Carnal Allure. Tom Ford Pre-Fall 2026

June 5, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

Haider Ackermann’s Tom Ford feels like a wet dream made flesh: Lisa Lyon working out to Madonna’s “Erotica“, or Helmut Berger cast in an art-house adult film. The energy is relentlessly otherworldly- steamy, regally refined, and dangerously seductive. His pre-fall 2026 collection delivers exactly that.

What’s particularly striking is how powerful Ackermann’s clothes remain outside the spectacle of the runway. Even against the plain backdrop of a lookbook, they hold your gaze, effortlessly hypnotic. As the collection arrives in stores, there’s plenty to obsess over: razor-sharp tailoring, deliciously kinky leather pieces for both men and women, languid floor-skimming gowns, and outerwear so impeccable it borders on fetishistic. Classic Daddy Haider.

We saw Ackermann explore denim in the main collection, but here he pushes it further, giving the lineup a raunchier, more casual edge. It evokes the mood of Tom Ford’s Santa Fe ranch (think that unforgettable Terry Richardson editorial for Vogue Paris where they kiss). The result is a collection that feels both louche and luxurious, gritty and sensual… this is carnal allure.

ED’s SELECTION:

TOM FORD Iggy Oval-frame Acetate Sunglasses

TOM FORD Cotton And Silk-blend Duchesse-satin Blazer

TOM FORD Striped Silk-satin Jacquard Shirt

TOM FORD Leather Chelsea Boots

TOM FORD Double-breasted Cashmere-blend Blazer

TOM FORD Cotton And Silk-blend Duchesse Satin Straight-leg Pants

TOM FORD Croc-effect Patent-leather Cuff

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Money, Power, Glory. Gucci Resort 2027

May 18, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

We live in the age of mutated hyper-capitalism, where your face (“rich face” vs. “old money face” discourse is insane) defines status more than carrying a crocodile-leather Birkin; where your favorite TV series are all about money (from Your Friends & Neighbors to Industry via Landman); and where Mar-a-Lago goes to fashion shows by designers who once flirted with communism. In his first seasons for Gucci, Demna very clearly orbited around the style of today’s 1%, but his work often felt disturbingly celebratory of the Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchezs of the world. But his resort 2027 show, which aggressively took over Times Square, makes you feel somewhat hopeful that the designer is back in his critical-thinking mode – the one that made his Balenciaga so powerfully ironic and highly entertaining. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:

Gucci Shift GG Canvas Low-Top Sneakers

Gucci Borsetto Medium Leather And Webbing-trimmed Canvas-jacquard Shoulder Bag

Gucci Bombshell Leather Pumps

Gucci Flora Printed Silk-twill Scarf

Gucci D-frame Acetate Sunglasses

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Hollywood Drama. Dior Resort 2027

May 16, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

In her new book, Famesick, Lena Dunham writes that Los Angeles is “the city you go to when possibility knocks on your door. Not just possibility, but glamour, intrigue, the promise of something I didn’t want to admit sounded like it would feel pretty fucking good: affirmation. Boatloads of affirmation.” Did Jonathan Anderson’s first-ever cruise collection for Dior, presented beneath the concrete arches of David Geffen Galleries at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, offer that sense of urgent, soul-shaking affirmation? I’m not so sure.

The problem is that there have been too many “each look a different character” collections lately – not only from Dior, but from many of the brands currently shaping the fashion conversation. Conveniently labeled “eclectic,” this approach often feels like the easiest way to camouflage a creative director’s indecisiveness. Hollywood, of course, is not a singular story. But looking at Anderson’s latest offering, I never felt he captured any of its narratives with real clarity. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Shanghai. Maison Margiela AW26

April 3, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

At this point, there’s little sense in trying to draw connections between what Martin Margiela’s brand once was and what it is today. In the days of the revolutionary Belgian designer, the scale was small, anonymity was essential, and no-nonsense ideas were paramount. Today, this is Renzo Rosso’s house being scaled up – not only through perfume lines or Miley Cyrus campaigns, but also by presenting its latest collection in Shanghai.

I don’t see Maison Margiela as a “destination” brand like Chanel or Louis Vuitton, so it’s difficult to justify this move as anything beyond commercial expansion. The autumn-winter 2026 collection marks Glenn Martens’ third outing. It is, so far, his strongest – far more compelling than his spring effort, with its inexplicable metal gags tucked into models’ mouths – yet that doesn’t mean I’m entirely convinced. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:

Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina Split-toe Distressed Velvet Pumps

Maison Margiela Dégradé Checked Woven Midi Skirt

Maison Margiela Embroidered Mesh-trimmed Wool Cardigan

Maison Margiela Box Leather Shoulder Bag

Maison Margiela Padded Wool-trimmed Quilted Crinkled Shell Jacket

Maison Margiela Ombre Leather Anatomic Block-Heel Pumps

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Regime. Gucci AW26

February 28, 2026 | Design & Culture by Ed

Everything about Demna’s Gucci runway debut made me feel nauseous. The monumental, neo-classicist venue designed by Sub.Global felt deeply discomforting to me – it immediately evoked Mussolini-era architecture, the kind that asserted power and signaled the omnipresence of a totalitarian regime. Playing with such tropes simply doesn’t sit right, especially in the context of figures like Giorgia Meloni shaping current politics. I was genuinely surprised that nobody else said this out loud. But then again, I suppose it’s easy to turn a blind eye when it’s convenient.

And what about the clothes? To me, they suggest that Demna – a designer I truly admired during his Balenciaga years – is at a creative standstill. Or downfall. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.