for fine yarns and cashmere fibres from certified and sustainable supply chains, has entrusted the artistic direction of its new project for Pitti Uomo 109 to Sara Sozzani Maino, involving designer Galib Gassanoff at the helm of creative development, presenting Echoes of Craft. Continuous experimentation combined with a deeper understanding of the fibre's versatility are the cornerstones of Consinee's non-commercial creative platform, which evolves from season to season to create new, free and stimulating narratives.

Sara Sozzani Maino, creative director of the Sozzani Foundation, invites Galib Gassanoff, a designer renowned for his creativity and strong vision, to embark on a new aesthetic exploration through raw materials, developing an original narrative in which artistic heritage becomes a return to our roots, to which we remain anchored.

Pitti Immagine Uomo 109
FW26 Season / brand Consinee

Pitti Immagine Uomo 109
FW26 Season / brand Consinee

ANTIK BATIK founded, directed and creatively designed by Gabriella Cortese, a Paris-based stylist and entrepreneur, the iconic French Maison with its bohemian-chic style will present its Autumn-Winter 26/27 men's ready-to-wear collections at Pitti Uomo. Gabriella Cortese will be present throughout the show to meet international buyers and press representatives.After more than thirty years dedicated exclusively to women's wear, Gabriella Cortese introduced the ANTIK BATIK men's collections in 2024 with a first capsule collection, presented in Paris during Paris Men's Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2024. Since then, the men's line has grown steadily, establishing itself as a natural and consistent extension of the brand's DNA. This evolutionary path now leads ANTIK BATIK to Pitti Uomo, marking a new and significant strategic milestone for the Maison.

Pitti Immagine Uomo 109
FW26 Season / brand ANTIK BATIK

CELINE Charms Collection - Personal Jewelry

CELINE Charms Collection
Sets a New Code for Personal Jewelry

The CELINE Charms collection sits within the current vocabulary of the house, but it moves with its own logic. Seen on the runway in unapologetically dense clusters, the charms shift the attention toward how people build identity through small objects.

There is no single instruction for wearing them, only the suggestion that jewellery can function as a set of personal signals rather than a fixed decorative layer. The pieces carry a deliberate sense of weight. Some reference the Triomphe, the long-running CELINE code that has travelled across bags, buckles, and hardware. Others push into new shapes that feel more like found symbols than seasonal designs. Together they form an assortment that lends itself to mixing rather than categorising. CELINE frames them as collectibles in the press notes, and the idea fits. They work best when assembled gradually, when the accumulation starts to say something about the hands that put them together.

The collection stretches across gold and silver finishes, sometimes polished, sometimes softened. The tension between the metals gives the charms a lived-in presence, not in a nostalgic way but in a straightforward acknowledgment that jewellery gains meaning through constant use. It is easy to move them from a bracelet to a necklace or to pin them to a jacket, which turns the collection into something closer to a modular system. The wearers decide the scale, the noise, the density, CELINE keeps the structure open on purpose.

As new motifs enter the collection each season, the line grows in a way that feels continuous. Designs shift, earlier symbols reappear, and the combinations evolve with the same casual logic people use when they pick up small objects over time. Some charms stay, others move from one piece of jewellery to another, and a few drift out of circulation entirely. The collection supports that slow accumulation, treating personal editing as an essential part of how the pieces function. It builds an aesthetic that comes together through repetition and daily use.

Placed within CELINE’s larger universe, the charms become a quiet extension of the house without slipping into the language usually tied to jewellery campaigns. Their scale keeps them close to the body in a practical way, allowing them to shift between bracelets, necklaces, and safety pins with no hierarchy in how they should be worn. That flexibility creates a more grounded form of expression. The pieces align with how people handle accessories they reach for constantly, moving them around until the arrangement feels right. In that sense, the relevance of the collection comes from its openness. The line continues without finality. New pieces enter, older ones remain in circulation, and the set adjusts through use. This movement keeps the collection active and connected to the person who builds it.

watch
campaign film

all visuals
CELINE 2025

Polène Paris - Numéro Neuf East-West

Holiday Edit
Polène’s Numéro Neuf East-West

written AMANDA MORTENSON

Polène entered the industry in 2016 with an unusual clarity of purpose. The three founding siblings, Elsa, Mathieu, and Antoine Mothay, built the brand around a conviction that design, craftsmanship, and material should form a single conversation.

They wanted a house that felt contemporary in its rhythm yet grounded in the discipline of artisanship. Within a few years, that direction resonated globally. Polène opened spaces in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Copenhagen, and Hamburg, each reflecting their attitude toward calm precision and intuitive form. The growth felt fast, but inside the brand the focus stayed steady: refine, edit, and let the work speak. What shaped Polène’s rise is their close connection with Ubrique, the leather-making region in southern Spain. More than 2,200 craftspeople bring the designs to life, giving the brand a direct link to a long-standing tradition. The Paris design studio develops the visual language; the artisans translate it into structure, weight, and tactility. This exchange has defined Polène’s identity—clean silhouettes, sculpted leather, organic lines shaped by hand. Their collections show a consistency that comes from respect for the material and for the people who work it.

Polène also thinks in systems. Circularity became part of their process early on. They introduced the Plèi collection, where leftover leather from bag production becomes macramé surfaces, bead work, objects, and collaborative pieces with guest artisans. The intention is simple: use material fully and treat every offcut as something with potential. In 2023, the brand expanded into jewelry, produced by Italian specialists and plated with 24-carat gold. The pieces follow the same design instincts—shaping, folding, and texturing the metal with the same attention given to leather.

Among all lines, the Numéro Neuf collection has become a signature. First introduced in 2020, it reflects the house’s interest in structure softened by movement. Full-grain calfskin is molded, draped, stitched, and shaped until it carries volume and gentleness. It is one of the clearest expressions of Polène’s vision and a marker of how the brand approaches form.

Polène Paris
Numéro Neuf East West bag Camel

Polène Paris
Numéro Neuf East West bag Ebony

This season, the Numéro Neuf East-West marks a new chapter. The design extends the original silhouette into a long, horizontal format and introduces a shoulder-bag version for the first time. It reads as confident and composed, with a contemporary zip closure and an elongated profile that gives the piece a distinct attitude. Available in Black, Camel, Taupe, Chalk, Ebony, Black Cherry, and Sand, the model is crafted in Ubrique using the same meticulous process as the rest of the collection. Every detail shows intention, from the shaping of the leather to the precise seams that hold the draping in place.

Polène Paris
Numéro Neuf East West bag Taupe

Polène Paris
www.polene-paris.com

based in Paris, France and creating handcrafted leather goods produced by skilled artisans in Ubrique, Spain

Polène Paris Numéro Neuf East-West price: 440 €

LE MILE selected the Numéro Neuf East-West for this year’s holiday season recommendations because it represents exactly what we look for: a design with clarity, a strong sense of identity, and craftsmanship that feels immediate when you hold the piece. It aligns with Polène’s broader story of thoughtful growth and with our interest in objects that carry aesthetic strength and quiet emotional presence. As the season approaches, this bag stands as one of the most grounded and assured releases of the year—an example of how contemporary leather goods can be relevant, refined, and deeply considered.

Polène Paris
Numéro Neuf East West bag Chalke

Polène Paris
Numéro Neuf East West bag Chalke

Polène Paris
Numéro Neuf East West bag Taupe

Inside BDK Parfums Vanille Caviar - David Benedek and Alexandra Carlin

BDK Parfums Vanille Caviar

*A conversation on scent, texture, and the quiet architecture of desire

written + interview ALBAN E. SMAJLI

The afternoon opened inside a suite at Château Royal in Berlin. The rain pressed against the windows, the city somewhere below, blurred and slow. The air in the room carried a scent that felt immediate, dense, deliberate. David Benedek and Alexandra Carlin sat on a sofa, both dressed entirely in black, her blond hair catching the only light.

On the table, a single vanilla pod and the new perfume, radiating its presence before anyone spoke. The conversation began in that atmosphere, unhurried, shaped by the perfume itself, expanding through pauses and silences that smelled of warmth and depth.

They spoke about texture, about the way matter finds rhythm, about Pierre Soulages and the color black when it starts to behave like light. Vanilla, for them, is not an ingredient but a substance that carries memory, a kind of living pigment. The dialogue moved with a certain discipline, each idea unfolding as if sculpted. The perfume followed every word, invisible yet precise, marking the air with the same structure that defines the formula. Hours later the day continued at The Feuerle Collection. The city had dissolved into night, and the bunker-turned-museum seemed built for this scent. Antiques glowed beside a table that extended into darkness, lined with bottles of Vanille Caviar—glass bodies filled with golden liquid. The dinner stretched into conversation, the perfume still present, subtle, constant, shaping the mood of the room. But before language fails to describe what still lingers from that evening we return to where it began, the interview and the visuals that carry its echo.

BDK Parfums
Vanille Caviar, 100ml

Alexandra Carlin and David Benedek
at Feuerle Collection

David, you speak about Madagascar and Pierre Soulages. How did those two worlds meet in Vanille Caviar?

David
I’ve always been passionate about art since I was very young — as Alexandra has been too. When we first met, it was supposed to be just a lunch, but it lasted all afternoon. We discovered that we share the same love for art. One of my favorite artists is Pierre Soulages, but I also admire Rothko and all artists who work deeply with texture, color, and abstraction.
The first time I went to Madagascar, I witnessed a vanilla harvest and saw what we call the “caviar” of vanilla — the black grains inside the pod. When I shared this idea with Alexandra, she immediately understood what I meant. That sparked a conversation between us. From there, the project evolved — first through the idea of the smell and texture of vanilla caviar, and then into the visual and tactile world of Soulages, his play of light, depth, and the richness of black.

Alexandra
I also had Soulages in mind when I saw the vanilla fields. When the pods are laid out to dry under the sun, they create this incredible surface — sometimes matte, sometimes glossy — that truly looks like a Soulages painting. Vanilla is such a luxurious ingredient; it takes months to reach that perfect color, scent, and taste.
So, while David expressed his vision through emotion and imagery, I translated those impressions into ingredients. Each ingredient is like a word in my language as a perfumer. My goal was to recreate the sensual, dark texture of this “vanilla caviar.”.

David
It’s really a dialogue between us. I don’t only bring emotions, and she doesn’t only bring raw materials. It’s an ongoing conversation. We share both feelings and technical reflections, building the perfume together over time.

Alexandra, when you first heard David’s vision for Vanille Caviar, how did it take shape for you as a perfumer?

Alexandra
For me, it began with a visual impression — the texture of the vanilla pods drying under the sun and the depth of color, like Soulages’ blacks. I imagined translating that into scent. I used my vocabulary of ingredients to express what we both felt: warmth, sensuality, and complexity. Each raw material became a word in that story.

If you could describe the scent without using the word “vanilla,” what would you say?

David
I’d use three words: dark, enigmatic, and unexpected. It’s not the typical gourmand vanilla we often smell in perfumery. We wanted to show the darker, more leathery side of vanilla — something mysterious that draws you in.

Alexandra
I’d add “umber,” “spicy,” “balsamic,” and “addictive.” It’s warm and rich, but never sticky or overly sweet. There’s a refined sensuality to it.

“The perfume moves like emotions do. It opens fresh and spicy, then becomes warmer and deeper. Vanille Caviar carries the rhythm of life.”

David Benedek

Ann-Christin Witte, Nobilis Group
at Feuerle Collection

Fav Falone
at Feuerle Collection

When you work with something as raw as vanilla, how do you make it breathe on skin?

Alexandra
I wanted to bring the “caviar” of vanilla to life. I used an overdose of two types of vanilla extracts — the CO₂ extract and the absolute — each for different purposes. The goal was to create a texture that feels slightly oily, but in a beautiful way: rich, dense, warm, and balsamic, with a hint of leather.
It’s very much a skin perfume. We paid close attention to strength and sillage — that warm vanilla aura that feels natural, woody, spicy, and true to the raw material, without being overly sweet.

What’s the most human part of this perfume?

David
For me, it’s the evolution of the scent throughout the day. The perfume moves like emotions do. It opens fresh and spicy, then becomes warmer with the vanilla CO₂, the absolute, and the cocoa. It’s like experiencing different moods — the calm of morning, the sensual encounters of the day, the intimacy of evening. Vanille Caviar carries that rhythm of life.

And do you think of Vanille Caviar as tender or restless?

Alexandra
Definitely restless — even rebellious. It was a statement to create this kind of vanilla. The materials we used have strong personalities; they are not quiet ingredients. The perfume asserts itself.

Is there a part of Vanille Caviar you prefer not to explain and keep to yourself?

David
Not really. I wanted to share my full vision of vanilla with everyone — nothing hidden, no secret meaning behind it.

Alexandra
For me, there’s always a little secret in the formula. I keep a few ingredients to myself — elements I use for a very specific purpose. Even David doesn’t know them. Every material I include has meaning, and if it doesn’t, I remove it. That’s my secret: the invisible part of creation.

photographer: Daniel Graf
location: Feuerle Collection, Berlin

thanks to BDK Parfums and NOBILIS Group

DSSLR - A Line Drawn in Motion

DSSLR
*Christoph A. Dassler Returns to the Court

written MONICA DE LUNA

There is a quiet intensity to the way Christoph A. Dassler speaks about design. A sense of continuity runs through his words — a rhythm that connects history with vision, precision with pulse. From Herzogenaurach, the cradle of German sportswear, Dassler steps forward with a new name: DSSLR. It reads like an abbreviation of legacy itself — clean, concise, timeless.

Launched in August 2025, DSSLR by Christoph A. Dassler arrives as a sport and lifestyle brand defined by clarity and conviction. It enters the world with a tennis collection built for the demands of movement, elegance, and responsibility. Each piece aligns with the spirit of today — a moment where performance, sustainability, and creative design form one continuous gesture. DSSLR expands its minimalist line-up, with new colorways launching at the end of November.

DSSLR On Court Women / off white

DSSLR On Court Women + Men

“We are convinced that high standards and low environmental impact can go hand in hand,” says Christoph A. Dassler. The statement carries a sense of commitment, a belief shaped through decades of family innovation and a personal return to his origins. “For me, it was a goal matured over decades to return to the world of sports and fashion,” he adds. DSSLR becomes the realization of that journey — a modern system of values, woven through fabric, form, and philosophy.

At the core lies a dedication to materials. Up to 95 percent of each garment consists of recycled fibers and organic cotton sourced from Portugal. The fabrics move with the body, cooling, protecting, breathing, and maintaining a sense of purity through construction. The On-Court line expresses design intelligence that frames athletic performance as aesthetic experience. UV protection, odor control, and targeted sweat-zone ventilation define a new level of refinement.

The silhouettes are architectural in their intent — cut to mirror the lines of play, engineered for the body’s dynamic rhythm. Each detail is the result of collaboration between Dassler and a team of designers who have shaped collections for global sport houses. Together, they sculpt pieces that feel disciplined yet effortless, merging function, design, and sustainability into a single visual and tactile language.

Beyond the court, the Off-Court line extends the same integrity into daily life. The designs reveal an understanding of form that feels both global and individual — defined by material quality, surface clarity, and details that speak through structure rather than decoration. Every seam, every tonal shift carries intention. It is fashion that continues the movement.

DSSLR Founder / Christoph A. Dassler

“We are convinced that high standards and low environmental impact can go hand in hand.”

Christoph A. Dassler

Within the structure of DSSLR lies a deeper narrative, the brand builds an ecosystem where creativity, economy, and collaboration coexist within a framework of values. Dassler describes it as a culture — one that honors craftsmanship while inviting new ideas to thrive. It is an inclusive vision shaped by heritage yet oriented toward the future of sport and design.

As CEO and founder, Christoph A. Dassler channels the spirit of his lineage without nostalgia. His grandfather Rudolf Dassler once defined an era of innovation; Sassler continues that momentum by transforming the definition of quality itself. In DSSLR, quality becomes moral, aesthetic, and material all at once. It speaks to a generation seeking transparency in how things are made and what they stand for.

Every element of production follows this logic. The brand’s partners and suppliers hold environmental certifications; every collaboration aligns with the brand’s sustainability standards. “Behind every product stands a partnership with an industry-leading design and production team,” Dassler explains. His tone suggests pride and precision — an awareness that true innovation exists within the details.

The launch of DSSLR feels contemporary and timeless, it celebrates a discipline where sportswear meets couture precision and where sustainability becomes a natural constant. It arrives from a place where heritage fuels creativity — where each garment becomes a tool of movement, a symbol of modern responsibility.

DSSLR On Court Women / sky captain blue

DSSLR On Court Men / off white

Through DSSLR, Christoph A. Dassler has built a language that speaks to the new era of sport-fashion — one defined by excellence, integrity, and clarity of purpose. The collection carries an understated strength — a balance of performance and presence. It represents a future where clothing is created with awareness, where every fiber participates in a larger dialogue between body, design, and the world around it.

discover more www.dsslr.de
all visuals (c) DSSLR

André x ELHO - Capsule Collection 2025

André x ELHO
*André Tags the Mountain

written MONICA DE LUNA

André in Lisbon, spray can in hand, the smell of paint in cold air, no studio, no clean desk, just ten ice-pink bombers waiting like empty walls. He says, “Today I’m painting live on 10 jackets. I hope I don’t mess them up, we only have those 10 pink jackets available! They will become unique art pieces.”

Jackets as canvas, fabric as skin, performance stitched and already humming with neon memory. ELHO hands him carte blanche. He doesn’t rehearse, he sprays directly, instinct over plan. Mr. A appears, one wink, one wide eye, loops curling, pink field grinning back.

André x ELHO FW25/26
Unique art cap

André x ELHO FW25/26
Unique art jackets

A capsule, October 2, André x ELHO. Limited, numbered, but not frozen. Phantom performance bomber, hoodies, long sleeves, tees, beanies, the collection carrying André’s world, graffiti lines wrapped in insulation, warmth inside the grin. He says, “Clothes should make you feel good and happy, and serve as protection from the grey outside world.” Protection and mischief in the same seam.

ELHO’s history runs under it, a ghost from 1948, slopes of Germany, Switzerland, neon seasons that lived until 1993, buried, dug up again by Donald Schneider with Claudia beside him. Donald once pulling strings at Vogue Paris, once launching collaborations that cracked fashion open. Now ELHO as “Freestyle,” jackets as silhouettes, down puffers with recycled feathers, Primaloft Bio, Sorona skins, boomerang zippers slicing pockets like hidden doors. He says to André, take it, tag it, burn pink into snow.

André remembers Sweden. “I’ve always liked skiing. I grew up in Sweden, and in winter skiing was just a way to get from A to B. I’m not a champion skier, but every time I go up a mountain and ski down a slope, it reminds me of the fun days of my childhood.” Childhood in tracks of snow, movement as necessity, now returning as art.

The new ELHO calls itself high-tech, fresh, ready for minus twenty, but André looks at it and sees a wall. Pink field, black grin, sprayed live. “In graffiti, freestyle means you don’t follow the strict rules of an alphabet or the straight lines of a letter. You just follow your instinct and let it guide you into making an abstract painting.” Jackets become freestyle and snow becomes a surface.

Donald Schneider
Creative Director at ELHO Streetwear / seen by Henrik Nielsen

“ELHO Freestyle to become the #1 innovative outdoor style brand for the next generation.”

Donald Schneider

Inside the collection the colors glow—ice pink, scarlet red, neon purple, neon green, black, military green. The Astro down puffer holds 90% recycled down, 10% feathers. The Nova and Phantom shell layers breathe, waterproof, cape twist, patches for self-expression. Jet pants, fleece sets, parachute cuts, names like Hill, Satellite, Cure, Fire. André’s capsule slides among them, painted, tagged, turned into a limited run of objects (acutal art pieces to wear) carrying his alter ego. He laughs, “There’s a lot of Mr. A everywhere, both big and small.”

To wear it is to enter his wink. He says, “Just wear the jacket and make it your own.” A simple command, nothing dressed in explanation. Pink with black, neon grin, a slope or a street, it doesn’t matter. Style comes from outsiders, misfits, people daring to be different. “I love when people are a bit different from the mainstream. I’ve always been fascinated by outsiders and misfits. I like when people dare to be different.”

André speaks of hotels too, Amour, Grand Amour, Le Baron, spaces of smell, sound, touch, people brushing into each other. “Creating places where people can come together, thinking about the sound, the smell, and how people interact, is part of my art.” Jackets and nightclubs, walls and hotels, always surfaces, always extensions. A hotel in the mountains, uniforms in ELHO, a ski team in pink, medals under a grin. He imagines it without hesitation. Love runs through it. “Love is what keeps me going.” Not a slogan, more like a rhythm under every spray, every loop of paint. Even in the Alps, even on a neon slope, love keeps him. He wants surprise, humor, small disruptions. He wants Mr. A everywhere, always winking, always smiling. He says, “I try to go through life with a wink and a smile, like my alter ego Mr. A.”

The André x ELHO collection stands in that place. No need for nostalgia, no need for comparison. Just jackets, pink, painted, sprayed live, turned into unique art pieces, worn with jeans, boots, skis strapped, mountains dropping. “I love the neon pink winter jacket with the black Mr. A on the back. It combines my two favorite things: Mr. A and pink.”

André x ELHO FW25/26
lookbook / seen Felix Krüger

André x ELHO FW25/26
lookbook

And maybe next, a hotel on a mountain, maybe a ski team, maybe another canvas. For now, ten pink bombers hold his spray, hoodies hum with his grin, ELHO carries the capsule into winter season 2025/2026. The slopes are ready, the streets too. He says, “I’ve always seen my art as something that belongs to everyone, that everyone can interpret and make their own.” The capsule is exactly that. Yours, his, pink, sprayed, warm, grinning. Enjoy!

ELHO FW25/26 Campaign / seen by Tobias Wirth

discover more www.ELHOfreestyle.com
all visuals (c) ELHO Freestyle

Rheinfrank Antique Jewellery

Antique Jewellery
*Timeless Rings, Now in Munich & Berlin

written SARAH ARENDTS

Rheinfrank Antique Jewellery opens paths into the world of vintage engagement rings. The brand crafts pieces rooted in history, gemstones, and timeless design.

Each ring comprises heritage, artistic detail, and symbolic power. Rheinfrank draws you into a space where love becomes visible in silver, gold, and platinum settings. Rheinfrank Antique Jewellery operates from two physical showrooms: one in Berlin Mitte and a newly opened space in Munich. The Munich showroom invites meetings by appointment, showcasing the same passion and selection found in Berlin. In each location, rings sit under soft light, gemstones radiate hues, and every setting tells a story written in craftsmanship.

Every piece in the Rheinfrank collection holds meaning. Diamonds shine with eternal promise. Sapphires carry calm and depth. Rubies pulse with warmth and bold passion. Emeralds reveal lush green glimmers. Colored gemstones such as aquamarine, peridot, and tourmaline deliver subtle charm. Art Deco styles shape many rings with geometry, symmetry, and detailed filigree. Every facet, every cut, and every setting expresses devotion through design.

Rheinfrank sources rings that preserve eras. Victorian engravings, Edwardian details, jewelry from early 20th century Art Nouveau—all pieces with provenance. Jewelry discoverable online, and in showrooms where hands can trace the filigree, eyes can follow reflections in gem surfaces. Each ring is restored with care. Settings checked, stones secured, and patinas preserved where they enrich the story.

Expert guidance awaits every visitor. The team facilitates selection with attention to fit, personality, gemstone quality, and design style. Consultation sessions in Munich and Berlin offer evaluation of rings, explanation of gemstone clarity, cut, color, and setting styles. Ring sizes adapted. Repairs and restorations handled with precision. Every engagement ring feels chosen, not merely bought.

Rheinfrank Antique Jewellery’s showroom in Munich opens new doors for those seeking vintage rings closer to home. The Munich showroom mirrors the care, the inventory, and the detail of Berlin’s original space. Each showroom presents signature pieces and rare finds. Some rings travel between locations to offer highlighting moments. Clients in Munich find access to large-scale catalogues, old-world stone settings, and personal service. Berlin remains anchor, Munich expands presence, both rooted in genuine antique jewellery culture.

Gemstones form the heart of every ring. Brilliant cut, rose cut, cushion, old mine cuts: diverse shapes that echo history. Gold, rose gold, platinum settings crafted to highlight each gem. Settings hand-polished. Fine details like engraving, milgrain edges, bezel settings all care for authenticity. Materials selected for their original quality and durability. Rings resist time.

Rheinfrank Antique Jewellery pushes craftsmanship forward. Restoration workshops ensure longevity. Each ring repaired to honor original design. Cleaned with methods that preserve character. Gemstones tightened without losing hallmarks. Every ring remains heirloom-worthy.

Rheinfrank stands for vintage engagement rings, gemstones, expert craftsmanship, and physical presence in Germany. Berlin and Munich offer choice and experience. Whether drawn by Art Deco geometry, Victorian engraving, nature motifs in Art Nouveau, or the quiet elegance of an old cut diamond—each piece offers voice to a love story.

Visit Rheinfrank Antique Jewellery in Berlin Mitte or the new Munich showroom to see, feel, and choose rings that carry light, fire, and timeless devotion. Reach out for appointments. Let history become part of your promise.

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follow @rheinfrank_antique_jewellery

.selected *JS . THONET

.selected
REDEFINING AN ICON
JS . THONET – A Personal Interpretation by Jil Sander

written Amanda Mortenson

Certain names shape the way we see objects. Thonet, with its pioneering tubular steel furniture, and Jil Sander, with her legendary approach to purity and precision in fashion, have each left a lasting mark on the culture of modern design.

Now, these two forces meet in JS . THONET – A PERSONAL INTERPRETATION BY JIL SANDER, a collaboration that sees the acclaimed designer translate her unmistakable visual language into the world of furniture. Jil Sander, globally celebrated for her minimalist aesthetic and unwavering pursuit of quality, has stepped for the first time into the sphere of furniture design, selecting the iconic Thonet S 64 P as her canvas.

S 64 P Serious 03 graphite green - Detail
MARCEL BREUER* 1929 / 1930
Edited personally by Jil Sander, 2025

S 64 P Serious 03 graphite green
MARCEL BREUER* 1929 / 1930
Edited personally by Jil Sander, 2025

Originally conceived by Marcel Breuer in 1929/30 (artistic copyright: Mart Stam), the S 64 was already a symbol of Bauhaus innovation, pairing steel with wood and the graphic lightness of Viennese canework.

Sander’s interpretation, created for the Signature Collection JS . THONET – A PERSONAL INTERPRETATION BY JIL SANDER, does not seek to disrupt the past, but rather to renew it—amplifying what makes the classic truly timeless.

Two design lines define her approach. SERIOUS and NORDIC. In the SERIOUS edition, the S 64 P takes on a new presence with a titanium-like gloss on the frame, high-gloss lacquered wood details, and seat and backrest options in four nuanced shades of leather or a deeply stained Viennese canework named DARK MELANGE. Sander draws inspiration from the lacquer of Steinway grand pianos, the soft leather upholstery of vintage English automobiles, and the understated sheen of matte nickelsilver found in architecture. The result is a chair that feels meticulously crafted and unmistakably contemporary—a new level of sophistication for a Bauhaus classic.

The NORDIC version offers a lighter touch, with gentle woods and calm surfaces that evoke the clarity and balance of Northern European design. Both lines express Sander’s core philosophy; reduction without compromise, elegance in every gesture, and material quality that is felt before it is seen.

S 64 P Serious 03 graphite green
MARCEL BREUER* 1929 / 1930
Edited personally by Jil Sander, 2025

S 64 P Serious 03 graphite green
MARCEL BREUER* 1929 / 1930
Edited personally by Jil Sander, 2025

S 64 P Serious 03 graphite green
MARCEL BREUER* 1929 / 1930
Edited personally by Jil Sander, 2025

This vision extends to the complementary B 97 side table, another Thonet classic reinterpreted by JS . THONET – A PERSONAL INTERPRETATION BY JIL SANDER. Originally designed in 1933, the B 97’s newly adapted construction includes an open side, allowing the tables to be pulled over sofa, armchair, or bed, or nested efficiently when not in use. The table tops are finished to match the chairs, available in high-gloss lacquer in four shades or in Nero Marquina marble, providing continuity and a sense of holistic design. Every piece in the JS . THONET collection is discreetly engraved with Sander’s facsimile signature—a subtle mark of authenticity and creative exchange. This is a meeting of legacies, each detail testifying to Sander’s conviction that true luxury lies in restraint and attention.

JS . THONET – A PERSONAL INTERPRETATION BY JIL SANDER is a study in transformation. The S 64 P, through Sander’s eyes, becomes something at once deeply familiar and refreshingly new: a piece of living history, distilled and elevated for a contemporary audience. It stands as a quiet but powerful invitation to rethink the classics—through a deep and reverent dialogue with the past.

discover more www.thonet.de
content produced lemilestudios