Reviews

New Visions. Erdem SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Erdem Moralıoğlu toned down the aristocratic glamour this season, delivering a collection that felt more nonchalant and decadent than posh and overdone. His inspiration was Hélène Smith, a late-19th-century French psychic and artist who claimed to experience visions of belonging to Marie Antoinette’s court. Somehow, all of that translated seamlessly into Erdem’s collection: high-neck lace dresses were slashed into liberating mini lengths; exquisitely embroidered and embellished coats carried a cool, airy volume that suggested an artist’s wardrobe; and unexpected splashes of neon – new territory for Erdem – sent eveningwear and sheer robes into a psychedelic register reminiscent of Dries Van Noten. With this latest work, it seems Erdem is carving out a new method for navigating his once overly-regal universe.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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2005. Burberry SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Unpopular opinion: Daniel Lee’s spring collection for Burberry was actually pretty good. It felt very London circa 2005 – but not in a wannabe Y2K way; more in an Arctic Monkeys–cool kind of way. I can totally picture Alex Turner wearing one of those acidic-green leather trench coats or killer-pink bombers. Lee really delivered on outerwear this season, and the same goes for accessories – the chunky, elongated scarves look great and fun. Overall, he seems to have a stronger hand in menswear than in womenswear, and that’s probably where a lot of the online criticism has sparked. The crochet dresses à la Mary Quant felt too Topshop. Reportedly, Burberry is lowering its prices to better fit the market, but that doesn’t mean the brand should start veering toward a high-street aesthetic.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Pop. Conner Ives SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

The Conner Ives show was a standout highlight of London Fashion Week. The designer – who first took the world by storm with his “Protect the Dolls” fundraiser T-shirts (with all proceeds donated to Trans Lifeline, raising $600,000 for the charity to date) – brought the dolls back to the runway this season. Though he has long cast a higher proportion of trans models than most, this time the vast majority of the lineup was trans or gender nonconforming. His tribe of high-voltage beauties celebrated the magic and power of pop.

“Pop music will never be lowbrow,” Ives declared. With his idols in mind – Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga, and contemporary pop princess Addison Rae – the designer delivered ultra-feminine, party-ready dresses in acidic tones. A fabulous bias-cut gown in shocking pink silk crepe, topped with a brown chiffon overlay, was styled with faded feathers plucked from an early 20th-century burlesque fan and arranged around the model’s neck like the hackles of an elegant bird. Just fabulous. An especially brilliant stroke of design brilliance appeared in one of the finale looks: a gown covered in leather sequins, painstakingly laser-cut from discarded jackets and then hand-embroidered onto silk chiffon over six weeks. Drama! The collection also included cool, sporty separates for day.

After so much mildness and plainness on the spring runways, Conner Ives’s collection arrived as a much-needed antidote – full of glamour, bravado, and charisma.


ED’s SELECTION:

Conner Ives Tulle-trimmed Shirred Organic Cotton-piqué Shirt


Conner Ives Embellished Draped Stretch-jersey Flared Track Pants


Conner Ives Crystal-embellished Recycled Stretch-jersey Maxi Dress


Conner Ives Ano Fringed Macramé-trimmed Embroidered Silk-crepe Halterneck Top


Conner Ives Cropped Embellished Stretch Recycled-satin Skinny Pants

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Soft Launch. Gucci SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Unfortunately, Demna’s soft launch at Gucci didn’t feel like the vitamin C boost I was hoping for as I’m fighting the traditional, September flu. Yesterday, I watched influencers and insiders bend over backwards to intellectualize and extract meaning from the former Balenciaga designer’s debut at the Italian, Kering-owned brand. The result? A soulless lookbook shot by Catherine Opie, awkwardly photoshopped into tacky frames (as one of my followers aptly noted, it gives serious Anna Dello Russo 2010 vibes). The clothes – Tom Ford-esque leathers, diva gowns, fur coats, silks in ‘Flora’ print – will be available in select Gucci boutiques next week. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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On Display. Simone Rocha SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

“It’s this slightly teenage, debutante feeling – when you’re on display and don’t really want to be there,” said Simone Rocha of her spring–summer 2026 collection. This season, the London-based designer marks 15 years of independent business, one deeply rooted in a women-centered vision.

Being “on display” carries many meanings for a contemporary fashion designer – especially a female one – and Rocha channeled that tension with a line-up that was at once vulnerable and resilient. Crinolined dresses swayed with a wonky gait; panniered skirts slouched loose and undone; draped tops tucked with flowers exuded an arty chaos. A black menswear suit, its jacket fitted with a built-in bouquet sash, struck a particularly cool note, amplified by the model’s crossed hands.

And the pillow clutches? Rocha’s eternal girl may drift through a dreamscape, but she is no Princess and the Pea.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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