The Coolest. Ralph Lauren AW26

I suppose Ralph Lauren had a good laugh watching the resurgence of preppy style. It’s everywhere: from Bode to Michael Rider’s Celine, from ERL to Jonathan Anderson’s Dior. This season, the American king of cool – and of all things preppy – was essentially saying, “hold my cup.”

John Wrazej, the brand’s senior creative director for men’s Polo, RLX, and Purple Label, arrived in Milan to show how it’s done. The collection felt both familiar and sensational, as if all your Bruce Weber dreams had finally come true. A fascinatingly recut remix of the lodestone mid-century navy blazer and grey flannel Ivy League uniform – seasoned with Bengal-striped shirts and wide paisley ties – has rarely looked this hot.

Tailoring was characteristically cut in a carefully baggy silhouette: the Hayworth, designed to echo the inclination Lauren’s team observed among young collectors of the brand’s vintage pieces. The collection then shifted into a gentleman-adventurer mode, with highlights including a cream shearling utility parka and a tuxedo-black airman’s jumpsuit worn over an evening shirt and tie, cinched with a hand-tooled Western belt. And my personal favorite? A British Army–inspired red coat worn with ripped jeans and opera shoes.

ED’s SELECTION:

Ralph Lauren Men’s Stewart Leather Single-Breasted Sport Coat


Ralph Lauren Men’s Merino Wool Maxi-Check Overshirt


Ralph Lauren Men’s Cashmere and Silk Polka Dot Handkerchief

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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EXCLUSIVE: Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel Resort 2026

Even though Chanel presented its resort 2026 collection last spring at a fashion show staged on the shores of Lake Como, the brand has now released an updated, tightly edited lookbook—one clearly marked by Matthieu Blazy’s very visible touch. It is a far cry from the post–Virginie Viard studio work: no more dorky-looking dresses that dominated the brand over the past few years. What emerges instead is a vision of a truly contemporary woman wearing Chanel.

Relaxed styles, conceived from morning to evening, revolve around the eternal little black jacket, worn either with a matching tweed mini-skirt or with flared jeans – naturally, with flats. Although the look is instantly familiar, the jacket’s lines feel sharper and cooler. A creased velvet slip dress, finished with a camellia brooch, appears easy and chic when paired with mid-heeled two-toned pumps. The super-soft cardigan-jacket in the creamiest shade of ecru? It recalls the best of Karl Lagerfeld’s finest collections, like the spring 1999 couture line-up where he did similar fitted styles with plunging necklines.

This lookbook, arriving under Blazy’s creative direction, reads as a smooth foretaste of his debut runway collection, soon to hit stores. The pajama shirt hints at the forthcoming Charvet collaboration, while the boxy grey suit feels like a simpler, more day-appropriate version of the show’s opening look. It is refreshing to see Matthieu Blazy’s vision of the Chanel woman outside the context of runway spectacle – just highly-aspirational ideas for how to wear the brand in 2026.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Shape-Shifter. Hed Mayner AW26

If you’ve been reading for a while, you already know I’m a Hed Mayner fan. My admiration for the Paris-based designer was fully cemented after visiting his showroom last year and trying on some of his unbelievably well-made garments. Many people associate him solely with oversized silhouettes, but Mayner’s world extends far beyond that. His clothes are charged with gesture – they quite literally enhance the wearer: their mood, their attitude, their presence.

Mayner is also a master at exploring the possibilities of silhouette. In an hourglass-shaped Hed Mayner coat, you command true presence – and look striking while doing so. The same can be said for an overscaled leather jacket, reworked suit trousers with exaggerated pleats, or a perfectly judged vintage-inspired bomber.

This season, the designer officially welcomes women into his world, offering meaty velvet dresses and sequinned silver frocks that somehow fit seamlessly into his universe. But what I loved most about the autumn–winter 2026 collection is its sense of continuity. You can spot echoes of last winter’s offering – fringed scarves, utilitarian blousons – reminding us: why change something that’s already great?

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Mumbo-Jumbo. Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2026

The more I live, the more I understand that compromise isn’t a good thing. And that becomes evident in Pierpaolo Piccioli’s second attempt at Balenciaga. You might remember that I wasn’t satisfied with what I saw at his debut. Yet I thought, with sincere hope, that first tries are difficult and that the next season would be better. And here we are with the brand’s co-ed pre-fall 2026 lookbook: a collection that once again feels like a chaotic mash-up of Demna, Nicolas Ghesquière, and – oh lord – Alexander Wang’s era at the house. The merchandise floor was far too involved in designing this collection, seemingly trying to please everyone at Kering. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:

Balenciaga Le City Medium Textured-leather Tote


Balenciaga Belted Plush Coat


Balenciaga Avenue Palazzo Crystal-embellished Bow-detailed Satin Sandals


Balenciaga Cat-eye Printed Acetate Sunglasses


Balenciaga Cape-effect Floral-print Plissé-crepe Gown

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Sale Favorites: Dries Van Noten

There are designer sales, and then there’s Dries Van Noten on sale, which feels less like a discount and more like a personal invitation to dress like yourself – just louder, smarter, and with witty textures. These are my Dries Van Noten sale favorites: pieces that don’t scream look at me wearing designer, but quietly insist this is who I am. Think art-school tailoring, poetic prints, and silhouettes that do the talking without overdressing the body – or the moment.

What makes Dries special (and why these pieces earn a permanent place in your wardrobe rotation) is their radical versatility. They slip seamlessly into real life: worn with denim, flats, yesterday’s confidence. They elevate without intimidating, express without costume, and let you experiment without feeling like you’re trying too hard. In true Dries Van Noten fashion, these are clothes that meet you where you are – and then gently encourage you to say a little more.

Dries Van Noten Tie-neck Stretch-silk Satin Dress


Dries Van Noten Teya Knit Scarf


Dries Van Noten Men’s Croom Cotton Floral-Graphic Dress Shirt


Dries Van Noten Velvet Midi Skirt


Dries Van Noten Python Stamped Leather Wedge Pumps


Dries Van Noten Cropped Crepe Blazer


Dries Van Noten Twist-front Gathered Silk-satin Jacquard Maxi Skirt


Dries Van Noten Felt Jacket


Dries Van Noten Gabrina Sequined Mini Wrap Skirt


Dries Van Noten Abstract-Print Ruched Maxi Skirt


Dries Van Noten Ruched Satin Mules

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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