Past Present. Act No.1 AW26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Luca Lin of Act No.1 is leading Milan’s new wave of designers, carving his own path in a landscape still largely dominated by mega-watt houses. His brand is a decade old, yet Lin’s work feels unseasoned in the best possible way. Trained in a traditional design discipline, he aims to “take that standard and use it to mix and match, creating something new.”

The result is a distinct way of carrying oneself: layered, oversized tailoring interwoven with details that possess a soul of their own. For autumn-winter 2026, the standout piece is a structured top hand-embroidered with more than 25,000 tiny deadstock buttons sourced from Italian manufacturer RIBL. Some of these buttons are over 50 years old, allowing the piece to blend past and present in the spirit of new materialism – a direction poignantly echoed by Hodakova in Paris.

But Act No.1 isn’t only about one-of-a-kind collectibles. The label also offers beautifully cut jackets, coats, and trousers, all subtly deconstructed and radiating an airy coolness. The sunburnt palette – ochre, mustard, orange, and burgundy – is delicious.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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The Kids Are All Right. Abra AW26

| Design & Culture by Ed

For Abraham Ortuño Perez, the kids are all right. While designing his autumn-winter 2026 Abra collection, the Spanish designer – who has spent years building his reputation with some of the most imaginative footwear for leading brands – found himself thinking about his niece and nephew rummaging through their parents’ closet, piling on whatever they could get their hands on. He recalls his own childhood with similar fondness: he and his sister played with roles, she the tomboy and he the girly one. “At some point, we kind of blended together.”

That spirit of childlike naïveté – so beautiful, and so fleeting – runs through Perez’s latest ready-to-wear collection. Sack dresses are slashed and patchworked from contrasting materials, while blazers and jackets hang several sizes too big. The playful energy continues in confetti-like dresses, and long gilets crafted from vintage rabbit-fur belts feel like something discovered in an attic treasure chest – exactly the kind of find that would spark a child’s imagination.

We need fun, and Abra is where seriousness goes to die.

Collages by Edward Kanarecki, featuring backstage photos by Jamie-maree Shipton.
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