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The discipline of legacy: Creativity in respect of the maisons

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Paris Fashion Week SS26 & creative respect: How the best designers serve the maison’s legacy


The discipline of legacy is the defining quality of a true designer—a quiet antidote to the chaos of the modern fashion system. Amidst the clamour for hype and popularity, a standard that often feels paramount today, this discipline remains the bedrock of enduring design.

This principle is most critically tested within the hallowed halls of historical fashion houses. Here, the designer’s role transforms from sole creator to interpreter; their success is measured not by the strength of their individual voice alone, but by their ability to channel the maison’s soul. The true test is bringing a fresh perspective while honoring the foundational codes and essence of the house. It is a rejection of the notion that a creative directorship is a platform to treat the heritage of a maison as a mere canvas for one’s own brand. Read it—for one’s own ego.

When this creative respect meets artistry—when a designer truly serves the legacy they have been entrusted with—something remarkable happens. The work transcends a seasonal statement. It becomes a continuation of a story. And in that delicate balance, we don’t just see clothes; we feel the enduring enthusiasm for fashion itself.

Paris Fashion Week SS26: The discipline of legacy


Tom Ford: On a dark, smoky runway, Haider Ackermann presented a masterclass in nocturne sensuality. This was a striking lesson in sexiness mood, a masterful fusion of his own stark elegance with Tom Ford’s established codes of luxury and seduction. He proved his ability to evolve the brand while staying true to its core DNA of desire and glamour. (See the collection here.)

Issey Miyake: Movement has always been the core of Miyake’s work, and the SS26 collection redefined the very concept of dressing with clothes that come alive. Fabrics breathe, transform, and adapt to the body in a continuous metamorphosis. This is fashion as an act of love for movement—a fundamental code brilliantly respected by the designing team.
(View the full show here.)

Givenchy: Sarah Burton delivered a spectacular vision of femininity. The collection was a study in contrasts: brilliant, powerful tailoring infused with a poetic and sensual spirit. Here is a female designer dressing women—appreciating, respecting, and empowering them, all while honoring the maison’s codes. (Watch the show here.)

Balenciaga: The beauty, the elegance, the mastery. This was a return to the fundamental principles of the house. Thank you, Pierpaolo Piccioli, for restoring Balenciaga to its legacy of sublime craftsmanship. Piccioli loves women; he celebrates rather than mortifies them, bringing beauty and dignity back to the forefront. (The horror show is over, at least for Balenciaga.)
(Revisit the collection here.)

Chloé: Chemena Kamali earns a “brava” for decisively evolving the brand beyond its hobo phase. She skillfully repurposed the maison’s heritage codes—florals, delicate drapes, and a soft, romantic spirit—to trace a new, refined path for Chloé’s femininity. (Watch the presentation here.)

Final thoughts


At its heart, fashion is beauty. Fashion is a dream.
So, what becomes clear is that the discipline of legacy is not a constraint, but a catalyst. It is practised by a discerning few—the designers who truly understand their role. Those who see their role not as a platform for their ego, but as a sacred trust. They are the skilled interpreters who understand that their true creativity is revealed through a dialogue with the maison’s history.

Their work proves that fashion, at its best, is the marriage of beauty and meaning. It is a shared dream. And when corporate strategy has the wisdom to empower these masters of their craft, it proves that fashion’s most stunning creations are those that honour a past while boldly shaping its future.

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Paris Fashion Week SS26: A dystopian scroll

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Social media dissonance between Parisian shows and the Flotilla heading to Gaza


Paris Fashion Week SS26 is unfolding in all its luxury — glossy runways, celebrities in the front row, designers unveiling their visions. An aura that fewer and fewer people are willing to buy into. Swipe, and the next image shows the Global Sumud Flotilla, boats loaded with food and medicine, blocked by Israel in international waters as people in Gaza face starvation.

This is the peak of social media dissonance: luxury gowns and aid ships, applause and desperation, beauty and famine — colliding on the same feed. Let’s be honest — it feels like the most dystopian world ever.

While watching the shows, we couldn’t shake the anxiety for the Flotilla, and the brave humans trying to restore a sense of humanity — something that seems increasingly lost.

And so, with this weight on our souls, here’s our perspective on some of the shows.

Paris Fashion Week SS26: The longest-serving designers


Saint Laurent
Vaccarello is strengthening the brand’s vision by pushing his ideas while always remaining faithful to the maison’s codes. “It’s not about making clothes that everyone can wear,” he said. In fact, legacy and grandiosity were fully celebrated.

Louis Vuitton
Ghesquière moved away from futurism towards something more intimate and approachable, though always filtered through his experimental lens. “The atmosphere I was wishing to share was the serenity you feel when you are in the comfort of your home.” A reflection on l’art de vivre — dressing for oneself, for privacy. After more than ten years at the helm, he remains deeply aware of his role.

Balmain
Rousteing presented a considered departure from his usual maximalism, opting for refined elegance with natural inspiration. Relaxed shapes and earthy textures evoked a beachy, bohemian spirit, offering a fresh perspective on the Balmain woman. “This time, it’s more about self-confidence. This is not armor, this is freedom,” he said. With 14 years at the helm, Rousteing remains one of the few designers capable of delivering a cohesive, well-developed collection.

The Paris Fashion Week SS26 debut: Can JW Anderson deliver for Dior?


Dior
Anderson’s debut was one of the most anticipated of the season. The show drew a parade of celebrities — the industry’s current barometer of brand power. With a nod to a younger clientele, miniskirts and accessories like the bunny shoes were easy sells. Yet the collection fell short of expectations, lacking a defining moment. As Diet Prada noted: “Not every look landed” — the lone critical voice in a sea of praise.

Some pieces, such as the maxi-bow balloon dress, seemed forced. But how will Dior’s traditional clientele react?

At the preview for Italian and Irish press, Anderson admitted candidly: “I’m not a couturier.” The truth is, he was appointed for hype and commercial success at Loewe, not technical skill. As we’ve often said, fashion is no longer a job for fashion designers — not even in couture. Conglomerates don’t want craftsmanship; they want viral impact. As Joelle Diedrich wrote in WWD: “In reality, it looked an awful lot like his previous work at Loewe.”

Final thoughts


As Paris Fashion Week SS26 unfolds, spectacle poses a question of relevance. Runway shows paraded across screens while boats carrying food and medicine to Gaza were being stopped in international waters.

Swipe after swipe, beauty and tragedy collided.

And in this scrolling, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of the world — a reminder that fashion, no matter how dazzling, exists in a context of real human suffering. In Milan or Paris, the question remains exactly the same: what is the point of fashion when the world outside the runway is in a deep epochal crisis?

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Black Carpet Awards: Side events or true inclusion?

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Does celebrating diversity in collateral events really promote inclusion?


The third edition of the Black Carpet Awards recently lit up the Teatro Manzoni during Milano Fashion Week. The event is promoted by the Afro Fashion Association. It celebrates Leaders of Change—individuals of all origins and backgrounds who have distinguished themselves by promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity within the creative industry. 

While such initiatives are undoubtedly meaningful, they also ignite a critical question: should diversity be honored in separate, side events, or should all origins, voices, and experiences be seamlessly integrated into the main stage?

Black Carpet Awards: The dual edge of the side event


Creating a side event like the Black Carpet Awards has both strengths and limitations:

Strengths:

• It shines a spotlight specifically on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE). And it ensures that those values and the people embodying them aren’t overlooked.
• It builds vital visibility and fosters a powerful sense of community, making representation the central theme rather than a footnote.

Limits:

• By existing “outside” the official calendar, it can unintentionally reinforce the idea that diversity is a niche topic, not an integral part of the industry’s fabric.
• It risks creating a separation: the official stage for the mainstream, the side stage for diversity.

However, in one of our previous posts, we explored whether fashion is a matter of representation or money. Disability, of course, adds another layer to the question.

Final thoughts: Diversity fully integrated


So, where does this leave us? Side events like the Black Carpet Awards are vital because they provide visibility, role models, and communities that might otherwise remain unseen. Yet keeping these celebrations separate risks reinforcing the idea that diversity is an exception rather than the norm.

True inclusion means weaving diverse voices into the industry’s very core. Camera Moda should fully integrate diversity into the main and official events, making it a core value rather than an add-on.

Progress will not be achieved by parallel stages, but when the main stage itself reflects the richness of all identities. Diversity should no longer need its own platform; it should be the platform.

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Fashion weeks are mirrors: Notes on Milano Fashion Week SS26

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Creativity and new directions in a time of uncertainty


Fashion weeks are mirrors. They don’t just display clothes—they reflect the tensions, aspirations, and anxieties of our times. This Spring/Summer 26 season in Milan, themes of escape, utility, and transformation emerged, reflecting an industry grappling with its role.

And so, following our examination of these overarching tensions at Milano Fashion Week SS26, we now share some notes on the collections that defined the season. 

The collections: A spectrum of responses


Diesel: Glenn Martens moved beyond the traditional catwalk, staging a scavenger hunt across the city with looks hidden in giant plastic eggs. This playful, decentralised show challenged the conventional fashion week format.

Jil Sander: Simone Bellotti’s debut focused on 90s minimalism. A remarkably clean choice that showcased the body through cuts inspired by Lucio Fontana. Indeed, the house described it as “a balance between classicism and modernity.”

Marras: The show was a poetic journey interweaving literature, art, and fashion. Inspired by a Sardinian sojourn imagined for the Bloomsbury Group, models paraded among salt flats with books tucked inside. The collection, in soft, whispered colours, featured lines that were either flowing and fluid, or androgynous and structured, shaping a universe that blended cultures.

Fendi: The collection emphasised leggerezza (lightness), colour, and an essentiality that embraced both the feminine and the masculine. It stood out as a conceptual and material dialogue, particularly in pieces woven from multiple colours, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and technical skill.

Prada: Offered a proposition for dressing in uncertain times with an accent on colours. Can vintage be modern? The answer was a masterclass in layering volumes and colours into contemporary uniforms. The collection was described as a “response to uncertainty—clothes that can transform, change and adapt,” granting the wearer “autonomy” and designed with “meaning and utility” for surviving the modern world.

Moschino: Creative director Adrian Appiolaza asked, “What if value doesn’t come from cost but from really going deep into creative ideas?” Inspired by Arte Povera and the brand’s native irony, the collection found preciousness in humble materials like jute, championing reuse, recycling, and upcycling.

Dolce & Gabbana: As the cast of The Devil Wears Prada entered the show, the line between reality and cinema blurred. The knowing giggles shared between Anna Wintour and Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep) were a noteworthy moment. But we wondered why an entire collection focused on pyjamas, which isn’t even a new concept. 

Bottega Veneta: Under the new creative direction of Louise Trotter, the brand saw a strong debut. She worked masterfully with volumes and three-dimensional textures intrinsic to the brand, developing a rich and sophisticated minimalism.

Versace: Now part of the Prada Group, Dario Vitale debuted with a Miu Miu-ish touch. Colours and a mix of prints, bold and flirty tailoring for a modern 80s-inspired Versace.

Final thoughts: Fashion weeks are mirrors


In conclusion, we take these notes on the Milano Fashion Week SS26 partly for ourselves — to trace the currents shaping the industry and what we might expect next. And yes, we intentionally skipped Demna’s Gucci, because we simply don’t get the point.

Italy’s heritage of craftsmanship, design, and quality remains a source of immense pride. Yet, fashion cannot be considered in isolation. In fact, the central issue is not any single brand or show; it is systemic. It is capitalism — a pattern repeating across industries worldwide. But why does everyone ignore it?

Fashion weeks are mirrors. The SS26 season proves that creativity is not dead — it’s restless, searching, sometimes playful, sometimes profound. Yet behind the spectacle, fashion continues to wrestle with questions of value, responsibility, and purpose. Until those deeper contradictions are addressed, each season will remain both a dazzling act of imagination and a stark reminder of the system that contains it.

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Aesthetics and anxieties at Milano Fashion Week SS26

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The fashion week unfolds between creative visions, the rising cost of luxury, and a crisis of relevance


Dedicated to one of its founding figures, Giorgio Armani, Milano Fashion Week SS26 opened in a climate of stark contrasts: aesthetics and creative visions on one side, mounting industry anxieties on the other. This tension was formalised on 24 September. The Camera Moda gathered Italy’s top fashion executives at Casa Cipriani to defend the future of Made in Italy. Figures including Luigi Maramotti (Max Mara), Renzo Rosso (OTB), Remo Ruffini (Moncler), Alfonso Dolce (Dolce & Gabbana), Gildo Zegna, and Lorenzo Bertelli (Prada) joined Carlo Capasa, the institution’s president, to advocate for safeguarding the national value chain through creativity, sustainability, and stricter regulation.

While the debuts at Gucci, Jil Sander, Bottega Veneta, and Versace generated excitement, this edition also encapsulates the heritage of Italian fashion alongside its most pressing challenges.

The atmosphere is vibrant, with buyers searching for direction and designers striving to deliver it. Yet beneath the surface, unease is palpable. Deep economic instability, no clear plan B for Trump tariffs, sit alongside the persistent shadow of labour exploitation, with high-profile investigations still haunting several luxury houses. 

“We have an immense know-how that goes back a long way and we want to defend what our predecessors built,” Gildo Zegna stressed, pointing to the need for production control in volatile markets. Renzo Rosso, meanwhile, reiterated OTB’s pillars of “creativity, sustainability, and technology.” He warned that without creativity, “a product is nothing more than an object.”

But there is also tension in the narrative. Industry leaders call for optimism, even warning that “negativity impacts store traffic,” as Rosso put it. At the same time, Lorenzo Bertelli identified inequality as the greatest threat to the sector. Luigi Maramotti’s observed that “the consumer is confused” in a world where Europe’s sustainability efforts are undermined by divergent standards elsewhere.

The contradictions cut deep. Carlo Capasa defended the industry against accusations of widespread illegality. He cited Istat figures that suggest around 2–3% of production involves irregular labour. Still, he acknowledged the need of a new legislation to regulate and protect the supply chain. That is “the basis for saving the industry.”

And yet, a striking admission lingers. A while back, Miuccia Prada said:

“Fashion is for when you do not have problems. The moment someone has a health problem or there is a war, fashion is certainly not relevant.”

That perspective clashes with the industry’s insistence on optimism as a survival strategy. In a world marked by war in Ukraine and genocide in Gaza, fashion’s plea to “stay positive” risks sounding disconnected.  And with this background, whether NY, London, Milano, or Paris, we are all on the same boat.

The shows go on, between aesthetics and anxieties. But the fundamental question remains: what is fashion’s responsibility in the face of a crisis of relevance, inequality, and value acknowledged by its own leaders?

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