A Risk-Taker’s Allure. Hermès AW26

In the past few seasons, it has been fascinating to see where Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski takes her Hermès woman. Let’s say it plainly: this woman is a bourgeois. Yet, as last season proved, she is not afraid to let her precious leathers wear down on a horse ride in Camargue, and she knows that a truly great Birkin is one seasoned by time and life.

For autumn–winter 2026, the designer takes that same woman to a darker, sexier place – somewhere slightly outside her comfort zone, yet where she feels as confident as ever. With modernist ease and an Art Deco–esque flair, a pair of leather coats were designed with zippers spiraling around the torso and hips, while horse-riding attire resembled sensual, body-fitting catsuits. Fur caps lent the looks an aristocratic air – but this is the kind of aristocrat unafraid of doing something unbecoming, even wonderfully inappropriate.

With Vanhee-Cybulski set to launch Hermès’s haute couture next year, her risk-taking approach to the ready-to-wear line – already crafted from some of the finest materials in the world – only heightens the excitement for what the house might have in store in its new era.

ED’s SELECTION:


Hermès Vintage Chaîne D’ancre Sterling Silver Necklace



Hermès Rouge Silky Lipstick Shine



Hermès Lip Pencil



Hermès Rouge Lip Trio Set



Hermès Hippomobile Dessert Plate



Hermès Un Jardin a Cythere Eau de Toilette Bottle Refill



Hermès Tressages Equestres Mug



Hermès Porcelain Mosaique Au 24 Small Box



Hermès Eau de Citron Noir Eau de Cologne

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Father, I’ve Sinned! Valentino AW26

Alessandro Michele has added spice – and flame – to his Valentino, and it has been working particularly well lately. First came his toned-down, poetic spring collection, the only show of the season that truly approached the dread of a world on the brink of WWIII. Then followed his vivacious sophomore couture collection, presented just over a week after Valentino Garavani’s passing, which made the fashion heavens rave. And now, the autumn–winter 2026 lineup, presented not in the usual Paris but in Rome, the brand’s home, core, hot-red heart.

This was Valentino through and through, yet captured through Michele’s new perspective. It is rich and full, yes, but he somehow manages to express that opulence in a clean, clear way (forget the heaviness of his Gucci days). His clothes no longer look as if they have been pulled straight from a vintage store or a forgotten attic. The dramatic glamour is still there, but it is glitched – awkwardly so – making it far more intriguing.

Bow-tied belts cinched full-length furs; color-blocked pleated tunics; lace dresses with butterfly-wing-shaped skirts. It is Rome, after all, so there is an inherent tension between the ecclesiastical and the regal, and the naughty, decadent, Fellini-esque spirit of the city. These women go to church on Sunday – but they as easily live a full-on, hedonistic “La Grande Bellezza” life (a dialogue Demna attempted to spark with his Gucci runway debut, but, to me, failed miserably). One aspect that could perhaps be reconsidered is the casting. Adding a few more mature faces would make the collection feel even more vivid and charismatic, as some of the barely twenty-year-old models – likely exhausted by the fashion month marathon – appeared somewhat pale.

ED’s SELECTION:


Valentino Garavani Fetishique 105 Metallic Leather Slingback Sandals



Valentino Garavani Cropped Satin-trimmed Woven Blazer



Valentino Garavani Velvet-trimmed Satin-crepe Maxi Skirt



Valentino Garavani Bowow 25 Suede-trimmed Leopard-print Calf Hair Pumps



Valentino Garavani Bow-embellished Ribbed Cotton-blend And Wool And Silk-blend Crepe Jacket



Valentino Garavani Viva Superstar Medium Leopard-print Calf Hair Shoulder Bag

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Flow State. The Row Resort 2027

Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen are at a peak in their creative careers, working in a way that feels instinctive rather than overthought – almost uncontrolled in the best possible sense. As the kids say these days, The Row sisters have reached a kind of flow state. Because what else do you call a perfectly cut black suit, nonchalantly topped with a vintage emerald brooch? It’s a statement of pure confidence. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:


The Row Awar Grosgrain-trimmed Leather Ballet Flats



The Row Essentials Tristana Double-breasted Twill Blazer



The Row Emiliano Cotton-poplin Shorts



The Row Vincit Suede Loafers



The Row Leather Clutch



BenAmun Crystal Multi-Drop Brooch

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Earthy Modesty. Miu Miu AW26

The earthy, grounded modesty (and honesty) of Miu Miu’s autumn–winter 2026 collection was exactly what was needed on the last day of Paris Fashion Week. Miuccia Prada stripped her Miu girl (and boy) of anything superfluous. Knee-length pencil skirts and vintage-coded camisoles in peachy shades felt beautifully realistic when paired with trapper hats – somewhat primal, especially given the moss and twigs scattered underfoot along the runway. Fur-lined jackets, cropped nylon anoraks, and crude leathers were utilitarian in form, yet they oozed a palpable sense of humanity (something Pierpaolo Piccioli seemed eager to capture in his Balenciaga collection, though he advanced little beyond a lengthy press release). Chloë Sevigny, who modeled for Miu Miu more than three decades ago, appeared on the runway in a jacket-and-dress set with furry hems that looked like a fungi-esque organism creeping across the garment. It read as Miuccia’scall for peace between humans and nature. And the 1920s-inspired flapper dresses – embroidered, yes, but far more restrained than is typical for Miu Miu – worn in the finale by Gemma Ward, Kristen McMenamy, and Gillian Anderson? A small, poignant pinch of innocence in our being in this world.

ED’s SELECTION:


Miu Miu Leather Casual Derby Loafers



Miu Miu Aventure Lambskin Leather Shoulder Bag



Miu Miu Allacciate Leather Buckle Low-Top Sneakers



Miu Miu Striped Oversized Long-Sleeve T-Shirt



Miu Miu Antic Buckle Distressed Leather Knee-High Boots

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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