style

Stars Aligned. Rick Owens SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Quite naturally, Rick Owens’s spring–summer 2026 collection – presented, as usual, in the courtyard of the Palais de Tokyo, just steps away from the Palais Galliera where his retrospective is now on – gave you chills and a sense of otherworldly euphoria, as if straight out of his Temple. The lineup of models, their eyes obscured by black contacts that covered not only the irises and pupils but also the whites, embodied all the hallmarks of the designer’s alien-esque uniform, honed over three decades: muted, bleached tones; 1930s-inflected silhouettes evoking Old Hollywood; sharply exaggerated shoulders; sculptural draping; and towering platforms that stretched the silhouette to near-impossible proportions. The spiky, fringed leather capes were the work of young London-based designer Straytukay, while the print – a rarity at an Owens show – appeared on the long dresses in the finale and was a reproduction of the designer’s own star chart, originally drawn for him by his father. Whatever the astral prophecy was, the stars truly did align.

ED’s SELECTION:

Rick Owens Athena Arrowhead One-shoulder Draped Crushed-velvet Gown


Rick Owens Cantilever 8 Hydra Leather Sandals


Rick Owens Padded Shell Bomber Jacket


Rick Owens Fog Layered Suede Mini Skirt


Rick Owens Tied Taco Kiss Leather Ankle Boots

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Sensual Harness. Hermès SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

H is for heritage, H is for Hermès.

Thanks to @dariagraczykowska, I had the immense pleasure of seeing – and touching – the brand’s spring–summer 2026 collection at its Parisian showroom. You can imagine my delight during the grand tour, as I found Nadège Vanhée-Cybulski’s latest collection to be one of her best yet.

Why? Because it channeled a newfound sensuality that felt as tough as the cognac-hued leathers and as feminine as the silk-printed scarves that covered the models’ breasts, tied meticulously beneath butter-soft harnesses. Vanhée-Cybulski drew inspiration from the Camargue – home to the white horses used by the region’s manadiers to herd bulls. Hence, the revisited equestrian aesthetic: bohemian in its play with vibrant prints, yet bourgeois in its solid composure.

A saddle from the Camargue, studied in Hermès’s conservatoire, led the creative director to design this season’s sublime leather corsets in earthy tones, worn with quilted riding jackets or styled over bandeaus. The reimagined corsets – evoking something of Christian Lacroix’s bravado, yet perfectly attuned to contemporary times – looked killer-chic when paired with matching leather pencil skirts and the most impeccable riding boots. I also loved the utilitarian jumpsuits and that one brown leather coat with rounded shoulders.

These clothes – and accessories, from the sumptuous suede Birkin to archival models revisited in thick canvas – are made to be worn and lived in, without fear of a little dirt along the way to your destination. Hermès crafts some of the most exquisite pieces in the world, and I found it truly intriguing – and subversive – that Nadège embraced the less glossier, more real attitude about them.

ED’s SELECTION:

Rouge Hermes Matte Lipstick


Rose Hermes Silky Blush Powder


Rouge Hermès Lipstick Limited Edition Rose Primaire


Les Mains Hermes Nail Enamel


Trait d’Hermes Lip Pencil


Rouge Hermès, Silky Lipstick Shine

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Scuba-Chic. Rabanne SS26

| 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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Proenza Boys. Loewe SS26

| Design & Culture by Ed

Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough’s debut collection for Loewe opened with a few sleek ideas – one of them being hourglass-shaped jackets in plasticine hues, paired with swimwear-inspired bodysuits. Yet, as the beach-and-surf-themed collection unfolded, something seemed to get lost in translation, particularly with the wrapped dresses designed to mimic towels.

This line-up was certainly a step ahead of much of what the duo produced during their later years at Proenza Schouler. Still, it didn’t quite feel like an essential or definitive introduction to their new chapter at Loewe. Yes, Loewe hails from sunny Spain, and scuba-diver silhouettes do align with a Balearic escapade – but overall, the collection felt somewhat flat and superfluous, especially after years of Jonathan Anderson’s incessant sophistication.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Wearable Twist. Carven SS26

| 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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