Scuba-Chic. Rabanne SS26

October 17, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

Similarly to Dries Van Noten‘s Julian Klausner and the Proenza boys at Loewe, Rabanne’s Julien Dossena was mentally by the beach this season, surrounded by surfers in spirit. His collection, however, felt among the most intriguing – especially in its brilliant menswear. There weren’t many looks, but each one, styled with scuba-diving pants, oversized flip-flops, and vintage Hawaiian-print shirts, exuded an undeniably cool attitude. The metallic flower necklaces – a nod to Paco Rabanne’s conceptual use of metal – added an especially striking touch. The interest in scuba style recalled Nicolas Ghesquière’s now-cult-classic Balenciaga collection from 2003. Dossena, who worked with Ghesquière for years, had the Louis Vuitton creative director cheering him on from the front row. As for womenswear, Julien played with 1950s pin-up references, making skirts fuller, florals bolder, and colors flashier. His use of exaggerated belt buckles gave the collection a tongue-in-cheek energy.

ED’s SELECTION:

RABANNE Lace-trimmed Chainmail Midi Skirt

RABANNE Chain-embellished Paisley-print Crepe Maxi Dress

RABANNE Paillette-embellished Twill Shoulder Bag

RABANNE Cropped Scalloped Stretch-lace Top

RABANNE Gathered Striped Wool-blend Midi Skirt

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Wearable Twist. Carven SS26

October 17, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

Mark Thomas takes center stage at Carven after serving as Louise Trotter’s right hand – and his spring-summer 2026 line-up stands out as one of the most authentic and integrity-filled collections of the entire season. Together, he and Trotter had successfully positioned the French maison as a safe space for women who feel their best in minimalism that is sensual, off-beat, and warm – less serious than Phoebe Philo’s and more easy-going than The Row’s. Now that Trotter has moved on to the candy shop called Bottega Veneta, Thomas holds the heritage of Madame Carven entirely in his own hands.

Some of the looks – including a subtle silk print, a semi-sheer jacquard dress, and, more generally, a few of the déshabillé silhouettes – could be traced back to a white orchid that Madame Carven developed with botanist Marcel Lecoufle in 1993. The British designer has also revisited Carven’s sculptural “Esperanto” silhouette in a brilliantly modern way: a white safari-style jacket with zipper accents and ruffled trims featured that unmistakably chic, cinched-at-the-waist cut. An obvious top-seller for next season – just like the strikingly cool white slip dress with its oversized, “misfitting” bodice, or the lightweight black trench buttoned all the way to the top.

That’s precisely the kind of product that makes women fall in love with contemporary Carven: wearable, but always with a flirty twist.

ED’s SELECTION:

CARVEN Layered Cotton-gauze Gown

CARVEN Silk-jersey T-shirt

CARVEN Silk-satin Midi Skirt

CARVEN Knotted Leather Mules

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Damaged Beauty. Comme Des Garçons SS26

October 16, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

My Paris Fashion Week ritual? Paying a visit to the Comme des Garçons showroom. It’s like Sunday church – or a moment of epiphany.

This season, Rei Kawakubo intentionally “damaged” materials to create something raw and radical. Artisan lace was shredded. Jute and brocade received the rough, John Chamberlain treatment. Anything once considered precious was mistreated without mercy. The result: heart-wrenching beauty – a vision that captures the pain of the contemporary world, silences the omnipresent noise, and transforms imperfection into absolute power. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Cool Restraint. Alaïa SS26

October 16, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

Pieter Mulier’s spring–summer 2026 collection for Alaïa felt like a welcome palette cleanser after last season’s alien-like padded rolls and body-morphing silhouettes. Not that he has abandoned his fascination with silhouette manipulation – the latest collection’s body-enveloping cocoon dresses made the models appear even taller, their figures elongated and almost stretched. Yet there was a distinct sense of harmony and restraint this time: the not-overworked, high-necked jackets and crisp top-slash-mini-dresses exuded confidence rather than spectacle.

Some looks – particularly the zipped-up leather blouson paired with a fringed scarf, or the shaggy ecru coat – had a touch of Phoebe Philo’s sensibility (which only made me wish even more for her to finally do runway). This influence, however, served the collection well, keeping it grounded and unfussy.

Azzedine Alaïa was a devoted believer in the “less is more” philosophy. Mulier seems to be taking notes.

ED’s SELECTION:

Alaïa Gold-tone Hoop Earrings

Alaïa Cotton-poplin Barrel-leg Pants

Alaïa Double-breasted Wool-gabardine Blazer

Alaïa Le Click E/w Small Leather Shoulder Bag

Alaïa Laser-cut Suede Ballet Flats

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Silhouette. The Row Pre-Fall 2026

October 15, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Row has achieved a rare level of distinctiveness shared only by designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Giorgio Armani: you don’t need to see the full collection – just the silhouettes from afar – to know it’s theirs. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen maintained their signature no-photos policy at their intimate Paris presentation, and the images released for the pre-fall 2026 collection are neither lookbook nor editorial. They are supremely elegant black-and-white portraits of the models (and their comb-adorned hair) and the garments, photographed in the traditional, old-school couture way: front, side, back.

The collection features sublime sack dresses (which make Pierpaolo Piccioli’s attempts at Balenciaga look even more unfortunate), an absolutely heavenly full skirt with a beautifully cinched waist, airy balloon pants that convey sophistication rather than laziness, and a handful of crisp cotton shirts, probably meticulously studied on Charvet.

Once again, the photos reveal little – you can’t fully appreciate the subtle embroideries or sequin work – but they show silhouettes that unmistakably speak one name: The Row.