Coming Of Age. Dries Van Noten AW26

January 24, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

Julian Klausner delivered his strongest solo outing at Dries Van Noten to date. The autumn–winter 2026 menswear collection radiates the youthful spirit of student days, when anything seems possible: drifting from one party to the next, cramming for exams at the last minute, and handing in papers a day past the deadline. The naturally cool spontaneity of a vintage-inspired striped sweater paired with a kilt, a hilariously kooky chullo-like beanie, and lace-ups with thick socks peeking out is intoxicatingly inspiring. So, too, is the campus-inflected layering: oversized capes worn over prim, uniform-like tailoring and neatly knotted neckties.

Yet this was not a collection about preppiness. I found it beautifully folkloric instead. Nordic knitwear patterns clashed with subtly faded, sensational Polaroid-like florals on satin trousers and raincoats. These are life-affirming clothes – and styling cues – that make you feel young again, no face-lift required.

ED’s SELECTION:

Dries Van Noten Double-breasted Embellished Striped Wool And Linen-blend Coat

Dries Van Noten Nylon and Leather Low-Top Sneakers

Dries Van Noteb Pine Straight-Fit Flocked Denim Jeans

Dries Van Noten Hen Oversized Graphic T-Shirt

Dries Van Noten Velen Embellished Jacket

Dries Van Noten Rock The Myrrh Eau de Parfum

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Radical Uniform. Rick Owens AW26

January 23, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

Rick Owens’s latest collection? Hard as ice-cold metal, raw as Kim Gordon’s newest song, emotionally explosive like a Lynne Ramsay film – yet, at the same time, utterly and devastatingly beautiful. This season, the designer was invested in the idea of uniforms: they command presence and provoke threat, but once mocked, they can easily tip into something almost hilarious. It was therefore intriguing to see how Owens reimagined hyper-masculine utilitarianism within his twisted universe, where darkness functions as the true source of light.

The athletic models appeared even more otherworldly in elongated, skin-tight silhouettes, ornamented with floor-sweeping tentacles, razor-sharp shoulder pads, and origami-like constructions that quite literally enveloped the wearer. Color-washed, cropped gothic cashmere coats took on a grunge edge when paired with stone-washed pants, while Rick’s signature high-platform boots pushed each look into even more extreme, radical territory. It’s a tough world out there, and Owens designs clothes that protect you – physically and mentally – from the harsh detriments of reality.

ED’s SELECTION:

Rick Owens Jumbo Tabard Silk-chiffon Turtleneck Blouse

Rick Owens x Dr. Martens 1460 Quad Sole Megalace Leather Ankle Boots

Rick Owens Triple Donut Convertible Cashmere Sweater

Rick Owens Cropped Bleached Brushed-cotton Bomber Jacket

Rick Owens Satin Wide-leg Cargo Pants

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Actually Fashion. Dior Men AW26

January 22, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

Remember my very real concerns about this season’s menswear turning conservative? Jonathan Anderson erased them the second the first look of his sophomore Dior menswear collection hit the runway. It felt like a bow-wow-wow moment of unfiltered fashion that is actually fashion, for Christ’s sake.

The yellow wigs by Guido Palau, à la Pam Hogg, felt like the much-needed final disruption of the contemporary Dior image – one long orchestrated by former creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Kim Jones. Goodbye neatness and primness; hello decadence, flamboyance, drama. This collection cut the umbilical cord to anything preppy, veering into directions nobody could have fathomed. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Debonair. Wales Bonner SS26

January 21, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

As Grace Wales Bonner gradually prepares for her new, high-profile role at Hermès (her debut will arrive exactly a year from now), the autumn–winter 2026 collection under her namesake label serves as a reminder of why she is so perfectly suited to one of Paris’s most prestigious menswear positions. It is a serene meditation on debonair elegance, informed by modernist architecture. Her thinking this season revolves around Indian modernism and modernist architecture more broadly, approaching modernism as a means of renegotiating and creating new identities, while also exploring something graphic, almost uniform-like in its clarity and restraint.

There is no shortage of such propositions, whether in the tailcoat and tuxedo trousers – tailored in indigo linen and paired with a linen wingtip-collar shirt, softened through washing – or in a Madras-checked jacket with a leather collar. This season, Wales Bonner also added John Smedley, the Derbyshire knitwear manufacturer founded in 1784, to her select circle of suppliers, delighting in its archive and fine British craftsmanship. She has long favored collaboration with highly specialized makers, valuing depth of knowledge and precision above all else.

One can only imagine what awaits in January 2027 – after all, great things take time.

ED’s SELECTION:

adidas Originals x Wales Bonner Karintha Sequined Satin Sneakers

Wales Bonner Anthem Embroidered Mesh-trimmed Jersey Track Jacket

Wales Bonner Presence Studded Organza Blouse

Wales Bonner Echo Leather-trimmed Organic Denim Jacket

Wales Bonner Java Macrame Fringe Midi Skirt

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Gentle Masculinity. Giorgio Armani AW26

January 19, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

Leo dell’Orco saved Milan Men’s Fashion Week with his gently masculine Giorgio Armani collection. As the passing of the Italian maestro still feels absolutely shocking – and I remain in denial – the brand is clearly in very good hands, guided by his protégé and a rigorously disciplined team. After seeing today’s show, I truly don’t want to hear the Hedi Slimane rumors anymore. What was sent down the runway was a genuinely aspirational vision of menswear – one that is neither performative nor toxically pumped up.

This was pure Armani: elegance, solidity, timelessness. It’s impossible to count all the menswear staples I loved in this line-up – from Giorgio’s signature bombers, first introduced in the 1980s, to a cropped trench coat; from heavy-duty reversible shearling coats (buttoned only at the neck, a quintessentially Armani gesture) to tailored jackets in fluid velvet (the colours – ah!). It truly felt like a candy store – only this one offers extra-fine dark chocolate, with no sugar added.

Giorgio Armani has always stood for continuity – something designers like Phoebe Philo and Hed Mayner have clearly taken up – serving excellence, quietly and consistently. That tradition is beautifully nurtured.