POETLAB AW26: WHERE VALUES LEAD FASHION
POET-LAB FURTHER REFINES ITS PHILOSOPHY IN ITS LATEST COLLECTION, PRESENTING AN EMPOWERED VISION OF FEMININITY SHAPED BY ITS PRINCIPLES OF DIVERSITY AND SELF-AUTHORSHIP. HARRY NICHOLSON RECALLS THE SHOW.
Written by Harry Nicholson
There is something quite confrontational about Poet-Lab’s Autumn/Winter 2026 show. But don’t worry, it is not as you would think. Usually, the association of women unshackling themselves from the oppressive rules they have been bound by throughout the patriarchal reign of history is unapologetic, bombastic, perhaps dare I say, radical. Yet in creative director Giuseppe Iacipfano’s interpretation of this shift, there are no such theatrics. Instead, models saunter through the stripped-back, brightly ethereal halls of E1, Spitalfields, with a kind of composure that suggests they know exactly who they are.
Iacipfano’s newest collection, titled ‘Inside the Lab’, explores liberation and restraint achieved through the untethered autonomy of being a woman. It is an ambitious thesis - as well as one that has been interpreted countless times before - but it largely lands. Each look acts as a facet of the moment a woman stops herself from adapting to toxic expectations and begins to write her own narrative. “This collection is a wake-up call around gender and diversity,” the designer told me. “London has always been a city that represents freedom and individuality - a place for everyone.
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The champion of this collection is the silhouette. Columned gowns and slip-skirts form the backbone of the collection, with tailoring serving only a structural purpose. Dresses seem to be almost shedding from the body, trailing languidly a meter behind along the floor. To that end, exposure recurs throughout the looks, be it the back, shoulders, or even the chest. I enjoy how the bareness of this collection doesn’t rely on being overly sexy or being used as a tool for cheap allure; rather, it feels emancipatory. Seeing familiar 70s silhouettes dissolve feels cleverly symbolic, as if the oppression of these bygone decades is shedding with them, becoming something self-defined through seeing more of the body. Just as much, asymmetrical cuts and openings similarly reject the traditionally ‘perfect’ proportions historically imposed on women’s garments, releasing old expectations in favour of something rawer, freer.
A palette drawn from decades past appears anew, polka-dotted white and powdered blues interrupted by shades of black. Similarly to the coverage, fabrics interplay between fragility and armour, such as sheer organzas and lace against soft leathers. All are dead-stock fabrics - central to the designer’s sustainable approach - although the patterns repeatedly draw a fine line between good rhythm and familiarity. Yet more compellingly, braided details resonate a handmade, even communal quality that nods to the collective ritual of braiding hair, threads or bread, transactions that link generations of womanhood.
Looking more closely at those wearing the collection, Iaciofano deserves kudos for how efficiently his casting reinforces Poet-Lab’s principle of genderless and inclusive design. Models ranged from those you’d expect to see, to older generations and drag queens - most notably longtime collaborator Eilirjani, The Real Elliot (who flew from Las Vegas just for us!) and Tayce. “For me, diversity is not a trend; it is a character. It should bring strength and depth to a collection,” Iaciofano explains. Seeing such a variety of confident women These clothes drive the message that femininity is not fixed to one identity and the clamps on authority shouldn’t be accepted by any woman, no matter who they are.
Poet-Lab is a brand anchored in its ethos since its debut in 2023, and ‘Inside the Lab’ feels like another chapter to its manifesto. In this case, it is a belief that, as Iaciofano says, “When a designer has a dream, they also have a muse. The muse is not just a face - it is an energy, a belief system, a shared vision.” In its intent, the collection is a call to freedom, from imposed conventions or otherwise, to define oneself. As varied as the looks may be, that vision remains cohesive throughout. It is refreshing to see a brand so firmly guided by its meaningful principles and not just its aesthetics. I hope Poet-Lab can continue to stay true to this mission as it goes forward.