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Alaïa Fall–Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Alaïa Fall–Spring 2026 Collection

Alaïa Fall–Spring 2026 Collection

Pieter Mulier’s latest for Alaïa was an electric study in restraint and sensuality — a meditation on form, movement, and emotion. With just a few elemental shapes and a palette of raw materials, he managed to summon an immense sense of beauty, the kind that feels both sculptural and alive.

Courtesy Of Alaïa

“I wanted to put women and beauty at the center,” Mulier said after the show, his words echoing through the minimal, echoing space. “And I wanted clothes that could cry.” That poetic impulse ran through the entire collection: cascading fringes suspended from sheer, high-waisted stockings; austere cotton tunics zipped at the back; and scarf-knit skirts cut on the bias, some forming triangles of dense silk, others unraveling into feathery, asymmetrical cascades.

Mulier’s experimental streak, one of Paris’s most distinct, remains intact. The latex-like facial tubes of last season evolved into sleek, body-hugging jumpsuits and two-piece dresses — garments that wrapped around the body like skin itself. Stockings pulled up over shoulders and hips, cloaks looped delicately around pinky fingers, and skirt stirrups hooked to the heels created a sense of tension and release — intimacy turned architecture.

Courtesy Of Alaïa

Each piece felt deliberate and mathematical, built from the simplest of geometries: ovals for coats, triangles for tops and skirts, rectangles for tunics and tabards. The entire collection relied on just four noble materials — cotton, python, leather, and silk — and was decorated only by touch: tassels, fringes, and meticulous pleating replacing any trace of ornament.

Courtesy Of Alaïa

Though the silhouettes enveloped the body, desire pulsed beneath the surface. A flash of bare thigh between stockings and tunics, a glimpse of skin framed by the back cutout of a cocoon-like jacket, a pair of tight jeans visible through sheer panels — each gesture whispered rather than shouted. Even the grand gowns that closed the show revealed vulnerability through movement, their air-inflated shapes swaying with quiet drama.

Courtesy Of Alaïa

To create those closing looks, Mulier revisited original patterns from Azzedine Alaïa himself. “Everything was cut like balloons, like air — extremely difficult to do,” he explained. “They were majestic, but not theatrical. You could still see the woman inside them.”

Victoria Beckham Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Victoria Beckham Spring 2026 Collection

Victoria Beckham Spring 2026 Collection

Victoria Beckham took a nostalgic turn this season, mining her teenage years for inspiration and uncovering a trove of whimsical experiments — part rebellion, part romance. The result was a collection brimming with feathers, frills, and a faint touch of eccentricity, all filtered through her signature polish.

Courtesy Of Victoria Beckham

There was an offbeat charm to it all: slip dresses trimmed with lace, slightly wrinkled as if borrowed from a mother’s wardrobe and tossed aside after a long night; airy frocks in powder blue, parchment, and mint, hand-sprayed and smudged with artistic stains that lent them a timeworn, vintage feel.

Courtesy Of Victoria Beckham

Beckham’s playfulness extended to her tailoring — a category she’s long mastered. Her suits have always leaned oversized, but this season the proportions were even looser, almost as if the models had raided someone else’s closet. By contrast, the sleek suit she wore for her own runway bow was sharply cut and impossibly chic, a reminder that the designer still knows how to balance ease with elegance.

Courtesy Of Victoria Beckham

The jeans, made from Japanese denim, came with their waistbands folded over and pinned — a quick, makeshift styling hack that felt both clever and casual. Elsewhere, Beckham explored silhouette manipulation through subtle technical craft: delicate wires structured ruffles around the neck, while short black skirts puffed out into lampshade shapes, giving a playful sense of sculpture and volume.

Softly textured knits — long skirts and sweaters with rippled, waffle-like surfaces — provided grounding to the collection’s airier moments. It was a smart balance of construction and spontaneity, the kind of tension that keeps Beckham’s work intriguing.

Givenchy Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Givenchy Spring 2026 Collection

Givenchy Spring 2026 Collection

For her second collection at Givenchy, Sarah Burton explored what it means to express powerful femininity without relying on the traditional language of masculinity — no boxy shoulders, no rigid suits, no armor. Instead, she let a quiet, simmering sensuality seep into the seams of her tailoring and the airiness of her dresses.

Courtesy of Givenchy

Transparency became her tool of seduction. She played with sheer fabrics, detachable necklines, abbreviated hems, and soft, sculptural bras that revealed as much strength as they did skin. It was an exercise in restraint — provocative yet poised, never loud, always deliberate.

“The world feels so noisy,” Burton reflected earlier in the week from her Paris studio. “I wanted the clothes to remain minimal, so there’s clarity in how a woman dresses. She isn’t overwhelmed.”

While the British designer has yet to present a haute couture collection for Givenchy — she’s reportedly still building her atelier teams — her mastery of cut was undeniable. She lengthened and curved the collar of a crisp white shirt to expose the chest like a sculpture in motion, elegantly framing Eva Herzigova’s décolletage and a single jeweled necklace. A tailored midi skirt, sliced to perfection, became unexpectedly erotic when worn by Mariacarla Boscono, its simplicity transformed into allure.

Courtesy of Givenchy

That balance — the woman first, the clothes second — is Burton’s quiet genius. Even when fabric was scarce or silhouettes revealing, dignity prevailed. Naomi Campbell embodied that ethos in a sharply tailored black suit worn open, her sculpted abs gleaming under the runway lights.

“Women want to feel sexy,” Burton said simply. “They want to embrace their bodies. They want to feel extraordinary — and that, to me, is power.”

Courtesy of Givenchy

She revisited and refined the hourglass tailoring of her debut, allowing jackets to slip off the shoulders, almost as if undressing themselves. Her signature fish-tail knit dresses, once dramatic for fall, reappeared as lean columns wrapped in oversized tulle flounces — a fabric affectionately called Paris net.

Issey Miyake Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Issey Miyake Spring 2026 Collection

Issey Miyake Spring 2026 Collection

What if clothes could feel? That was the question at the heart of Satoshi Kondo’s Spring 2026 collection for Issey Miyake — a meditation on garments as living, breathing entities rather than inanimate objects.

“Clothing is something man-made,” Kondo explained, “but I wanted to approach it as if it were alive, as if it had emotions — like a living organism.” From that idea grew a vision of transformation, where fabric and form interacted with the body not as mere cover, but as companion. The result was a collection that seemed to pulse with quiet vitality, an invitation to rethink the very relationship between wearer and what is worn.

Courtesy Of Issey Miyake

The collection, titled “Being Garments, Being Sentient,” unfolded as a study of life and consciousness expressed through textile. Kondo described his process as a search for “a new sense of beauty” — one that might inspire audiences to see their everyday clothing through fresh eyes.

Freedom, one of Issey Miyake’s enduring philosophies, ran like an undercurrent throughout the show. Kondo drew inspiration from small plants pushing through cracks in the pavement — a symbol of resilience and growth. “That kind of vigor, that will to live freely, is what I wanted to capture,” he said.

Courtesy Of Issey Miyake

On the runway, tubular, seamless knit structures seemed to come alive — their silhouettes twisting, budding, and unfolding like alien flora. Sleeves morphed into openings; forms stretched and contracted depending on how the wearer moved. Each piece could be styled in multiple ways, reinforcing the house’s fascination with transformation and adaptability.

Courtesy Of Issey Miyake

Elsewhere, shoulders were sculpted and rounded, evoking organic exoskeletons. Some close-fitting looks revealed concealed objects embedded beneath sheer nylon and polyurethane, while others appeared spliced together — garments in mid-metamorphosis. The effect was both futuristic and strangely tender, as if the clothes themselves were evolving toward sentience.

Loewe Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Loewe Spring 2026 Collection

Loewe Spring 2026 Collection

At Loewe’s spring debut, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez injected a surge of color, passion, and athletic sensuality into the storied Spanish house — and the energy was unmistakable from the very first look. As guests entered, a vivid yellow-and-red Ellsworth Kelly painting set the tone for what would unfold: a show bursting with heat, freedom, and craftsmanship.

Courtesy Of Loewe

“Energy” was the word the New York–based duo repeated most often before the show. This was their first major project since Proenza Schouler, and they approached it with both respect and boldness — diving deep into Loewe’s archives, founded in 1846 as a collective of Spanish leather artisans, while also infusing it with their own crisp, contemporary sensibility.

The opening look — a supple leather jacket reminiscent of an unzipped wetsuit — captured the mood instantly. From there, the collection explored the intersection of Mediterranean sun and urban cool: towel-textured mini dresses, double-brimmed caps, ruched tees, and sculpted leather molded with a metallic core that seemed to ripple with movement. Every piece felt light, tactile, and ready for motion.

Courtesy Of Loewe

Echoes of the sea ran through the show, but so did a sense of grounded craftsmanship. Leather coats with feather-like textures, molded bustier dresses with diving-inspired seams, and sharply cut jeans showcased Loewe’s workshop precision. Like Jonathan Anderson before them, McCollough and Hernandez played with repetition — revisiting silhouettes and materials across looks and even on the A-list guests in the front row.

But what truly marked this debut was the rediscovery of heat — both literal and emotional. Hernandez, whose family roots trace back to Cuba, spoke about reconnecting the brand with its Spanish spirit: “It’s about warmth, about skin and the body — that fiery, emotional intensity,” he said. McCollough added, “We’re Americans; we can’t hide that. There’s a particular sensibility to the way we dress — effortless but intentional — and we wanted that to live here too.”

Courtesy Of Loewe

That duality — Spanish sensuality meets New York clarity — came through in the details: V-neck knits twisted to one side, bra-like tops draped to mimic a sweater tied over the shoulders, and softly ruched jersey dresses that walked the line between casual and couture.

Isabel Marant Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Isabel Marant Spring 2026 Collection

Isabel Marant Spring 2026 Collection

For her second outing as creative director, Kim Bekker leaned into a free-spirited hippie mood, channeling her own memories of solo travel into a collection that balanced practicality with bohemian glamour. Though Isabel Marant still collaborates closely with her, this season felt unmistakably Bekker’s.

Courtesy Of Isabel Marant

“I was thinking about my own journey, traveling alone, carrying a backpack and a blanket to sleep under the stars,” she explained backstage. That idea materialized literally on the runway, which was blanketed in red earth, and figuratively in details like leather crossbody straps designed to hold rolled-up blankets.

Courtesy Of Isabel Marant

Bekker reinterpreted military jackets with patches, cropped suede vests, and low-slung cargo pants rolled to the ankle, while accessories leaned into nomadic ease: banana-shaped suede shoulder bags, lace-up moccasin boots, gladiator-style sandals in suede with silk ties, and flat espadrille boots printed with wildflowers. These suede boots, younger sisters to Marant’s cult Bobby wedge sneakers, tapped into the season’s shift toward all-day, comfortable flat shoes with a chic twist.

Courtesy Of Isabel Marant

Her daywear captured the same relaxed charm: short silky tees in desert shades, long sheer dresses with off-the-shoulder cuts and ruffled cuffs, and romantic shirtdresses or halter tops in broderie anglaise and eyelets, as if sourced from a tiny village vintage shop.

Courtesy Of Isabel Marant

Evening didn’t disappear from the itinerary. Bekker offered shimmering copper and black sequin tops paired with patchwork pants or military jackets, and a standout silver-fringed slip dress covered in oversized sequins, ready for cocktail nights rather than thermos flasks by the fire.

From Paper to Screen: How Creativity Has Been Portrayed Through the Lenses of Fashion and Individual Points of View

Rebecca Krizman
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From Paper to Screen: How Creativity Has Been Portrayed Through the Lenses of Fashion and Individual Points of View

From Paper to Screen: How Creativity Has Been Portrayed Through the Lenses of Fashion and Individual Points of View

October has just begun, but I am still stuck on September’s Vogue issues. Known as the most important time of the year—fashion-wise—this month has given us a lot to talk about. For those who haven’t followed much of the discussion on American Vogue, the mainstream opinion on its covers is that they are not holding up to the standard.

There had already been some complaints that the magazine overused studio shots and wasn’t daring enough, but when the September issue featuring Emma Stone came out, the critics grew louder. Not because of the subject (Emma), but because the photoshoot was very bland. The goal of representing “The Weird and Wonderful World of Emma Stone” was not reached.

I always try to keep a positive view of the things I come across, and since I am not a stylist, take what I’m saying with a pinch of salt: considering it was the September issue and the actress is a two-time Academy Award winner, they could have done her more justice—whether through styling or setting. I also agree with the opinions that American Vogue is overusing studio shots. While they can be the perfect choice to portray certain concepts, when used too often they come across as repetitive.

What this whole debate and these critiques have made me question is where, as a society, we stand creativity-wise. If the most renowned magazine in the fashion industry is labeled “bland,” could it in some way reflect our society?

The discussion on the magazine per se:

If we take the magazine by itself, what seems to come through from an external point of view is that there is almost a fear of taking risks. For its last issue, the covers were all pretty much playing it safe and, while there was a different message behind each of them, none felt shocking or truly captivating. Slowly, the kind of images that were selected became predictable.

But in this field, as we have seen in the past, playing it safe does not work in the long run. People are not looking for ordinary; they want statements. Even when the first traces of minimalism arrived—which is the first style that comes to mind when we talk about “ordinary”—they were still very different from what the public had seen before. We had opulence, luxury, and color in the ’80s that transformed into neutral, simple, and polished in the early ’90s.

As for the magazine now, we have reached a point where the faces we see on the covers are the same ones we often see on our screens too, making the settings almost an overlooked part because the main focus is the celebrity on the front page.

Moreover, both the magazine and Guess received backlash for featuring AI models. This is another indicator that there seems to be no space for the new, as artificial intelligence reaffirms an already overly curated beauty standard and refines “imperfections” that are actually just natural differences.

Despite being a topic discussed more than once in the past, my question is whether Chloé Malle will be able to change how readers now perceive American Vogue. As Wintour did before, Malle has already brought some developments in the field: from 2023 to September 2025 she was responsible for Vogue.com and, in the meantime, co-hosted the podcast Run-Through with Vogue—both elements that played a key role in the magazine’s improvements. Therefore, while regarding the issues we have seen so far I stand by my previous opinion, I am also very intrigued to see if Malle will be the breath of fresh air the industry needs at this moment.

How social media and today’s society have shaped our creativity:

Earlier I wrote: If the most renowned magazine in the fashion industry is labeled as “bland,” could it in some way reflect our society? And, while Vogue does not rule over every creative field, I see in it an analogy for how we, as a collective, are approaching creativity.

From my experience, due to the heavy presence of the internet and social media in my life, consuming content is easier than creating it. Not because that’s what I rationally want to do, but because it’s what I am directed to. For instance, most people who are on social media are also on TikTok. The way the platform is designed makes moving from one video to another automatic, which creates addictive scrolling behavior to see what the algorithm will propose next.

But another factor to take into account is that this need to scroll is not driven purely by curiosity. “The behavior is rooted in our brain’s limbic system—often referred to as the lizard or reptilian brain—dominated by a structure called the amygdala. It promotes self-preservation and drives the fight-or-flight response to danger” (Harvard Health Publishing, “Doomscrolling Dangers” by Maureen Salamon). Meaning: our own brain, for self-preservation, finds in scrolling an opportunity to avoid stress.

This daily exposure to other people’s lives consumes the energy originally meant for our creative thoughts—energy we are no longer pushed to put into action. “So yesterday I started a break. Or really, it started sometime in the night before yesterday… additionally, after a break from social media, my capacity for creating increases. When my brain isn’t crammed full from a steady stream of the stimulus that is unrestrained scrolling, my own thoughts, ideas, sensations, feelings, and observations have a chance to surface” (“My Compulsive Scrolling Is Killing My Creativity” by Rebecca Francis on Medium).

Moreover, by constantly listening to everyone else’s opinions, we are logically more prone to be influenced by them and, in some cases, adopt them as our own without even thinking critically. When you are given a five-minute breakdown of specific news on TikTok, as useful as that explanation may be, it should not be your only source when diving into a new subject.

I would also argue that consuming too much media can discourage you from expressing or developing a different opinion than the mainstream one, as you are led to believe that the most shared content is also the most agreed upon. “This small vocal minority effectively shapes the norms people perceive online, leading to what psychologists call pluralistic ignorance—where people incorrectly believe that these exaggerated online norms represent what most people think or do offline” (“How Social Media Warps Your Reality” by the Center for Conflict Cooperation).

An analogy between editorial and individual creativity:

How this all connects to the Vogue argument is that this lack of creation and “safe play” we have seen with the covers is not too different from what we often see online: people would rather conform to what is agreed upon by the majority than develop something unique to them. But arguably the issue with our individual imaginations runs deeper—because at this point it’s not even about being scared to share a diverse opinion, it’s about not making the effort to formulate one.

While this article started with a critical view on the approach Vogue has had with its covers, the point I really want to emphasize is how vital it is to take the time to be with your own thoughts and create. This process can take you both to argue whether you like something from the industry or not, but it can also be a resourceful skill applicable to any kind of field.

Rick Owens Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Rick Owens Spring 2026 Collection

Rick Owens Spring 2026 Collection

Rick Owens, the master of brutalist glamour, surprised Paris this season with a rare embrace of lingerie codes and sheer fabrics, creating one of his most unexpectedly beautiful collections in years. “I don’t usually work with delicate clothes, so I thought: let’s try that,” he said with his usual deadpan calm before the show, staged outdoors at the Palais de Tokyo.

Courtesty of Rick Owens

The “delicate cycle” in Owenscorp meant nothing less than models striding through the reflecting pool in towering platform boots, sheer hems trailing in the water and catching the light. Layers of transparent fabric were stacked over one another — “I kept piling them up,” Owens explained — producing a sense of subtle nudity that never felt vulgar.

Owens’ take on lingerie was, of course, wholly his own. Gossamer chiffon panels draped from his signature anvil-like shoulders, this time rendered in molten metal. Stockings and dresses bore architectural seaming, while delicate ties and transparent overlays came in nylon and leather rather than silk and lace.

Courtesty of Rick Owens

Despite the subversion, old Hollywood glamour pulsed through the collection, even when filtered through bondage leather trousers or evening gowns of industrial nylon, described in the notes as “randomly arranged.” Highlights included low-cut slip dresses, micro trenchcoats trailing into tuxedo tails, airy long-sleeved bomber jackets, and cropped blouses with sharp Dracula collars. Each look carried Owens’ unmistakable dignity, heightened by his dark, sober palette and understated luxury materials.

Courtesty of Rick Owens

The spectacle was pure Owens: plumes of smoke, blasts of water, an ominous soundtrack, and models descending the imposing industrial staircase into the pool. Yet within the drama, the clothes exuded serenity — and many critics agreed this was one of his most beautiful shows in years. The finale, with all models returning for a collective plunge, sealed the moment in memory.

Rabanne Spring 2026 Collection:

Sarah Mitchell
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Rabanne Spring 2026 Collection:

Rabanne Spring 2026 Collection:

As autumn leaves crunch underfoot, Julien Dossena sent his audience straight into summer with a collection that fused 1950s swimwear nostalgia, seaside playfulness, and Rabanne’s futuristic DNA. “I grew up in Brittany, by the sea, and I wanted to capture that feeling — the spontaneity of dressing for the beach, but with glamour,” said the designer backstage.

Courtesy Of Rabanne

That seaside spirit came alive in halter tops inspired by structured 1950s bikinis, styled with matching boleros or layered beneath floral blouses split open at the front, and paired with billowing maxi skirts. Dresses bloomed with floral appliqués at hems and sleeves, while sea urchin–like shapes, embroidered with sparkling red and silver beading, radiated across a peach satin skirt cinched with an oversized belt.

Courtesy Of Rabanne

The house’s signature shimmer was unmistakable. Mini skirts crafted from crushed metallic layers of gold and silver caught the light with every step, nodding to Rabanne’s space-age heritage. Dossena leaned into hybrid styling, pairing a gold lamé mini with a striped polo for a playful “sporty mermaid” effect, while silver ruffles peeked out beneath a bright yellow mini with a scalloped hem. A flowing blue dress with frayed sleeves revealed metallic fringe at its underskirt, blurring whimsy with edge.

Courtesy Of Rabanne

Some of the best looks riffed on the idea of deconstructing everyday clothes and rebuilding them for the beach. Long skirts were slit open and fastened with knots or ties; a breezy blue mini had sleeves purposefully frayed as if weathered by salt air.

Even the accessories carried the theme. Shoes — from towering heels to casual flip-flops — sprouted metallic leather palm leaves, curling around soles and heels so models seemed to be walking on a tropical carpet.

Balmain Spring 2026 Collection

Sarah Mitchell
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Balmain Spring 2026 Collection

Balmain Spring 2026 Collection

For its 80th anniversary, Olivier Rousteing turned Balmain into a seaside fantasy, offering a collection brimming with freedom, playfulness, and effortless sensuality. Returning to the ornate ballroom of the InterContinental Paris Le Grand—the same stage where he debuted 14 years ago at just 26—he unveiled a show that marked a shift away from his trademark opulence toward something looser, breezier, and more intimate.

Courtesy Of Balmain

The clothes felt sculpted from sand and kissed by salt water. There was a strapless towel dress, as if casually wrapped post-swim; macramé ensembles with endless fringe; and seashells jingling on dresses, shoes, and bags, transforming every step into music. Rousteing also revived his now-iconic molded sand designs—first made famous when Tyla wore one to the 2024 Met Gala—this time reimagined as playful bras and bustiers.

Courtesy Of Balmain

This was a slouchier, more casual Balmain: billowing sarouel and parachute pants, open-weave sweaters sliding seductively off shoulders, and meaty blousons in rugged cottons or leather. Draped jersey tops gave a fluid ease, while tank dresses and bra tops strung together with shells and wooden beads reveled in seaside excess. One standout was a stiff bustier that resembled amethyst crystals erupting from the body.

Courtesy Of Balmain

Backstage, the designer reflected on the shift. “I’m known for the Balmain Army that is always fighting,” he admitted. “This time, it’s not about armor. It’s about freedom, about self-confidence.” For Rousteing, the seaside is a place of joy and renewal, and that spirit infused the collection. In the end, he captured not just the beach but a philosophy: Balmain as an eternal shoreline, where luxury meets lightness and the waves carry away the weight of the world.

Courtesy Of Balmain

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