Art

Cleanse. Valentino Pre-Fall 2026

| Design & Culture by Ed

Remember Alessandro Michele’s debut collection for Gucci – the one created in less than a month? Despite its sumptuous, vintage-inflected richness, it was ultimately minimalist, in much the same way a Pre-Raphaelite painting can be. Now creative director of Valentino for nearly two years, Michele appears to be deliberately moving toward a “less is more” mode, however paradoxical that may sound given his well-known affection for dramatic grandeur.

His poetic spring-summer 2026 collection offered the first indication of this reductionist—yet still deeply romantic – direction, and pre-fall 2026 continues that trajectory. A lilac polka-dot tunic layered over a sheer lace slip, a regal grey cape-coat fastened with a butterfly brooch, and a Valentino-red evening dress stripped of all excess save for a single, incisive drape exemplify this new restraint.

Michele has described this process as a gradual “cleansing” of his relationship with the house, an attempt to find equilibrium between excess and austerity. He has acknowledged that his approach to Valentino’s legacy is deeply personal and, for some, even unsettling, given the unmistakable strength of his hand. Yet he sees the pre-fall lookbook as a moment of convergence between himself and the brand – a space in which he feels markedly more at ease. In his words, it is irreverent and uncomfortable in precisely the right measure, suggesting that he has “disrespected” the house just enough to finally allow it to breathe. Such self-reflection (and self-criticism) is rare among contemporary fashion designers, and Michele’s candour deserves recognition.

The collection’s line-up of Bambi-printed jackets, boudoir-inspired lace separates, and blunt denim miniskirts is sharpened further by his first reinterpretation of Valentino’s “Rockstud” – arguably one of the most divisive shoes in modern fashion. In Michele’s hands, it becomes metal-tipped, ankle-strapped, shaper, and balanced on a pin-thin heel. I remain undecided about the result, but Michele’s work has always demanded time to fully resonate.

ED’s SELECTION:

Valentino Garavani Bead-embellished Embroidered High-rise Straight-leg Jeans


Valentino Garavani Ribbed Silk Top


Valentino Garavani Feather-trimmed Satin Midi Skirt


Valentino Garavani Vlogo Stud-embellished Leather Sandals


Valentino Garavani Bracelet in Metal, Enamel and Swarovski Crystals


Valentino Garavani Strapless Pleated Ruffled Polka-dot Silk-chiffon Gown


Valentino Garavani Bowow 45 Bow-embellished Leather Pumps


Valentino Garavani Gold-tone, Crystal, Faux Pearl And Resin Earrings

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

Beauty, Awaken. Lanvin Pre-Fall 2026

| Design & Culture by Ed

Nearly a year has passed since Peter Copping’s debut at Lanvin. In that time, he has managed to reawaken the beauty of a brand that had been in a coma since Alber Elbaz’s glory days. For pre-fall 2026, the creative director of the oldest operating French maison pursued a refined elegance that feels comforting in its powerful discipline – while also delving deeper into Jeanne Lanvin’s history.

Not many people know that Venice holds a particular significance in the house’s chronicles. It was here that Jeanne traveled with her niece, Marianne, buying fabrics and visiting glass workshops. Archival photographs show Madame Lanvin in a white jacket and a black skirt falling just below the knee – a silhouette she favored whenever she visited the city on the water. That ensemble found its way into Copping’s pre-collection, looking contemporary and desirable.

Alongside creative meditations on Mariano Fortuny’s pleats and Murano glass beads, Copping also introduced striking double-flared silhouettes, ornamented capelets, and tweed tailoring featuring a skirt pinched with a brooch. One velvet column gown in ink black is dramatically gathered by a modernist, brooch-like embellishment. This one felt absolutely Parisian, “chic ultime“.

So far, Copping is offering Lanvin a truly exquisite vision.

ED’s SELECTION:

Lanvin Scarf-detailed Velvet And Gathered Chiffon Blouse


Lanvin Asymmetric Wool Skirt


Lanvin Pleated Chiffon Gown


Lanvin Double-breasted Satin-trimmed Wool Blazer


Lanvin Cat Leather Clutch


Lanvin Scarf-detailed Satin-trimmed Velvet Midi Dress


Lanvin Leather Ankle Boots

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

Bonkers. Chanel Pre-Fall 2026

| Design & Culture by Ed

And just like that – Chanel is back on track, baby. Matthieu Blazy’s sophomore collection for the French maison – and his first Métiers d’Art outing – is a confident step forward compared to the escapist debut we saw back in October. Blazy took New York’s subway by storm yesterday, orchestrating a life-affirming, uplifting, Lagerfeldian mise-en-scène. Yes, this one felt like one of the great Karl shows, pre–Grand Palais galore: simple, swift, witty. Real. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

Flow. Samuel Guì Yang SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Samuel Guì Yang is a brand you should keep your eyes wide open for – and it has already been around for a decade. Founded in London by Samuel Guidong Yang and Erik Litzén, yet showing in Shanghai, the label continues to redefine the East-meets-West aesthetic with both nuance and novelty. Their clothes are best described as “flowing“: they move smoothly around the body, appear light and billowy, and carry an instinctive quality, as if they were born from the classical elements – earth, air, fire, and water. The duo’s spring–summer 2026 collection focuses on volumes that envelop the wearer in a poetic gesture: a ballgown-like apron, a grand shoulder drape, dramatic wraps, and even a veil cascading down from a baseball cap. It’s become something of a tradition that the models on Samuel Guì Yang’s runway are always carrying something – a pillow-like XXL clutch, a transparent shopping bag, a fringed shawl, a beautifully wrapped bundle. This is a woman who lives a real life, and she runs errands. The designers also offer a distinctive interpretation of the cheongsam, the traditional Chinese figure-hugging dress that instantly evokes Wong Kar-wai’s “In the Mood for Love“. In Samuel and Erik’s hands, the dress’s construction is reimagined most notably through oversized sleeves, with its influence also echoed in parachute-like blousons and jackets.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

Flamboyant. Stefan Cooke SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Stefan Cooke and his partner, Jake Burt, have a way of uncovering the contemporary within the vintage. For spring–summer 2026, they merged references to New Wave with echoes of Princess Diana’s personal style, creating looks that feel sensual, clubby, and undeniably cool. A centerpiece of their collection was a replica of an American flying jacket they discovered on one of their trips to secondhand and army-surplus stores. In their hands, the jacket appears in an unexpected canary yellow, reimagined with updated proportions and a flamboyant flair. When worn with a hip-length sweater and a knife-pleated skirt, the look feels familiar yet intriguingly different. The same applies to the reworked grey sweatpants with a leather buckle strap (very Lederhosen), and the sweatshirt fitted with a sewn-in cummerbund and finished with a very British silk foulard. As for accessories, the London-based label has us covered with a pair of utterly charming opera shoes topped with a bow. Not a want – a need.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!