New York

Money, Power, Glory. Gucci Resort 2027

| Design & Culture by Ed

We live in the age of mutated hyper-capitalism, where your face (“rich face” vs. “old money face” discourse is insane) defines status more than carrying a crocodile-leather Birkin; where your favorite TV series are all about money (from Your Friends & Neighbors to Industry via Landman); and where Mar-a-Lago goes to fashion shows by designers who once flirted with communism. In his first seasons for Gucci, Demna very clearly orbited around the style of today’s 1%, but his work often felt disturbingly celebratory of the Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchezs of the world. But his resort 2027 show, which aggressively took over Times Square, makes you feel somewhat hopeful that the designer is back in his critical-thinking mode – the one that made his Balenciaga so powerfully ironic and highly entertaining. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:


Gucci Shift GG Canvas Low-Top Sneakers



Gucci Borsetto Medium Leather And Webbing-trimmed Canvas-jacquard Shoulder Bag

Gucci Bombshell Leather Pumps



Gucci Flora Printed Silk-twill Scarf



Gucci D-frame Acetate Sunglasses

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Poignant. Colleen Allen AW26

| Design & Culture by Ed

During New York Fashion Week, I always find myself anticipating Colleen Allen’s presentations. From day one, she has known exactly who her woman is. Her codes are witchy, esoteric – Gothic, even – yet the way she articulates them feels consistently poignant rather than theatrical. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:


Colleen Allen Paneled Fleece Jacket



Colleen Allen Shirred Cotton-velvet Gown



Colleen Allen Twist Stretch-crepe Jacket

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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A Lot. Khaite AW26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Cate Holstein is clearly in an experimental phase, determined to prove that Khaite is not merely Khaite, but a force of “big fashion.” Her work moves in waves: at times it lands with precision; at others, it simply doesn’t cohere.

In this collection, there were genuinely strong moments ideas that might have resonated more sharply had they been further refined and sublimated. Yet these were counterbalanced by multiple narrative detours that made the overall line-up difficult to read. I appreciated the opening looks, with their slinky velvet outerwear and leather pieces (which, quite frankly, evoked Frida Giannini’s tenure at Gucci), as well as the charming monkey paintings that appeared as prints on a sheer shirt. The gesture of wearing black gloves beneath transparent muslin also felt inventive and visually intriguing. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:


KHAITE Sabina Cashmere Sweater



KHAITE Kye Calf Hair Clutch



KHAITE Boyle Cropped Low-rise Jeans



KHAITE Eva Leather Sock Boots



Oliver Peoples x Khaite 1989c Round-frame Acetate And Gold-tone Sunglasses



KHAITE Cordelia Cropped Leather Jacket

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Embracing Awkwardness. Eckhaus Latta AW26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta effortlessly achieve what many contemporary New York designers desperately pursue: a gritty coolness that isn’t merely a vague nod to the ’90s. It’s not the polished vision of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy filtered through Ryan Murphy; it’s what CBK might actually wear.

A high-necked black fur jacket paired with a sleek black pencil skirt; satin slip dresses and tops so airy they resemble barely-there mist; stretch jerseys constructed with subtle cutouts at the hip bones. Sexy, but not obvious. Eckhaus Latta grows more mature and refined with each season, yet, as one of the designers noted, the “pressure to make good, fancy rich-people clothes” has never been the point.

Instead, it’s about embracing an awkwardness that isn’t a pose or a performance, but a safe space – an undeniably chic one. And their tradition of casting real people only makes it all the more convincing.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Constructivist. Lii AW26

| 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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