Milan

The Coolest. Ralph Lauren AW26

| Design & Culture by Ed

I suppose Ralph Lauren had a good laugh watching the resurgence of preppy style. It’s everywhere: from Bode to Michael Rider’s Celine, from ERL to Jonathan Anderson’s Dior. This season, the American king of cool – and of all things preppy – was essentially saying, “hold my cup.”

John Wrazej, the brand’s senior creative director for men’s Polo, RLX, and Purple Label, arrived in Milan to show how it’s done. The collection felt both familiar and sensational, as if all your Bruce Weber dreams had finally come true. A fascinatingly recut remix of the lodestone mid-century navy blazer and grey flannel Ivy League uniform – seasoned with Bengal-striped shirts and wide paisley ties – has rarely looked this hot.

Tailoring was characteristically cut in a carefully baggy silhouette: the Hayworth, designed to echo the inclination Lauren’s team observed among young collectors of the brand’s vintage pieces. The collection then shifted into a gentleman-adventurer mode, with highlights including a cream shearling utility parka and a tuxedo-black airman’s jumpsuit worn over an evening shirt and tie, cinched with a hand-tooled Western belt. And my personal favorite? A British Army–inspired red coat worn with ripped jeans and opera shoes.

ED’s SELECTION:

Ralph Lauren Men’s Stewart Leather Single-Breasted Sport Coat


Ralph Lauren Men’s Merino Wool Maxi-Check Overshirt


Ralph Lauren Men’s Cashmere and Silk Polka Dot Handkerchief

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Cleanse. Valentino Pre-Fall 2026

| Design & Culture by Ed

Remember Alessandro Michele’s debut collection for Gucci – the one created in less than a month? Despite its sumptuous, vintage-inflected richness, it was ultimately minimalist, in much the same way a Pre-Raphaelite painting can be. Now creative director of Valentino for nearly two years, Michele appears to be deliberately moving toward a “less is more” mode, however paradoxical that may sound given his well-known affection for dramatic grandeur.

His poetic spring-summer 2026 collection offered the first indication of this reductionist—yet still deeply romantic – direction, and pre-fall 2026 continues that trajectory. A lilac polka-dot tunic layered over a sheer lace slip, a regal grey cape-coat fastened with a butterfly brooch, and a Valentino-red evening dress stripped of all excess save for a single, incisive drape exemplify this new restraint.

Michele has described this process as a gradual “cleansing” of his relationship with the house, an attempt to find equilibrium between excess and austerity. He has acknowledged that his approach to Valentino’s legacy is deeply personal and, for some, even unsettling, given the unmistakable strength of his hand. Yet he sees the pre-fall lookbook as a moment of convergence between himself and the brand – a space in which he feels markedly more at ease. In his words, it is irreverent and uncomfortable in precisely the right measure, suggesting that he has “disrespected” the house just enough to finally allow it to breathe. Such self-reflection (and self-criticism) is rare among contemporary fashion designers, and Michele’s candour deserves recognition.

The collection’s line-up of Bambi-printed jackets, boudoir-inspired lace separates, and blunt denim miniskirts is sharpened further by his first reinterpretation of Valentino’s “Rockstud” – arguably one of the most divisive shoes in modern fashion. In Michele’s hands, it becomes metal-tipped, ankle-strapped, shaper, and balanced on a pin-thin heel. I remain undecided about the result, but Michele’s work has always demanded time to fully resonate.

ED’s SELECTION:

Valentino Garavani Bead-embellished Embroidered High-rise Straight-leg Jeans


Valentino Garavani Ribbed Silk Top


Valentino Garavani Feather-trimmed Satin Midi Skirt


Valentino Garavani Vlogo Stud-embellished Leather Sandals


Valentino Garavani Bracelet in Metal, Enamel and Swarovski Crystals


Valentino Garavani Strapless Pleated Ruffled Polka-dot Silk-chiffon Gown


Valentino Garavani Bowow 45 Bow-embellished Leather Pumps


Valentino Garavani Gold-tone, Crystal, Faux Pearl And Resin Earrings

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Demna On Tom. Gucci Pre-Fall 2026

| Design & Culture by Ed

Looking at Demna‘s sophomore collection for Gucci – the pre-fall 2026 lookbook – I can’t help but wonder: will this brand ever give Tom Ford’s archives and identity a rest? From the images shot in Ford-era, runway-style dimmed lighting to the general sultriness emanating from the clothes and their cosplay-like styling, this feels like yet another studio-designed collection made simply to fill the stores. Knowing Demna’s capacity for concept and irony, venturing into Tom Ford territory this straightforwardly feels a tad too early – and far too unchallenging.

Don’t get me wrong: the collection does have strong moments, especially in the menswear. The 2000s footballer aesthetic is back and fully alive in the V-neck T-shirts (my personal nightmare, but fine – we live in a @gettyimagesfanclub-lensed world). The tackiest-looking monogram-merch bags are everywhere (and somehow feel cool), and I love the men’s ballet flats paired with very basic denim and a trench-coat-buttoned-to-the-top. There’s definitely some wit here. Metrosexuality is in.

But the womenswear? I find it as shallow as Demna’s September debut. It has neither the sass nor the sauce. If this is truly what the new Gucci is, I’m seriously concerned.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Expensive Wit. Loro Piana SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Loro Piana is a brand that isn’t about fashion per se – but it is unmistakably about (wealthy) style. The Loro Piana client doesn’t care about fads; rather, they are entirely confident investing a fortune in a wardrobe that is at once timeless, durable, and subtly nonchalant.

For spring–summer 2026, the Italian house’s design team delivered precisely that: tailoring in gentle muesli tones, elongated silhouettes with an aristocratic air (reminiscent of Marella Agnelli’s swan-like neck in Richard Avedon’s photograph), and a poised balance of countryside statesmanship and Milanese sophistication. There is also a touch of playfulness, captured in exaggerated cone-shaped hats that lend a light-hearted quirk to the cashmere empire. Those moments of wit make Loro so compelling – and standout from all the other “beige” minimalism that suffocates the industry at the moment.

ED’s SELECTION:

Loro Piana Reversible Shell And Cashmere Bomber Jacket


Loro Piana Happy Day Large Leather-trimmed Felt Tote


Loro Piana Boris Double-breasted Cashmere Coat


Loro Piana Broderick Corduroy-trimmed Linen And Silk-blend Coat


Loro Piana Alba Satin Slippers


Loro Piana Vivian Cashmere-blend Mini Skirt

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Heritage. Institution by Galib Gassanoff SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

I love looking back at the season in hindsight and highlighting some of the off-the-radar, attention-worthy moments. One of them is Galib Gassanoff’s Institution, a small, craftsmanship-focused brand that has emerged in Milan with great bravado. Gassanoff, who is of Georgian and Azerbaijani heritage, channels those roots in his breakthrough spring–summer 2026 collection. With curving lines inspired by the traditional Georgian chokha and rush skirts crafted using techniques typically employed in rug-making, this line-up stuns with its artisanal sensitivity – and makes some of Milan’s major players look pale by comparison. The backless peplum tops made from tightly loomed shoelaces? Incredible. As are the seemingly levitating panniered dresses and the brutally beautiful leather outerwear. Gassanoff wants the voices of his ancestors to be heard, and he succeeds with great poignancy and elegance.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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