Taking Notes. Dries Van Noten SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

At Dries Van Noten, Julian Klausner delivered a triumphant menswear debut – one so true to the brand that you can barely notice Papa Dries’ absence (he’s quietly consulting the new creative director in-between other personal projects – like renovating a palazzo in Venice).

What resonated most in Klausner’s spring-summer 2026 attempt is the actual joy of dressing up – or rather, not fearing to experiment with clothes. At first nothing seems to match in this collection, but then you see the beautiful method behind all that madness. A gorgeously tailored jacket worn with a floral sarong? Yes. Oversized grey sweatshirt topped with a handsome, embellished cummerbund? Yes. A cropped jacket in red roses styled with electric-blue biker shorts? Hell yes!

This outing offers not just great clothes, but absolutely inspiring solutions that will pimp up your summer wardrobe. I’m taking notes.

ED’s SELECTION:

Dries Van Noten Floral-print Silk-voile Shirt


Dries Van Noten Grosgrain-trimmed Floral-print Silk-voile Wide-leg Pants


Dries Van Noten Oversized Double-breasted Linen, Wool, Silk And Cashmere-blend Blazer


Dries Van Noten Belted Double-breasted Crinkled-organza Trench Coat


Dries Van Noten Suede and Leather Trainer Sneakers

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Fire Island. Saint Laurent SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

At Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello envisioned a Yves-kind-of man, but swiftly transferred to 1970s Fire Island. Although YSL never arrived to the homoerotic utopia, the contemporary designer certainly thinks he would love it.

You can easily imagine the slinky Saint Laurent boys in short-shorts, shoulder-padded shirts and cool, cotton-canvas blousons live through a hedonist summer in one of the Island’s wooden cabins. The sun-burnt, sea-washed color palette of canary-yellow, faded-burgundy and sumptuous ochre comes straight from Larry Stanton’s drawings and candid video footage of the queer community enjoying idyllic, hot days in the pre-AIDS days. The Parisian sensitivity of trench coats (this season much softer in cut) and just-the-right-kind-of laid-back tailoring made the collection look refined, without being overly “American”.

Anthony Vaccarello is definitely in his peak creative era at Saint Laurent. While his womenswear sometimes falls flat due to his one-theme fixations, his menswear develops an intriguing iconography of a contemporary homme who’s both chic and flamboyant. And what’s most exciting is the designer’s instinct for re-contextualisation of the YSL man, who’s one foot in Yves’ world, another – in Vaccarello’s.

ED’s SELECTION:

Saint Laurent Men’s Dotted Crepe de Chine Dress Shirt


Saint Laurent Men’s Augustin Leather Ankle Boots


Saint Laurent Men’s Double-Pleated Baggy Pants


Saint Laurent Men’s Satin Teddy Jacket

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Industry Veterans. The Row SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

The Row is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year – meaning that Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen are true industry veterans. And their brand is like wine – it does get better with age.

Spring-summer 2026 collection, photographed by Mark Kean (have you noticed the sudden Kean-ification of ad campaigns and editorials? He’s certainly got something of early Steven Meisel), is a fine study of what the Olsens were always interested in the first place: the basics. Don’t forget that The Row’s primary idea – and promise – was to create the most perfect t-shirt. There were a couple this season, as perfect as the ikebanas documented in the lookbook.

Other than crisp cotton shirting, lived-in tailoring, and startlingly monastic black evening dresses that could play a role in an Ingmar Bergman film, there was that one, chic accessory that was responsible for all the inventive styling: a bejeweled, rectangular brooch. Of course, it’s straight out of Miuccia Prada’s sciura playbook (the Olsens are known for referring – sometimes borderline imitating – designers like Martin Margiela or Yohji Yamamoto). A brooch can elevate any dress, fasten a cardigan like a scarf around your neck, or just be, on a jacket’s lapel. Now, since the Olsens have made their stance on this little tiny accessory, expect a lot of mini-essays about the art of wearing a brooch from Substack girls.

The designers, fully based in Paris for a couple of seasons now, know how to keep their loyal clients – and online admirers – in chokehold, in the most noiseless, elegant and sensual of ways.

ED’s SELECTION:

The Row Lea Draped Silk-crepe Tunic


The Row Zalenka Cropped Cotton And Cashmere-blend Twill Straight-leg Pants


The Row Leather And Mesh Ankle Boots


The Row Maxi Classic Calf Hair Belt


The Row Frank Corduroy-trimmed Cotton-canvas Jacket

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Queer & Chic. Vivienne Westwood SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

For spring-summer 2026 menswear, Andreas Kronthaler returned to Milan Fashion Week – and it did good to Vivienne Westwood, the brand whose soul was kind of devoid in the past few seasons.

The collection blended Kronthaler’s affection for fluid silhouettes and Milano’s sartorial heritage. Tailoring was slouchy and nonchalant, but utterly chic. The coats were broad-shouldered or leopard-printed, and full of Milanese charisma. Hunky men in dresses and killer-high platforms were an exuberant view – especially when seen in a passeggiata through a San Babila café and then out on street side marble-floor arcade. A rose-embroidered tabard with a mid-calf red satin boot was a look that was both ecclesiastical in its clerical regality and campy in its unabashed queerness.

This collection felt like one created in the presence of Vivienne’s spirit – or even blessed by her, straight from the fashion heaven.

ED’s SELECTION:

Vivienne Westwood Doll XL Embellished Tote

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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