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Supernova. Standing Ground AW26 Couture

| Design & Culture by Ed

Sometimes you’ve got to be patient for a supernova to hit. Michael Stewart of Standing Ground saved the haute couture season with an awe-inspiring collection – and a breathtaking study in craftsmanship. Quiet yet full of confidence and conviction – qualities many contemporary creative directors working in couture seem to lack – this runway moment by the Irish designer is a testament to the level of perfection the highest discipline of fashion demands. (Even though some insist on “making it modern” by pretending couture isn’t about… couture. Silly.)

Stewart is obsessive about cutting, dressmaking, and hand embroidery, and he’s fully invested in the process – not just creatively, but technically. And it shows. In his exquisite draping of jersey and velvet. In the signature beading technique he has developed and integrated in multiple ways to create both structure and surface embellishment. And in tailoring so fluid and body-enhancing it looks almost otherworldly.

The women of Standing Ground could be aliens, or Celtic goddesses. For the finale, Stewart presented a full white wedding dress made entirely from Carrickmacross lace, crafted in Ireland and worn barefoot by Kristen McMenamy. By choosing this particular lace, he celebrated Ireland’s heritage of craftsmanship and brought it onto the Paris stage where, in his view, it has always belonged. The women of County Monaghan – the handful of specialists who still preserve the technique – spent 4,000 hours creating this masterpiece.

Here is the leader of couture’s new guard.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Not Your Man Yet. Givenchy SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

Sarah Burton‘s menswear debut for Givenchy proves that, in the end, it’s all about how clothes are photographed. Through Juergen Teller’s lens, Don McCullin, Don Letts, and Danny Fox make the collection feel believable and genuinely cool. But the moment you switch to the studio-shot lookbook starring professional (and very young) models, you’re left with a collection that lacks a clear narrative. Yes, the lavishly embroidered MA-1 jackets are stunning. The hourglass-tailored suits are beautiful too. But then come the tracksuits, rugby shirts, florals, and sneakers, which make the overall picture feel scattered rather than cohesive. It’s not as if Givenchy menswear lacks a legacy – we’ve had Ozwald Boateng and, of course, Riccardo Tisci, who turned the line into a genuine commercial force. But after years of neglect and falling into irrelevance, Burton’s debut doesn’t quite give men a compelling reason to drop everything and return to the brand. Hopefully time will heal that wound.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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King. Marc Jacobs SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

Honesty is chic. Marc Jacobs proves it again and again, riffing on his fashion and cultural heroes – Yves Saint Laurent, Bob Fosse, Junya Watanabe, Miuccia Prada – and, of course, on himself. Because at this point, he is THE blueprint. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:


Marc Jacobs Sculpted Lace Sleeveless Mini Dress



Marc Jacobs Swarovski Mini Wool Bell Skirt



Marc Jacobs Padded Peplum Short-Sleeve Sweater



Marc Jacobs Stretch Lace Long-Sleeve Midi Mermaid Dress



Marc Jacobs Polka-Dot Cotton Poplin Collared Bubble Top



Marc Jacobs Windowpane Check Padded Bubble Skirt

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Sumptuous. Giorgio Armani SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

There’s been a lot of chatter and speculation about who will eventually take over Giorgio Armani. As if Leo Dell’Orco, the late master’s longtime right-hand man, weren’t already doing a brilliant job. His menswear is sumptuously sublime – like the perfect vitello tonnato, a plate of artichoke hearts, and an espresso martini – and it breathes pure Armani DNA. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:


Giorgio Armani Solid Seersucker Sport Shirt



Giorgio Armani Herringbone Cashmere and Wool Sport Coat



Giorgio Armani Cotton and Silk Crewneck Sweater



Giorgio Armani Dyed Satin Oversized Button-Down Shirt with Pocket



Giorgio Armani Cotton and Lyocell Straight-Leg Pleated Trousers



Giorgio Armani Pleated Bib Tuxedo Shirt



Giorgio Armani 5-Pocket Stretch Cotton Pants

Patina. Magliano SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

There’s a sense of distressed, dirty chic about Magliano. In a way, patina was Luca Magliano’s guiding obsession for spring-summer 2027 – “the patina of an old picture, of memory.” The garments carry a distinct 1970s flavor; they feel as if they’ve absorbed cigarette smoke and spilled liquor, as if they were worn all night in some old-school club you might still stumble upon on the outskirts of Rome or Milan (or in any of those smaller Italian towns where time moves differently).

The Milan-based designer – now showing in Paris – approaches classic menswear through a queer lens, filtered with irony and just the right amount of distance. A cheetah-print top paired with matching jeans, an ill-fitting four-button suit jacket that feels lifted from another era, a thrifted foulard worn like a sarong, an aged suit collapsing slightly at the shoulders – all of it carries nostalgia with a flicker of something sharper, almost rageful beneath the surface. Wink, wink.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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