Art

One For The Books. Rochas AW03

| Design & Culture by Ed

Looksmaxxing? I’d rather be Theyskensmaxxing.

Many people forget that Olivier Theyskens – the Belgian designer whose signature blends sumptuous fantasy with a kind of solemn, gothic rigor – had a stint at Rochas (a historic Paris-based brand that, much like Nina Ricci, Vionnet, and Carven, never quite found its footing in the 21st century). His stellar debut – the autumn–winter 2003 collection (and, by the way, 2003 really was a great year for fashion, this is why) – is one for the books.

The eveningwear alone deserves a proper Met Gala appearance, especially the Velázquez “Infanta”–inspired velvet pannier dresses, draped and proportioned so exquisitely they seem to levitate over the body. The white rose placed at the back of each look is almost unbearable in its beauty. Fun fact: Stella Tennant’s pink taffeta gown, covered in black Chantilly lace – cut close through the torso, then bursting into undulations at the shoulders and below the knee – was unearthed last year by Lauren Santo Domingo for Bal d’Été. It only proves how timeless this body of work really is. READ THE FULL TEXT HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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When In Biarritz. Chanel Resort 2027

| Design & Culture by Ed

The sun-drenched hydrangea hill facing the ocean. The old-school seaside promenade where time seems to have stopped when Coco arrived in 1915. The dreamiest Hotel – once Empress Eugénie’s literal Palais. The Les Halles market, brimming with the best of Basque produce. The spaceship-shaped rock – or the Atlantic’s gate – that stands tall in the waters and eternally guards the town. Biarritz is a place very dear to my heart, shaped by many childhood summers spent here – idyllic, breezy, sounding like a Vanessa Paradis album. The moment it was announced that Chanel would present Matthieu Blazy’s first cruise collection here, you can imagine how thrilled I was. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to attend a show so badly.

What Blazy presented was not what I expected. A couple of days ago, I posted two nearly forgotten campaigns by Karl Lagerfeld – from 2001 and 2003 – when he brought Chanel to Biarritz. The post went viral, and I found myself trying to manifest a collection that would reflect what modern-day women actually wear here: a well-fitted tweed jacket (their mother’s or grandmother’s), a vintage T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and a (very) lived-in Flap bag. Because Biarritz is about a certain duality: it’s both one of the most aristocratic and the most chill places in the world. You have Napoleonic chandeliers alongside surfers breaking records on towering waves. It’s a town of striking – and beautiful – contrasts. Matthieu’s collection leaned more toward a fantasy of what French resort wear can be. And I’m not mad about it. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Simply The Best. Maison Martin Margiela SS03

| Design & Culture by Ed

I don’t like naming favorites – but this might be it. The Maison Martin Margiela spring–summer 2003 collection has been living in my head for a while now. You already know I’m not really feeling what Glenn Martens is doing at the house right now (though I’ll always have a soft spot for the MM6 team). So instead, I’ve been going back – properly back – into Martin Margiela’s archives. Not the forced “Folders” narrative the brand is pushing, but the real thing. And honestly? I couldn’t be happier to have unearthed the full set of images from this collection.

Because this collection is a reminder – no, proof – of how much everyone owes him. From Hodakova to Vaquera, from Phoebe Philo to Marc Jacobs – they’re all, in some way, walking a path he cleared. He ran so the rest could even begin. READ THE FULL TEXT HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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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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