THE DIALOGUE OF DESIRE

 

    original image and video courtesy ©Tom Ford

Haider Ackermann's Spring/Summer 2026 collection for Tom Ford opened with three models in patent leather moving slowly across a midnight blue lacquered floor. A warm green trench coat with a popped collar, a deep mauve jacket-and-skirt set, a black hooded ensemble, each piece glistening like water under moonlight. This opening gesture announced the collection's central proposition: seduction rendered through careful calibration between exposure and restraint. 

The midnight swim inspiration revealed itself gradually. Patent leather carried laser-cut perforations that suggested mesh, creating patterns of revealed skin beneath. Bias-cut silk dresses moved like liquid. Satin suits appeared in unexpected pastels: lime green, baby pink, mint, pool blue, and orange. David Bowie's stripped-down, a cappella version of "Heroes" filled the space, the song's yearning transformed into an intimate whisper as models walked slowly, often in pairs, making eye contact with each other and the audience. 

Ackermann's technical mastery showed in the details. Wire construction held strapless gowns suspended as though from invisible threads. A lapis blue gown with cap sleeves featured a cutout back plunging low enough to eliminate undergarments entirely, yet the precision of construction read as classical sculpture rather than provocation. Shawl draping appeared on evening pieces. A mint-and-black draped gown created visual tension through two-tone contrast. Slip dresses carried trim of laser-cut leather lace, juxtaposing the delicate against the strong. 

THE WORK COAT IN KAKISHIBU CLOTH

 

    image courtesy ©Kaptain Sunshine

Time settles into fabric here, absorbed through fibre and dye until cloth becomes memory. Cotton intertwined with hemp forms an Oxford weave of substance and breath, carrying a tactile density that feels considered and composed. The surface bears the depth of kakishibu dye, drawn from fermented persimmon tannins, imparting a tone that evolves gently with light, movement, and wear, gathering character as seasons pass. 

 

Cut in a relaxed silhouette that embraces the body with ease, the coat moves with serenity and measure. Its oxford cloth, washed repeatedly to enhance softness and volume, holds a colour imbued with organic depth, echoing soil, air, and craftsmanship. Broad patch pockets and reinforced closures lend the piece an intuitive utility, where each detail, from layered external storage to thoughtfully placed internal compartments,  resonates with the quiet rigour of design. 

 

VILLA ZEGNA, WORN BY LIGHT

 

    original images and video courtesy ©Zegna

Dubai offered Alessandro Sartori a landscape demanding a singular form of attention. Inside the Opera House, reimagined as Villa Zegna, the Spring/Summer 2026 collection breathed in measured proximity to the heat, the air, and the desert sand. The setting dictated the rhythm of the cloth, framing a wardrobe calibrated for the honesty of exposure and the grace of movement. 

Sartori’s narrative began with fabric intelligence. There is a profound ethics in the way these materials behave. Linen, poplin, and silk suits appeared as though washed into softened stripes, their surfaces already yielding to the body’s heat. Silk tailoring reached a ghostly lightness, suits weighing a mere three hundred grams, articulating a value system where portability becomes a spiritual asset. The construction remained precise, achieving an ease born of balance and structural harmony. 

Leather entered this sanctuary in a transformed register. Washed and softened until it reached absolute pliancy, it moved as a mirror to the body, a second skin responsive to the smallest gesture. Knit leathers, sanded hemp twills, and rustic hand-spun silks expanded a tactile vocabulary grounded in material behaviour and the truth of the surface. This is the Zegna strength: innovation expressed through stillness. 

LEMAIRE’S WINTER GRAMMAR

 

    image and video courtesy ©Lemaire

Paris in January, a city breathing mist from its stone lungs, provided the frame for Lemaire’s Fall/Winter 2025/2026. What unfolded was not a spectacle, but a grammar of quiet elegance, garments cut to move with the body and to be lived in, rather than merely displayed. Pina Bausch and Merce Cunningham hovered invisibly in the wings, not in costume but in gesture. These were clothes conceived for living movement, not static tableaux. 

The collection opened in restraint: stone, taupe, coffee, grey, navy, and black tones formed its architecture. These earthbound shades were interrupted by sharp accents of scarlet, cobalt, indigo, pale yellow, lavender, and vermilion. The contrasts did not overwhelm but punctuated, like sudden notes in an otherwise measured score, awakening the eye within the calm. 

Fabrics revealed themselves as a dialogue between density and lightness. There were rich wools, alpaca and yak blends, elongated knit collars that rose almost to the face, their weight counterposed with silk sets that seemed to glide, satin surfaces catching and releasing light, twill carrying its structure quietly, and leather rendered with sculptural precision. Coated and lacquered finishes lent sheen, as though surfaces were designed to hold light as much as shadow. 

A QUIET RETURN

 

Veronica Leoni Re-tunes the House to a Lower, Richer Frequency 

Most comeback stories open with fanfare. Calvin Klein did the opposite. In the brand’s own West 39th Street headquarters, no cavernous warehouse, no LED theatrics, creative director Veronica Leoni offered a runway that felt like an exhale after a long hold. Her message was clear: minimalism can be monumental without raising its voice. 

Leoni’s silhouettes told the story first. Three families of cut, knife-lean tailoring, cropped ease, and cocooned drape were engineered with hollowed interiors, giving volume without weight. The workmanship is stealth: you don’t notice the construction until you try to imagine how it hangs so lightly. 

BELLOTTI´S LAST PERFORMANCE AT BALLY

 

Set against the backdrop of Milan's Torre Velasca, the runway show emphasized the collection's themes by contrasting the city's architectural formality with its expressive designs. Anchored in the German terms "Leistung" and "Aufführung," both translate to "performance" but with distinct nuances; "Leistung" pertains to achievement, while "Aufführung" relates to self-expression. This duality reflects a harmonious blend of Swiss precision and formality with wild, untamed elements, creating a dynamic interplay between structure and fluidity. Simone Bellotti's designs feature sculptural silhouettes juxtaposing tailored precision with textural richness. The collection showcases a variety of materials and textures, embodying the tension between the sober and the wild. 

TWO SIDES

The collection was a sort of homage to Mr. Laurent, to Yves, as a human being, facing two sides of him, one impeccably elegant during his work time, in a suit and tie attire, sleekness translated into perfection. On the other side, it was a night-out Yves, who liked a dungeon-like scene, the feel and smell of leather, the one that Robert Mapplethorpe used and marked in his works, a play of contrast between elegance and audacity, used as an inspiration by Anthony Vaccarello. The attraction of the opposites is a timeless wardrobe of ultra-cool suits, embraced by overcoats and paired with knee-high leather boots.

CLASS ICO

 

     images courtesy ©BottegaVeneta

A sort of homage to the talent of Matthieu Blazy at Bottega Veneta, from the upcoming year a newly appointed creative director of Chanel. A few minutes of class ico.

AUTUMNAL MOOD

 

    ©tedoré

Layers of rusty-amber shades, deep-yellows, almost gold-like and rich browns, emulating the foliage surrounding us at this time of year. A proper tribute to the autumn. An escape, at least a bit, from all the blacks and greys seen everywhere and on everyone. If you need extra warmth, just use an extra knit as a scarf over the shoulders, embracing the neck.

INCONTRI

 

The collection displayed at Triennale Milano features encounters between the city and the beach. The creative director, Sabato De Sarno, aims to express freedom and a sense of welcome in the clothes, translated into a collection that includes precise cuts, electrifying colour nuances, and new silhouettes inspired by traditional designs, hand-knitted polo shirts, formal wear, unique shirts with beaded fringe, and striking prints with summer symbols, like surfers, dolphins, hibiscus flowers, and banana leaves.

TRANSITIONAL KNITS

 

    ©tedoré

Transitional knits should be one of those garments that seamlessly transition from one size into another, in this case, from spring and summer ones into fall. But it is a point when the line between seasons is not only blurred, they don´t exist. Even during these days, or even now when I am writing, it´s pretty summery, warm and humid too, that kind that leads to easy sweat, while two days ago it was rainy and quite autumnal already. So I am asking myself, are we talking about transitions? Do those once well-known periods still exist, or are they turning into a myth? As everything changes constantly, like the weather, so do our habits, including dressing. We can easily use a soft wool short-sleeve polo on sunny or non, less humid days or sweaters with mighty details to note, including tie-front details silhouettes, while on a more muggy one, there are a lot of beautiful options, like a sleeveless one adorned with buttons or even a cardigan, linen-light and airy. Everything is worn on its own, as a part of a layering piece or even as a functional accessory, like a waist cincher instead of the belt or as a soft Schall or shoulder warmer, pivoting on the weather and temperature.

SWIM SHORTS

 

    ©tedoré

When I visualize a relaxing day at the beach, a refreshing dip in the swimming pool, a luxurious resort getaway (even though it is not my type of setting), or a session at the gym, this is the item that always springs first to my mind. If selected thoughtfully, taking into account the ideal balance between design, fit, and material, it's undeniable that swimming shorts can also double as a comfortable and casual daily summer staple and even achieve a chic look when paired with the right pieces, such as a well-fitted shirt or t-shirt, and boat shoes or sandals.

ELEGANT, SOPHISTICATED AND A BIT PRAGMATIC

 

Imagine the end of a sunny day, when the light fades just before sunset, deserted streets bathed in golden light, a perfect backdrop for Ami S/S 2025 collected, which took place in an empty Haussmann-style building in SaintGermain-des-Prés, close to the River Sein. Alexandre Mattiussi's focus for the upcoming summer is on Ami essentials, so-called core pieces "built" with quality materials, like light wool and soft cotton. 

A DAILY ELEGANCE WITH A SENSUAL TOUCH

 

On June 19, 2024, at its headquarters on 11 Places des Vosges in the Marais district of Paris, Lemaire showcased the S/S 2025 collection, a highlighted juxtaposition of rugged and delicate elements, featuring graceful and layered ensembles contrasted with robust cotton drill and leather, as well as more structured workwear-inspired silhouettes. A daily elegance with a sensual touch.

SILK SUMMER

 

    ©tedoré

Are you seeking the ideal addition to your summer wardrobe? Picture an item that is not only lightweight and breathable but also effortlessly stylish and exceptionally comfortable. This piece is designed to keep you cool and dry, offering a luxurious feel without any stickiness. It resists wrinkles more effectively than linen or cotton, making it perfect for travel, and is equally suitable for a vacation or lounging at home. When you wear this item, you'll experience a sense of tranquillity and sophistication, as if you're perpetually at a luxurious resort.

SAINT LAURENT MEN WINTER 2024 AD CAMPAIGN

 

    photos and video courtesy ©Saint Laurent

The campaign, photographed and directed by Glen Luchford, is a true homage to great masters, where we can see scenes inspired by Michelangelo and Caravaggio to Édouard Manet, like Manet’s 1863 masterpiece "Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe" or the "Boy With a Basket of Fruit" as painted by Caravaggio, with a modern twist – a hint of playful sensuality inspired by 20th-century film directors like Visconti and Pasolini. 

THE CAPE

 

    ©tedoré

What is the history behind this seemingly simple piece of clothing draped over the shoulders to offer protection without the complexity of sleeves? How long has this garment been around, and what was its original purpose? Pinpointing its origins is challenging due to the paucity of documentation.

In the early days of the Renaissance, capes were attached to women's collars and later evolved into dignified attire. For instance, Queen Elizabeth I was noted for wearing long, ornate capes to shield her shoes from getting wet. During the Victorian era, capes became more in vogue among women than men, often appearing in scarlet red and the iconic hooded cardinal cape worn by esteemed women. They became so widespread that they were incorporated into bridal ensembles and became an integral part of the well-known story of Little Red Riding Hood.

WARDROBE COLLECTION

 

The Wardrobe is a collection of garments for women and men that Lucie and Luke Meier consider the archetypes of the Jil Sander world as their definition of modern classics, like the highest expression in cut and volume, fabrics and construction, in one world core of the brand that is perfectly mixable with the seasonal Jil Sander collections.

JACKET GESTURES

     ©tedoré

How do you close a button on your jacket with one hand? You kow, when you are in hurry or even imn calm, the movement you do without watch, almost automatic. How is the gesture? Do you have varieties? I am displaying my four-way button closure on my Lemaire jacket.

TECHNO-UTILITARIAN

If you ever thought to get an easy, specific, one-thing collection at Prada, you were wrong or you never really got Miuccia´s aesthetic, yeah that famous "the beauty of ugly." In this this occasion the focus is on leisurewear/sportswear. Sounds easy, too easy for this Milanese brand, and you are right, because Miuccia this time sees his man (and woman, as it is a part of the show too, showcasing traditionally a pre-collection) sharing the wardrobe with a traveller, parachutist, explorer and even a cowboy. Utilitarian style goes hand-by-hand with active-wear, a galore of layered wardrobe made mostly by technical fabrics, shoes included. Not to mention the accessories of the season, at least for Prada, the return on the spotlight of the brand´s nylon backpack, originally invented by dame Prada in the 1990´s, the one that among other Prada nylon-accessories started to make a fortune to the brand.