Constructivist. Lii AW26

February 15, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

So perhaps New York Fashion Week still matters. It’s here that you encounter talents like 25-year-old Zane Li, the founder of Lii. He has an extraordinary approach to shape and geometry, creating garments that feel constructivist in both appearance and method. Like Vladimir Tatlin’s abstract installations made from industrial materials, Li’s pieces demand to be viewed from every angle: a skirt may appear exaggeratedly flat from the front, only to protrude at the back with an almost extraterrestrial force.

Based in New York, the designer explores the potential of line and silhouette through precisely cut, flat fabrics rendered in bold color-blocking that delivers a punchy visual impact. It was compelling to see him introduce faux fur into the mix, adding texture to designs that might otherwise read as austerely sterile. And the utilitarian gloves? A nod to Todd Haynes’s “Safe“. We do live in a dangerous world.

What distinguishes Li’s work is his refusal to casually appropriate the term “minimalism,” as so many New York designers do. He understands the discipline the word implies – and claims it, convincingly, on his own terms.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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American Classic. Altuzarra AW26

February 15, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

This season, Joseph Altuzarra went full Ralph Lauren. Plaid maxi skirts, shearling bombers, chunky knits, earthy tones – even heirloom antique jewelry from De Vera called to mind Ralph’s signature turquoises and vintage silvers. Altuzarra has been on the market for nearly two decades now, which already positions the brand as something of an American classic. It was intriguing, then, to see the designer send his uptown woman out for a horseback ride. And those flared skirts in the finale? I’m very much here for more of that bravado from Altuzarra – perhaps with fewer of the uncharismatic, foulard-like dresses he so stubbornly insists on revisiting each season.

ED’s SELECTION:

Altuzarra Cecie Fair Isle Wool-blend Turtleneck Sweater

Altuzarra Fragolina Draped Broderie Anglaise-paneled Silk-satin Midi Dress

Altuzarra Kiddo Gathered Silk Tapered Pants

Altuzarra Llewellyn Wool Jacket

Altuzarra Dash Pleated Cotton-twill Barrel-leg Pants

Altuzarra Alida Ruffled Silk-chiffon Blouse

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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What’s Hot (15.2.26)

February 15, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

GET THE LOOK:

Gabriela Hearst Tate Skirt in Fluorescent Orange Aloe Linen

CARVEN Oversized Satin-twill Jacket

KHAITE Ayla Strapless Crepe And Satin Bustier Top

KHAITE Remo Long Leather Gloves

Aeyde Carla Leather Slingback Pumps

Metropolitan. Fforme AW26

February 14, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

Fforme is yet another New York–based representative of modern-day minimalism and an advocate of all things “good taste.” Frances Howie, the brand’s current creative director, drew inspiration from “Metropolitan” – Whit Stillman’s 1990 cult classic and the cinematic shorthand for Upper East Side dressing and socialite allure.

The collection was prim and elegant, yet beneath the surface two key references emerged: Martin Margiela’s fur wigs created in collaboration with Bless in 1997, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s cheeky tights-as-shoes moment from a year ago. (Industry lore has it that the shoes failed to arrive in time for The Row show; at Fforme, by contrast, the black “tights” are in fact ultra-slim boots with barely visible soles.)

Howie’s highly-photogenic line-up will undoubtedly please Pinterest art directors. But will the idealized, moneyed Manhattan woman – the figure so many New York designers seem intent on dressing this season – buy into it? I’d wager, and hope, that these mythical women, who model themselves on Lee Radziwill or Babe Paley, know their references.

ED’s SELECTION:

FFORME Ekani Silk Midi Dress

FFORME Jamie Wool Coat

FFORME Aline Scuba Straight-leg Pants

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Unanswered Questions. Calvin Klein Collection AW26

February 14, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

After two entirely unmemorable and unresolved collections, Veronica Leoni’s third outing for Calvin Klein Collection is her strongest yet. That doesn’t mean it was flawless. A significant question still lingers: what is the actual purpose of this line? And why does it feel so disconnected from what Calvin Klein as a brand represents today?

It’s clear that Leoni wants to challenge both herself and the house by proposing sophisticated interpretations of minimalism. Yet the result often comes across as misguided, particularly in a city like New York, already saturated with minimalist labels. Why not take a cue from Dario Vitale’s now-legendary debut at Versace and engage directly with the most recognizable signifiers of contemporary Calvin Klein? Why not embrace full-throttle hedonism in the spirit of the Bad Bunny campaign? Maybe, in the end of the day, the hypothetical client of the brand wants to get laid. That shift would truly shake things up – for Calvin Klein Collection and for Leoni herself, a seasoned and undeniably talented designer who nonetheless appears somewhat constrained within this corporate behemoth.

Her autumn-winter 2026 collection assembles a series of compelling ideas – sack-like silhouettes, or her first foray into straightforward, muscular sex appeal expressed through sleeveless jackets that expose sculpted arms. But these moments are diluted by awkward curtain-like dresses and outerwear that feels closer to Helmut Lang than to Calvin Klein. A sharper edit might help clarify what Leoni is trying to communicate. Ultimately, however, the issue seems to lie within the institution itself: a brand that aspires to high fashion without fully committing to making it work. In that context, the designer becomes the casualty of the story.