Best of Berlin Fashion Week SS27 - William Fan, GmbH, Dagger & More

Best Of Berlin Fashion Week SS27

Six Shows That Proved Berlin Has Its Own System

written KLAAS HAMMER

Berlin may have been windy this season, but that did little to deter the city's fashion crowd—or the growing number of international guests—from filling the front rows of Berlin Fashion Week. Across the week, designers once again proved that creativity extended far beyond the clothes themselves. From Zehlendorf and Friedrichshain to the iconic ICC building and Reference Studios' Intervention at the Kronprinzenpalais, each venue became an integral part of the storytelling. On the runway, Berlin showcased what continues to define its fashion identity: sharp tailoring, diverse casting, politically engaged collections, and a new generation of designers confidently shaping the future of the city's creative scene.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

William Fan

Opening Berlin Fashion Week with a bang, William Fan presented EXCHANGE, a collection inspired by the rituals of collecting and the memories attached to objects found while travelling. Referencing marketplaces from Marrakech to Tokyo, the Berlin designer translated the idea of cultural exchange into a wardrobe that felt both familiar and constantly evolving.

Instead of relying on standout looks, Fan built momentum through repetition. Relaxed cargo trousers anchored the collection, while layered styling, elongated proportions and subtle utilitarian details created a sense of effortless continuity. Delicate pleating introduced movement without overpowering the clean silhouettes, and small metallic charms appeared like keepsakes gathered over time—echoing the collection's central idea that clothes, much like souvenirs, carry the stories of where we've been.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ William Fan seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Unvain

Following the success of its debut runway show earlier this year, expectations for Unvain's return to Berlin Fashion Week were high. Fashion insiders anticipated one of the week's standout presentations—and they were right.

The collection balanced rawness with precision. Sheer dresses met low-rise trousers, washed-out T-shirts contrasted with a silver-coated military parka, while unfinished edges and a restrained colour palette reinforced the label's understated aesthetic. Rather than chasing spectacle, Unvain found confidence in subtle styling and carefully considered proportions. Sustainability remained part of the brand's design language without becoming its headline. The fur pieces were created entirely from vintage garments, reconstructed in collaboration with resale platform Sellpy, giving existing materials a new purpose. The result was a collection that felt contemporary, self-assured, and confirmed that Unvain is quickly establishing itself as one of Berlin Fashion Week's most exciting emerging names.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Unvain seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Barragan

Without having followed Barragán closely before Berlin Fashion Week, the presentation at the Mexican Embassy came as a striking discovery. Set within the diplomatic surroundings of the embassy, the show offered more than a traditional runway moment—it created a space for reflection, questioning how identity is shaped, represented, and constantly transformed.

With its queer and Mexican heritage at the core, Barragán has created a distinctive visual language that challenges traditional ideas of identity, questions existing power structures, and reflects on the complexities of contemporary culture. One of the collection’s strongest elements was its casting. In a fashion landscape that increasingly seems to move back towards narrow beauty ideals, Barragán’s runway felt refreshingly open, bringing together different body types, ages, and expressions of individuality. The collection itself embraced contrast and tension.

Distressed T-shirts were paired with transparent fabrics, low-rise trousers with visible underwear, and glossy leather jackets with skin-tight neon-green catsuits. Second-hand inspired denim, heavy boots, and intentionally imperfect layering gave the looks a raw and expressive energy. Presented inside the Mexican Embassy, BARRAGÁN SS30 explored identity as something shaped through movement, politics, history, and cultural exchange. Rather than presenting nationality as a fixed concept, the collection reflected on belonging as something continuously negotiated—formed through experiences, memories, and the places we inhabit.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27
/ Barragan seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Dagger

After making its runway debut at Berlin Fashion Week last season, Dagger returned with another presentation created in collaboration with Reference Studios „Intervention“ and once again proved why the queer streetwear label has quickly become one of the most exciting emerging voices of the week. Following the overwhelming response to its first show, designer Luke Raine admits that the success came as a surprise. “Genuinely, it was a total shock,” he explains. “We had never done a fashion show before and didn’t know if, judged by an industry standard, people would connect with it.” The reaction ultimately became a defining moment for the designer, reinforcing his decision to trust his instincts and continue building Dagger on its own terms.

For SS27, Raine returned to the coastal seaside town of his youth, Portrush—a place shaped by early 2000s skate culture, summer crowds, and teenage memories. The collection captured those formative years: first jobs, first freedoms, late nights, and the feeling of discovering who you might become. Rather than documenting the town as it was, Raine explored a “rose-tinted version” of home, focusing on the optimism of youth and the moment when the world suddenly begins to feel bigger. Beyond the clothing itself, what stood out was Dagger’s ability to create a complete universe. Few brands manage to bring together casting, hair, makeup, styling, and music with such natural precision. Every element felt connected, reflecting the community-driven spirit at the heart of the label.

The collection translated this authenticity into clothes that appeared already lived in. Washed-out prints, over-dyed denim, college shirts, and sports jerseys came together with relaxed silhouettes and skate-inspired references. Between DIY aesthetics, streetwear codes, and working-class influences, Dagger celebrated the beauty of garments that carry memories—clothing not just made to be worn, but to become part of someone’s story.

For Raine, Dagger has always been about more than clothing. “DAGGER is about taking a chance on yourself no matter who or where you come from,” he says, reflecting on the brand’s beginnings after investing his final savings into printing his first T-shirts. That personal sense of belief has become part of the label’s identity, allowing its pieces to connect with a growing international audience, from Berlin’s creative scene to artists such as Tyla and Rema. With SS27, Dagger continues to prove that authenticity cannot be manufactured. It is built through community, personal history, and the stories people choose to carry with them.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Dagger seen by Nicolai Sauer

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GmbH

Closing Berlin Fashion Week’s Reference Studios “Intervention” with a powerful final statement, GmbH turned the runway into a dialogue between forgotten histories and the brand’s own visual language. For their anniversary collection Desire Paths, research into Berlin’s couture past including fashion historian Gesa Kessemeier’s work and archival garments from Julia Schwarz’s “Berliner Chic” collection became a starting point rather than a blueprint. The designers did not recreate the past; they filtered its silhouettes, craftsmanship, and attitude through the unmistakable codes of GmbH.

While remaining anchored in the distinctive GmbH menswear aesthetic, Desire Paths expanded the brand’s visual language with selected womenswear looks, including a memorable appearance by DJ Arca. Across the collection, archival influences met familiar GmbH signatures: cropped bomber jackets, over-the-knee boots, short shorts, and precisely constructed silhouettes were united through a restrained palette of black, grey, and cream. Custom footwear created with UGG and archival-inspired eyewear developed in collaboration with ic! berlin subtly reinforced the collection’s dialogue between craftsmanship, heritage, and contemporary design.

What made the presentation particularly memorable was the emotional connection between fashion, music, and history. When the soundtrack shifted to Hildegard Knef after some looks, the relationship between Berlin’s past and present felt complete—a rare runway moment where every element came together.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ GmbH seen by Nicolai Sauer

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Marie Louise Müller

One of the newcomers on this season's Berlin Fashion Week schedule, Marie-Louise Müller transformed the rooftop of Lobe Block into a poetic garden for her SS27 collection Escapist Garden. Against the backdrop of raw concrete, dried flower petals welcomed guests while soft house music and playful melodies created the feeling of a warm summer afternoon. Inspired by childhood memories of long days spent barefoot in the garden, Müller presented a collection that celebrated nature through craftsmanship rather than spectacle. Around 2,500 hours of handwork went into the looks, with crochet, embroidery, hand knitting, and upcycled natural fibres forming the foundation of a wardrobe designed to outlast seasonal trends.

The collection unfolded in a palette drawn directly from the natural world, moving from soft creams and earthy greens to delicate pinks, raspberry reds, and sky blues. Floral embroidery and insect motifs appeared throughout the garments, while sculptural pieces—including a skirt constructed from a garden hose—introduced a playful contrast to the collection's otherwise delicate aesthetic. Watering cans carried by several models reinforced the show's whimsical storytelling without feeling overly literal. Rather than chasing novelty, Escapist Garden found its strength in patience, craftsmanship, and emotional storytelling. Marie-Louise Müller delivered one of the week's most quietly memorable debuts, proving that slow fashion and imaginative design can still captivate a Berlin Fashion Week audience.

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 BTS
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

Berlin Fashion Week SS27 Runway
/ Marie Louise Müller seen by Nicolai Sauer

White Resort 2026 - The New Luxury Travel Economy

A Review of White Resort 2026

Where Resortwear Meets the New Luxury Travel Economy

written KLAAS HAMMER

Milan was in the grip of soaring summer temperatures, yet the city's fashion crowd arrived at WHITE Resort – On the Beach powered by WHITE with unmistakable energy and curiosity. From 18 to 20 June 2026, BASE Milano became the setting for a new dialogue between fashion, travel and hospitality, where visitors explored curated resort-wear collections, discovered fresh lifestyle concepts and joined insightful conversations on the evolving luxury hospitality landscape.

Marking its debut, the new format introduced a dedicated platform for resort fashion, bringing together around 100 carefully selected brands alongside an international audience of buyers, industry insiders and hospitality leaders. Representatives from Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette and Wolf & Badger were among those attending, underlining the growing importance of the resortwear category as luxury travel continues to shape contemporary fashion consumption.

More than a traditional trade fair, WHITE Resort positions itself at the intersection of fashion and destination culture, reflecting a shift towards lifestyle-driven retail and new commercial ecosystems. Through newly announced partnerships with TRUE and Allumeuse, the platform aims to strengthen international connections between fashion brands and some of the world's most prestigious hotels and resorts, opening new avenues for visibility, collaboration and global expansion.

Following a promising first edition, On the Beach powered by WHITE will return from 24 to 27 September 2026 during WHITE Milano, occupying a dedicated space at the Nhow Hotel in Milan's Tortona district. As resortwear continues to evolve from a seasonal niche into a strategic business segment, WHITE's newest concept offers an inspiring glimpse into the future of fashion, one where luxury, travel and lifestyle seamlessly converge.

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all images (c)
White Milano Press

KML SS27 - The Limitless Poetry of a Saudi House

A Review of KML Spring/Summer 2027 Collection

The Limitless Poetry of KML

written MALCOLM THOMAS

“Would you like to take off your shoes?” is not high on the list of requests asked of guests at a fashion show, but it was just one of many ways that Ahmed and Razan Hassan, creative directors of KML, proudly distinguish themselves as the first Saudi ready-to-wear brand to present on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar. Formerly LVMH Prize semi-finalists and Emerging Talent Award recipients at the Arab Fashion Awards, the Hassan’s melding of menswear and culture is a welcome alternative to the Western European monotony that often floods our social feeds.

Opened with a short black-and-white film directed by Anas Sufyan and co-produced with Mohammed Sehaim, the film introduces viewers to regional Saudi dances performed by Bilal Allaf against the backdrop of thoughtfully arranged music by Firas Shurbaji. The set, a cosy, white-clothed venue with matching monochrome catwalk and benches, was the perfect stage for a show that was anchored in stillness and fluidity.  

The first look was a diaphanous cape, with open sides, exposing the naked breast and body of the model. The tone for a twenty-six-look collection that quietly prioritised its wearer over its wears. Most in sheer, ethereal silks, and sheers in an uncomplicated colour palette of whites, blacks and greys. Soft editorial details like the twist of a skirt or trouser in light wool and the opening of a back on a dress shirt juxtaposed more conscious style choices like unexpected trains, off-the-shoulder blouses, and lantern tassel sleeves.

To call the collection simply beautiful seems limiting. Limitlessly poetic seems to fit just right.

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all images (c)
KML Spring/Summer 2027 / KML Press

Post Archive Faction SS27 - Pain, Beauty and Survival

A Review of Post Archive Faction Spring/Summer 2027 Menswear Collection

The Pain and Beauty of Post Archive Faction

written MALCOLM THOMAS

Post Archive Faction, abbreviated as PAF, doesn’t provide elaborate show notes or backstories to reference, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to say. The high-concept Korean brand, founded in Seoul in 2018 by Dongjoon Lim, is steeped in nineties minimalism and technical prowess. Having shown at Pitti Uomo and done collaborations with Off-White and Nike, the young brand that bases its storytelling around chapters that read like poems added a few more to its hypothetical novel this season.

Centred around karateka who were practising in the background, the collection featured sheer whites, blacks and soft pastel pinks and blues. Translucent trenchcoats and see-through shoes provided a kind of brutal fluidity that paired nicely against a medley of Radiohead and Korean rock that felt like a mix of youthful angst meets American Psycho. Design details were abundant with zip shoulder blousons, dancing ribbons, multi-layered button-ups and spears.

PAF was not just creating a collection but conceptualising a caricature, a grungy teenager on the precipice of the dot-com boom, a madman no longer waiting to be seen, a ruthless banker whose tailoring is as severe as his patience, a fighter readying for battle. The tropes were cleverly clear.

These were a delicious display of clothes to be excited about. A balance between pain, beauty and survival. Even if just a reflection of surviving Paris in a most thick and violent heat.  

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all images (c)
Post Archive Faction Spring/Summer 2027 / Post Archive Faction Press

Taakk Spring/Summer 2027 - Love Letter to Irving Penn and Flowers ​

A Review of Taakk Spring/Summer 2027 Menswear Collection

TAAKK’s Love Letter to Irving Penn and Flowers

written MALCOLM THOMAS

Taakk may have found its stride. Set to a playlist that could double as an action thriller soundtrack, models walked down the catwalk in chocolate and bordeaux nylon disco trenches, slouchy leather and velvet hobos, leisure suiting in sunset orange, and pinstripe embroidered sets.

After receiving a standing ovation for its fall/winter collection, Taakk’s spring/summer offering titled “Ability of Discovery” marks a moment of continued creative acceleration for the Tokyo-based brand. A brand whose purpose is intertwined with the innovative textile techniques that have become part of its ethos.

Beyond the tactile, this season, Takuya Morikawa dug deeper, exploring his own identity in an unlikely marriage of inspiration. The iconoclastic fashion photography of Irving Penn and the delicate beauty of the flower. “What continues to inspire me about Irving Penn is not simply what he photographed, but how he looked at things —the ability to transform something familiar into something entirely new,” said Morikawa.

Not new to Morikawa, however, who season after season has transformed material compositions and fabric structures into singularly gradient surfaces or developed intricate precision cutwork techniques that layer embroidery, creating three-dimensional detailing one might find snaking around backs and sleeves. These, after all, are markers of a Taakk garment.

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all images (c)
Taakk Spring/Summer 2027 / TAAKK Press

Christian Louboutin Men’s SS 2027 - Jaden Smith Expands the Christian Louboutin Universe

A Review of Jaden Smith’s Christian Louboutin Spring/Summer 2027 Menswear Collection

Jaden Smith Expands the Christian Louboutin Universe with his Spring/Summer 2027 Menswear Collection

written MALCOLM THOMAS

As if plucked from the ruins of Pompeii, outside the Palais Brogniart on a white-hot day in Paris, two red foot sculptures stood parallel against the stone steps behind them. A banner was draped in the distance. Outside the entrance of what resembled a Rosetta Stone, a manifesto was written. “You are now entering the ruins of an ancient kingdom. Past these doors, you leave this world and enter the realm of Christian Louboutin Men’s”.

Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027
/ by Jaden Smith

Indeed, Jaden Smith’s sophomore presentation was a cultural smörgåsbord bathed in red light. History’s biggest hits propped shoes and accessories in carved out corners and atop formations. Models navigated a crop circle with a Stonehenge-imitation structure in the background—interacting with guests and each other in passing.

Luka Sabbat at Jaden Smith´s Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027 Afterparty

Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027
/ by Jaden Smith

Brice and Regis Abby at Jaden Smith´s Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027 Afterparty
/ photo Sofia Malamute

​Some pieces from the Christian Louboutin Avant-Première collection made a return, such as the Multipocket Vest and TCT Harness. Smith also expanded on Louboutin’s leather goods offerings with the Nostalgic style family, which includes the Hobo and the Backpack. Some pieces took a turn for the fantastical with The Corteo and the Louis from Louboutin’s Child Like Wonder offerings, inspired by Smith’s childhood paper cut-outs. Yet, the most conceptual symbols that the Jaden Smith x Christian Louboutin era is upon us, were Stone Mason’s Feet made from a single piece of leather and cut into square-shaped toes, and the Claw Slide, an animal claw editorialised as a wearable piece of contemporary sculpture.

Of course, there were a variety of everyday pieces too, a patent-leather gradient evening shoe and a classic weekender being among them. Closing out his collection with an A-list afterparty that included a very fashionable Smith family outing, Jaden Smith is clearly aimed at cementing himself as king in a Christian Louboutin “kingdom” of his own design.

The Spring/Summer 2027 Men’s collection will launch in stores on October 28th, 2026.

Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027
/ by Jaden Smith

Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027
/ by Jaden Smith

Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027
/ by Jaden Smith

Asake at Jaden Smith´s Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027 Afterparty
/ photo Sofia Malamute

Christian Louboutin Men Spring Summer 2027
/ by Jaden Smith

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all images (c) Christian Louboutin Press

Dior Men Summer 2027 - Jonathan Anderson Remixes the House

DIOR MEN SUMMER 2027

Jonathan Anderson Steps Out of the Museum

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

The Musée Nissim de Camondo holds the particular silence of a house kept in perfect order after life has left it. Its rooms speak through arrangement, ownership and polished surfaces, which made them unusually exact for Jonathan Anderson’s second Dior Men collection. He placed the clothes inside that stillness and let them look recently handled. Open collars, loose scarves and cuffs stretching past the wrist gave the impression of garments adjusted moments before the models stepped outside, as if Dior had been caught between the mirror and the garden.

Backstage at Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo by Mireia Deulofeu

Paris was already hot in the morning, and the collection seemed to register the temperature through cut before the setting needed to explain it. Jackets sat with space around the torso, trousers fell with a wider line and sheer tuxedo layers gave formalwear a more exposed physical presence. Silver trousers cut through the garden light with a trace of night, while white shirts with soft bows brought a controlled awkwardness to the body. Anderson’s Dior remained precise, yet its precision came through touch rather than distance.

A backstage fitting moment from Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo by Mireia Deulofeu

A backstage detail from Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo by Mireia Deulofeu

The house references worked best when they lost some of their ceremony. Houndstooth appeared as print, turning a woven code into immediate surface. Polka dots crossed sequins with a brightness that felt almost too decorative for the morning, which gave them their charge. A silk shirt repeated a trompe l’oeil scarf motif from 1979 Dior haute couture, now worn close to the skin instead of treated as an archival citation. The gesture felt typical of Anderson’s method here. He did not need to announce a break with the past, he instead changed the level at which the past appeared.

And that shift gave the collection its strongest moments. Embroidered coats suggested work still visible in the finished garment. Fringed knits and loose scarves gave the silhouette a slightly unsettled edge, while the extended cuffs made elegance look less obedient to the wrist. There was a sense of fitting left in the clothes, as a way of keeping Dior in motion. The formal line stayed intact, though the body inside it seemed freer to move, sweat, loosen and touch.

Fred again..’s custom mix with KTNA, Mabe Fratti, Jamie T and original vocals by Christine and the Queens gave the show a similar feeling of altered recognition. Familiar voices and textures passed through a different register, matching a collection in which established Dior material kept changing state. The mix moved through the preserved rooms with a slightly unsettled pulse, loosening their stillness without forcing the effect.

—see the Key Looks

Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo courtesy of Dior

A close-up from Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo by Mireia Deulofeu

A savoir-faire detail from Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo by David William Baum

Inside the Dior Atelier
Photo by David William Baum

Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo courtesy of Dior

Nineteenth-century embroidery appeared on suede lace-ups, bringing historical ornament down to the ground. Woven boots with scuffed finishes, a vintage zig-zag blanket turned into a bag and a spongy denim tote with cannage gave the accessories a handled quality, with craft moving through objects built to be touched and carried.

Anderson’s second Dior Men proposal feels strongest in that controlled state of disturbance. Nothing here collapses the house, and the collection has no interest in theatrical rebellion. Its intelligence lies in smaller acts of displacement. A formal shirt changes through the cuff, a couture motif changes through proximity to skin, and a museum changes because the clothes make it feel occupied again. Dior Men Summer 2027 brought warmth into the house, leaving the museum rooms with the feeling of clothes recently worn, adjusted and carried outside.

A savoir-faire detail from Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo by David William Baum

Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo courtesy of Dior

A savoir-faire detail from Dior Men Summer 2027
Photo by David William Baum

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all images (c) Dior

Louis Vuitton Men’s SS 2027 - Pharrell Williams’ Surf Dandy

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING/SUMMER 2027

Pharrell Williams Takes the Dandy to the Shore

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Paris still held the heat when Louis Vuitton opened its Men’s Spring-Summer 2027 show at the Cité Internationale Universitaire. The city was heavy, the evening barely cooler, and Pharrell Williams answered with sand, mist and a wall of water rising at the end of the runway. The set gave the body a suggestion of relief before the clothes came into focus. It was artificial, fully controlled, completely Louis Vuitton, and still the image worked: a beach placed inside the capital, a wave built as architecture, a summer fantasy made sharp by the temperature around it.

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027 by Pharell Williams
Set Design at Cité Internationale Universitaire

The collection took surf culture through the Louis Vuitton dandy, less as a costume, but more as a change in posture. The suit remained present, only loosened by the idea of movement: Shoulders dropped slightly and Trousers widened. Jackets sat with more air around the body. Wetsuit lines appeared inside tailoring, technical stretch tightened certain silhouettes, and waxed surfaces caught the light with a faint wetness. Pharrell’s dandy has often carried polish; here, that polish came marked by salt and surface wear.

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

The strongest clothes had a handled quality with mended textures, weathered finishes and tactile trompe l’oeil that gave fabric the sense of having passed through use. A short could carry discipline, a knit could hold the memory of sun and a suit could take on the trace of performance fabric while keeping its formal line. This was where the collection felt most precise: in the friction between luxury craft and clothes connected to boards, beaches, travel and repair.

Skate culture ran through the show with a graphic snap: checkerboard motifs cut across sneakers and garments, bringing Pharrell’s own visual memory into the coastal frame. The low-cut sneakers, rubber soles and sharp surface graphics gave the collection a street-level rhythm, while acid colours broke through the sand-toned atmosphere with the brightness of surf hardware and sun-faded signage. Dark tailoring and deep green outerwear gave the eye a calmer register, keeping the collection anchored in the house’s travel vocabulary. And the silver camper near the dunes sharpened that idea, it stood like a polished shelter, sealed and reflective, a nomadic object placed inside an invented coast. Before the show, surfers Mikey February and Julian Wilson appeared in a cinematic prelude, giving the fantasy a physical source. Then came the water, the sound of it, the mist from it, the force of it held inside a Paris runway. Pharrell’s own studio-made music pushed the presentation further into atmosphere, with the wave operating as set, symbol and cooling device.

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

The environmental note came through Louis Vuitton’s support of Coral Gardeners, with reef restoration in French Polynesia linked to the house’s Regeneration 2030 roadmap. In a show built around water, that detail gave the image a practical extension beyond the runway. Spring-Summer 2027 feels like one of Pharrell’s clearest propositions for Louis Vuitton Men so far: not a break from the house’s travel mythology, but a sharper way of making it physical. The show understood destination as climate, dress as attitude, and luxury as an environment built around sensation.

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

LOUIS VUITTON MENS SPRING SUMMER 2027
by Pharell Williams

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all images (c) Louis Vuitton Press

VALENTINO - Cruise 2027 Feels Like a Private Archive

WHY VALENTINO CRUISE 2027 FEELS LIKE A PRIVATE ARCHIVE

written SARAH ARENDTS

Valentino Cruise 2027 treats clothes as evidence of private life. In Liv Liberg’s campaign at Villa Gaia Gandini in Milan, Alessandro Michele’s collection sits among rooms that already feel occupied by memory, with coats, prints, shoes and bags carrying the pressure of people who have dressed for themselves before anyone looked.

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

The collection places women’s and men’s wardrobes inside the same emotional register. A floral print has the confidence of something found in a family photograph. A coat sits on the body with deliberate weight. Tailoring softens around the figure, while decorative surfaces give each look a sense of attachment. Michele is interested in the way garments become personal before they become public, the way a sleeve, a collar or a pair of shoes can suggest a life already in motion.

Cruise often belongs to travel, yet here the idea of movement feels closer to interior life. The collection creates characters through clothing that seems chosen with private logic. There is elegance, but it comes through possession rather than polish. A bag is held like something needed, shoes alter posture, prints bring memory into the image, and ornament becomes part of behaviour.

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

Liv Liberg’s photographs sharpen that reading: shot at Villa Gaia Gandini in Milan, the campaign places George Anderson, Valery Sergeva, Yar Aguer, Gaetan Bianchi, Dario Tonin and Khadim Diouff inside a setting filled with domestic gravity. The villa gives the collection a lived frame. Walls, mirrors and furniture hold their own presence, making the clothes feel observed by the rooms as much as by the camera. Liberg’s images carry a controlled intimacy and the models appear caught during a pause, close to speech or just after it. Their gestures keep the campaign away from pure display. A hand rests near a bag and a body turns slightly into the room.

This is where Michele’s Valentino feels most precise, because his work for the Maison has often dealt with memory, excess and character, but Cruise 2027 gives those ideas a more domestic pressure. The clothes do not ask to be decoded as symbols. They work through wear, through mood, through the friction between private taste and public image.

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

The campaign uses Milan as a house, a stage of possession, a place where fashion enters rooms already charged with time. Valentino Cruise 2027 gains its force from that tension: clothes carrying the trace of someone’s life, photographed in a space that seems to remember its own.

VALENTINO / Cruise 2027 Collection

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all images Courtesy of Valentino

creative director ALESSANDRO MICHELE
photographer LIV LIBERG
hair stylist PAOLO SOFFIATTI
make-up artist JOEL BABICCI
manicurist ROBERTA RODI
models GEORGE ANDERSON, VALERY SERGEVA, YAR AGUER, GAETAN BIANCHI, DARIO TONIN, KHADIM DIOUFF
location VILLA GAIA GANDINI, ROBECCO SUL NAVIGLIO, MILAN, ITALY

Pitti Uomo 110 and Polimoda - Defining Summer 2026 Menswear in Florence

Something Old, Something New

PITTI UOMO 110 Defies Conventions

written CHIDOZIE OBASI

The Pool is the visual and conceptual theme of the Summer 2026 edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo. In the curator’s vision, the pool is a swimming pool where a young man brushes the still surface of the water with his hand, touching his own reflection.

Pitti People Pitti Immagine Uomo

Everything in this image feels suspended, a moment of waiting, of time held back. The light is icy and vivid, like in a painting by David Hockney. The mirror of the water reflects a desire that has not yet taken shape, almost like an erotic ideal at the pool’s edge. The young man, dressed in dark, elegant suiting, is not the celebrated body of swimming iconography. He’s a modern Narcissus, a disenchanted one as a matter of fact, aware of the seductive power of reflection yet choosing to break the spell.

PITTI UOMO 110 FLORENCE
Vincenzo Junior Marrazzo

PITTI UOMO 110 FLORENCE
Idan David Segal

The edition’s most prominent showcase was Polimoda, one of the world’s leading schools for Fashion and Design, which brought forth a rich selection of graduates whose innovations were inventive and traditional in equal measure. A new vision of the world shaped this season, bringing forth twenty designers from fifteen different nationalities to bring to the runway the vision of a generation shaped by instability and rapid global change. Their work reflected this fully: fearless, intimate, and profoundly human.

The collections express a deeply personal and socially engaged approach to fashion, drawing on memory, cultural heritage, and lived experience as the central pillars of their creative research. The garments do not function merely as clothing, but as emotional and conceptual statements, evidence of a generation using fashion to process, resist, and make sense of the world they have inherited. The Graduate Show marked the culmination of four years of training: a journey in which students from around the world chose Florence and Italy to develop their own creative language, drawing from their cultural roots and translating them into industry-ready work.

Aaron Dillworth

Emilie Wenckstern

Emily Horton

Lucia Romagnoli

Isabel Antonia Richter

Fashion has a tool to tell stories of memory, identity, and vision, at the professional debut of a new generation of designers. Every garment was conceived, developed, and realised in the workshops of the Manifattura Campus, under the guidance of some of the most respected professionals in the field. New to the 2026 edition, the mentorship of creative directors Luke and Lucie Meier, who have returned to the school where they trained and met twenty-five years ago, joining director Massimiliano Giornetti, An Vandevorst, and the faculty in guiding the development of the collections.

Jing Jirat Jitdee

Jakob Nittmann

Victor Brial

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all images (c) Polimoda / PITTI IMMAGINE Press

Christian Louboutin - Jaden Smith Fronts Fall 2026 Menswear Campaign

Jaden Smith Debuts Fall 2026 Christian Louboutin Menswear Campaign

written MALCOLM THOMAS

Set in a 17th-century chateau in the French countryside, Jaden Smith’s vision for his inaugural Christian Louboutin menswear collection is complete in all its rebellious grandeur. Debuting in January, during Paris Fashion Week Men’s, the Avant-Première collection marked a bold new chapter for the brand.

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

Somewhere between cinema and mythology, shoes were merchandised on antiquity-inspired columns in an elaborate exhibition. Iconographic short films were projected on walls and vintage TV monitors, including one film of Smith’s bare-chested body painted in red, representing the creative director’s full immersion into the role.

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

An exploration of performance-driven textures and expressive ideas and styles, such as The Molten Trapman, a rubber-soled boot available in glossy red and white molten paint, was introduced. Other new ideas included Tactical and Multi-Pocket tote bags with titled pockets and compartments, inspired by stone masons and scribes. Re-imagined pieces include Smith’s fresh take on the classic style of the Penny Loafer in addition to the Asclepius Sling and Plato and Moustachou Derby Dots dress shoes. Additional highlights included the Ennio, a cowboy boot with tubular overlay, the Chelsea Gorp, as well as skate shoes available in a myriad of colourways in low and mid-top styles. Accessories include baseball caps, belts, lighter keyrings, and can openers.

Each piece represents a character in a cinematic story. A symbiosis of heritage and individuality, whether perusing classic literature, admiring family portraits or luxuriating on the lawn, Smith’s interpretation of the house of Christian Louboutin spans generations.

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

The Fall 2026 menswear collection is now available in Christian Louboutin stores worldwide, with Jaden Smith making appearances in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Paris and London.

Christian Louboutin
Fall 2026 Men Ad Campaign

all images (c) Christian Louboutin Press

London Fashion Week Streetstyles AW26 - Streetstyle

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 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

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 - Streetstyle

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

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