LVMH Prize

The news of Giorgio Armani’s passing is heartbreaking. What lifts my spirit, however, is knowing that his legacy – a body of work spanning five decades – will live on forever, especially in the work of younger generations of designers who have studied Armani since their teens.

*Giorgio Armani photographed by Juergen Teller for System Magazine.*

It must be some astro-numerological coincidence that yesterday Soshi Otsuki won the LVMH Prize. His Tokyo-based label, Soshiotsuki, is rooted in tailoring – one inspired by the sartorial craftsmanship of the 1980s, but filtered through a distinctly Japanese perspective. His suits, elegantly draping the body – always smooth yet refined – would surely make Mr. Armani proud.

In his delightful spring–summer 2026 collection, Otsuki mesmerizes and intrigues with nearly invisible details that make all the difference. For instance, extra fabric is built into the inside placket of a shirt to suggest a tucked-in necktie, which could be hidden or revealed depending on how it was buttoned. Deadstock kimono silk was repurposed into button-up shirts, while 1980s cotton-washi fabric was used for much of the tailoring – recalling the glamour and prosperity of Japan’s Bubble Era, a moment in time the designer enjoys riffing on.

What’s fascinating about Soshiotsuki is that the clothes don’t feel “vintage,” but utterly contemporary – and in a strikingly handsome way. That sensibility resonates with the final collections Giorgio Armani presented in recent Milan Fashion Weeks, which we were fortunate enough to witness.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Standing Ground‘s Michael Stewart was named the inaugural winner in a savoir faire category of the LVMH Prize. His label’s first solo runway outing during London Fashion Week proved how much he deserves that award. The way Stewart approaches dress-making is truly one-of-a-kind. It’s so powerful and haute in craftsmanship that you can easily imagine the designer taking helm of a brand like Alaïa. Spring-summer 2025’s closing khaki dress was the supreme example of Stewart’s celebrated technique (a term so rare used – and practiced – by emerging designers). Two layers of jersey had been draped and cut over the wearer’s body, before Stewart drew the contours his instinct told him to apply. These drawings were then digitized to make the design symmetrical and applied as stitching to the layers of jersey, before hundreds of micro-beads were inserted in the pockets of space that remained. Yes, that’s magic, and it echoed down to every single detail of the line-up, from the sublime, sculpted leather jacket to a hooded, velvet maxi-number.