EGONLAB JUST PRESENTED ITS AW26 COLLECTION DURING PARIS FASHION WEEK, MARKING THE HOUSE’S NINTH SHOW SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2019. FASHION WRITER HARRY NICHOLSON BREAKS DOWN WHAT UNFOLDED ON THE RUNWAY. 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 Iaciofano’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. Iaciofano’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. ” 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.

GABRIEL MEALOR-PRITCHARD CHATS TO VALENTINA MENASCHE, FOUNDER AND DESIGNER OF THE NAMESAKE LABEL, 'MENASCHE', ABOUT HOW SHE CRAFTS CLOTHES AS EXTENSIONS OF ONESELF AMONGST OTHER THINGS. AN ASTHETIK MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW A Q&A WITH: VALENTINA MENASCHE GABRIEL MEALOR-PRITCHARD CHATS TO VALENTINA MENASCHE, FOUNDER AND DESIGNER OF THE NAMESAKE LABEL, 'MENASCHE', ABOUT HOW SHE CRAFTS CLOTHES AS EXTENSIONS OF ONESELF, AMONGST OTHER THINGS. IMAGE COURTESY OF MENASCHE Menasche has always approached clothing as an extension of being rather than just design. How has that philosophy evolved with this new release, with pieces that exist outside a traditional collection framework? I wanted to create pieces that reach beyond a single type of consumer. Menasche has never been about exclusivity, it’s about connection. Fashion, for me, is a key to consciousness. It’s not just a sustainability statement; it’s a way of helping people connect with their own energy through tactile experience. Each piece in this release is designed to make you feel. The waxed denim jacket, for example, isn’t simply beautiful, it’s built with three layers of textile technology to endure weather while offering a texture that can even soothe anxiety. The duffle bags were created to be both functional and sensory; they’re meant to travel with you and remind you of presence through touch. As an artist and designer, I wanted to show that Menasche is far more than clothing, it’s a living ecosystem of emotion, texture, and connection. Your work often explores dualities: fragility and strength, structure and fluidity. How did that tension shape the development of these latest garments? It all begins with the textile. For Menasche, fabric dictates emotion, and comfort grounds it in reality. I wanted to express that you can be fragile yet strong, analytical yet fluid, melancholic yet strategic. Those contradictions live in all of us. In this collection, sheer layers are reinforced by structured seams; sensuality meets function. That negotiation, soft versus sharp, utility with seduction, is where the garment starts to breathe. When opposing forces coexist, the piece feels human, alive. Many of the new pieces engage directly with tactility: waxed denim, sheer mesh, faux fur, leather-tex. What role does the sense of touch play in your creative process? -Touch is everything. It’s the reason we don’t mass produce. Every design begins with texture, with me physically exploring and listening to the fabric. Since childhood, I’ve experimented with tactile materials. I used to play with candle wax, pouring it on my hands, watching how water changed its form. Later, I realised that process could translate into waterproofing textiles. Every new release starts in what I call my “lab.” It’s where I test, melt, layer, and transform. It’s part scientist, part childlike curiosity. The entire process is an exploration of how material reacts to life. You’ve described clothing as a form of companionship. When designing these garments, how do you imagine the life they might lead alongside their wearer? I imagine a well-lived life, not just success or glamour, but the quiet beauty of daily existence. The Delicate Dress that meets your partner’s family with confidence and grace. The Ruched Pants that let you move freely through a night out, hands free, no bag, a 1.5-litre bottle fitting effortlessly in the pocket. The Waxed Denim Jacket keeping you warm and unstoppable on a cold hike or morning commute.The Duffle Bag becomes your travel ally, even doubling as a pillow at the airport. These pieces are made to be there when you cry, when you celebrate, when you evolve. They hold memories; they absorb your energy. Menasche isn’t for a demographic, it’s for humans. The technical side of Menasche is as emotional as it is functional. How do you navigate the intersection between comfort and aesthetic expression? I follow instinct. Every idea begins as a feeling, a frequency that I translate into form. When I design, it rarely feels like it’s just me, it’s as if the piece builds itself and I’m simply the hands giving it shape. My technical knowledge exists to serve that energy, to make it wearable and real. This drop feels both grounded and experimental, almost like fieldwork in emotion and material. Was there a moment during development that surprised or changed your direction completely? Absolutely. When experimenting with wax, the goal was a classic denim jacket coated with a transparent wax membrane. But when I applied unmelted white wax, the texture looked sculptural, like an sculpture from a museum. It transformed the entire piece. We decided to produce only ten numbered jackets, each with its own unique wax pattern. None are identical; each carries its own soul. I prefer it that way, imperfection as individuality. Menasche’s visual identity carries a certain serenity, but also a definitive, quiet rebellion. How do you maintain that balance between intimacy and edge in your creative language? For me, rebellion doesn’t have to scream. I work from stillness, clean lines, neutral tones, serene silhouettes, and then insert tension through distortion: oversized pockets, ruched mechanisms, unexpected texture play. Intimacy earns the right to provoke. If each of these new pieces could speak, what would they say about the person who chooses to wear them? Okay, let me break this down: - Delicate Dress: “Softness is strength.” - Waxed Denim Jacket: “You live fully and face the elements head-on.” - Duffle Bag: “You value time and carry only what matters.” - Ruched Pants: “You seek ease and elegance in equal measure.” - Faux-Fur + Denim Jacket: “You are refined, joyful, and unafraid.” Finally, something lighter. What music, scent, and texture best describe your current state of mind while creating for Menasche? I often create surrounded by people I love: my team, my friends, energy flowing naturally. But when I’m alone, I enter this hyper-focused silence where sound disappears and I can feel every fibre, every thought. That’s when creation becomes almost spiritual.

UNITY IN DESIGN GLOBAL NETWORK (UDGN) CONTINUES TO SHINE A LIGHT ON EMERGING AFRICAN TALENT, DEMONSTRATING HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP OUR EYES FOCUSED ON THE CONTINENT’S POTENTIAL. WESLEY BRAY ENLIGHTENS US. Images Courtesy of Ellis T Carroll, Val Stuppia & Verdoux Lens WE CAN’T KEEP IGNORING AFRICAN FASHION UNITY IN DESIGN GLOBAL NETWORK (UDGN) CONTINUES TO SHINE A LIGHT ON EMERGING AFRICAN TALENT, DEMONSTRATING HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP OUR EYES FOCUSED ON THE CONTINENT’S POTENTIAL. WESLEY BRAY ENLIGHTENS US. Written by Wesley Bray Edited by Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard African fashion needs to be taken more seriously, with designers such as Oyintarebi Isaac, Taya Hughes and Jason Jermaine Asiedu presenting a solid case. At Unity in Design Global Network’s London Fashion Week show on Saturday, 21 February, these designers showed exactly why we need to keep showcasing underrepresented sectors of the fashion world. Titled “Anthology of African Stories – The People. The Land. The Heritage,” the fashion show saw film and fashion come together to showcase Isaac, Hughes and Asiedu’s unique perspectives as African diaspora making work in the West. The three collections emphasised the wide diversity in technique, culture and fabrics that exist within Africa, celebrating the complexity and richness that the continent embodies. TWIN BY TARE ISAAC Isaac’s brand, Twin by Tare Isaac, opened the show. The first look saw a model come out in a black dress, walking very slowly, commanding attention to be paid to the details of the garment. The look featured a beaded headpiece, which had its details reflected on the base of the gown. The body itself became a part of the garment as it peeked through more sheer elements of the dress itself. The mood felt mellow. The collection then shifted towards more tailored looks, with gold accessories adding a layer of flair. These specific pieces emphasised the modernity and diversity in fashion that the African continent has to offer. Precise cuts and made-to-measure elements stood out here, with fabrics flowing weightlessly as the models walked. Although not the most cohesive collection at first glance, Isaac made up for that through pristine craftsmanship and attention to detail. Standouts from the collection included a sculptural minidress, paired with a matching boater hat, made from more traditional African fabrics. “The fabric is called onibgake , according to my mother. If a man wants to ask for your hand in marriage, he needs to buy that fabric. If he doesn’t, you’re not going with him. It was a must to have that fabric in the collection,” said Isaac. She also told Asthetik Magazine that finding the correct spelling of this fabric was a task in itself, given how limited the documentation of Africa’s contribution towards fashion really is. The same fabric was reimagined in a separate look, this time as a skirt with a high slit. The onibgake fabric glided seamlessly along the runway, while a relatively simple white top completed the garment. On the more understated looks, rhinestones added a layer of intrigue. The addition of sparkle was more explicit on another mini dress, this time featuring black and red beads almost throughout, reflecting light as the model paced down the runway. The final look was undoubtedly the showstopper of Isaac's collection. A cream white gown, which was draped effortlessly, caught the attention of the room. Several phones were immediately taken out to capture the moment. The dress featured a veil which flowed without interruption into the gown itself, while a bedazzled corset cinched the midriff together. The golden embroidery and gems featured on the midriff were echoed on the train of the gown. “This collection draws on my mother’s lineage and the people of the Niger Delta in Nigeria, whose visual story has not really been told before in fashion,” added Isaac. “I wanted to use this medium of art to push our story forward.” TAYAMEACA Up next was Taya Hughes, whose brand Tayameaca served as a reference to “The Land” in this group show. Hughes' opening look was bold, with a black and gold headpiece attached to eyeglasses demanding to be seen. A gold and black cape matched the headpiece, as well as a relatively uncomplicated mini dress, which the cape wrapped itself over. The fabrics were reminiscent of fur, which made sense given that safaris were a huge inspiration for this body of work. “My collection is focused on the land, specifically Zimbabwe. I was hugely inspired by blue skies, lions, green grass, everything to do with safaris,” Hughes told Asthetik Magazine. In terms of technique, resin was used in a number of looks to add levels of dimensionality. These looks stood out given their texture and wet-like appearance. In one garment, behind the resin, leopard print materials could be identified, connecting the less ‘safari-like’ pieces into the world Hughes created. Another resin look featured an arm strap, which made the garment appear more sculptural. In essence, transforming a subtle mini dress into something more visually stimulating. This specific dress also featured blue beadwork which connected the look to water, a clear inspiration for this collection. This penultimate look set the scene for what was to come: a piece predominantly made in a sky-blue fabric. The dress invited bodies of water onto the runway, with the final look having an eye-catching resin-constructed fascinator reminiscent of water. Circular embellishments also flowed down each side of the dress, inviting a level of playfulness to the look. Headpieces were a key element of this collection, with only two out of the eight looks not featuring one. As Hughes said herself, “For this specific collection, my starting point was the headpiece. The dresses were made to complement the headpieces, which were my primary storytellers.” JERMAINE BLEU The pace of the show shifted as soon as it was time for Asiedu to present his collection under his brand Jermaine Blue. This was evident in the more upbeat music that was played and in the literal speed at which the models came down the runway. Asiedu’s opening look was a rust orange shirt with tailored shorts in black, styled with a monogram scarf. Although the look was relatively logo-heavy compared to the previous two designers, the visual nature of the logo made this digestible and less distracting than one would expect. Earthy tones were present throughout the collection, which felt fitting for the season. A collared dress, almost ankle length, followed as the next offering. Again, quite simple, but clearly precise and informed. The tones used in this collection made the looks stand out. The monogram scarf featured again, creating immediate cohesion among the collection. A two-piece suit with shorts, instead of trousers, came out next. Here, accessories were everything. A cherry red flat cap was mirrored on the polar opposite end of the look as matching loafers. Long socks were also a clear motif throughout the collection, playing with the sense of age and references to older generations. “For this collection, I took inspiration from old family albums and reminiscing over eras that I didn’t live. And then, trying to capture the essence of that into this collection,” Asiedu told Asthetik Magazine. Standouts included a patchwork waistcoat made in various shades of green kente. Styled effortlessly with tailored black pants and boots, the look oozed sophistication. “I included traditional fabrics like kente and techniques like batik making, which are quite common in Ghana. I wanted to incorporate those into this collection,” added Asiedu. Patchworking techniques reappeared in the penultimate look. This time, with a bolder palette of primary colours. Styling was key to the success of this collection. It never felt as though the looks were too much or overdone when it came to colour choices and pairings. A mustard yellow dress closed the show, with tassels adding a sense of elegance and joyfulness. A loose bow synched the waist, allowing for an hourglass silhouette. Asiedu’s clothes felt wearable while still possessing undisputed levels of craftsmanship. Simplicity can win, as Asiedu confidently demonstrated.

INSIDE LA FONDATION AZZEDINE ALAÏA, PARIS, ASTHETIK MAGAZINE GOT A FIRST LOOK AT THE LATEST EXHIBITION ON SHOW, HIGHLIGHTING TWO MASTERS OF HAUTE COUTURE. AT THE FONDATION AZZEDINE ALAÏA, FASHION WHISPERS INSIDE THE MASTERS OF HAUTE COUTURE EXHIBITION WITH AZZEDINE ALAÏA AND CHRISTIAN DIOR INSIDE LA FONDATION AZZEDINE ALAÏA, PARIS, ASTHETIK MAGAZINE GOT A FIRST LOOK AT THE LATEST EXHIBITION ON SHOW, HIGHLIGHTING TWO MASTERS OF HAUTE COUTURE. Written by Kristen Vonnoh Edited by: Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard A short walk from the Hotel de Ville metro stop, you’ll find a hidden gem. With an elegant courtyard and an understated entrance, there is the Fondation Alaïa. The exhibitions presented in this space are as elegant as the space itself. Inside the latest exhibition at the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, conversations fade into whispers, with friends leaning in toward each other while admiring the work of the couturier. “C’est magnifique,” said a visitor, pointing to the details of the strapless Dior dress. “Azzedine Alaïa and Christian Dior: Two Masters of Haute Couture”, curated by Olivier Saillard, is not an exhibition that demands attention but earns it. Bringing together nearly seventy designs by the two couturiers, the show unfolds as a quiet dialogue across decades, between Dior’s revolutionary 1950s silhouettes and Alaïa’s later, deeply sculptural work, inspired by his time as an intern at Dior. White flowers frame the spaces where the garments are exhibited, softening the architecture and brightening the space. Yet, despite the richly layered scenography, nothing overwhelms the beauty of the garments themselves. A Christian Dior dinner jacket from the Haute Couture Spring-Summer 1948 collection immediately draws the eye: Pondichery, from the Ligne Envol collection. Crafted in natural linen canvas, the jacket features a plunging back, a Mandarin collar, and short sleeves with wide turn-ups. It is entirely embroidered with branches, birds, and butterflies in multicoloured metallic threads, embellished with green glass cabochons, silvered sequins, synthetic pearls, and mother-of-pearl shells. Its cut, the most singular of the Ligne Envol appears to give the piece a literal sense of lift, as if it might take flight, echoing Dior’s own words that the line “soars as one walks and dips toward the back.” Nearby, an Azzedine Alaïa strapless dress from his Spring–Summer 2006 ready-to-wear collection offers a different take. Made of white cotton voile, the gown is fully ruched and printed with a tone-on-tone raised Paisley motif, finished with a delicate lace trim along the top of the bodice. Playing with the artifice of haute couture, Alaïa continually pays homage to it even as he reinvents it, revisiting the proportions of the 1950s underdress, traditionally hidden beneath the gown to create volume. Here, the logic is reversed: the interior becomes exterior. Ruching is no longer merely structural but aesthetic, and the once-invisible underskirt becomes the façade. In this mirrored gesture, the dress becomes the undergarment, and the undergarment becomes the dress. The exhibition’s scenography is rich with information, enticing visitors to spend more time observing the techniques and inspirations behind each piece. It creates a space visitors don’t rush through. They linger, engaging with Alaïa’s life and work with surprising intimacy, as if reading a story they feel personally invested in. Dior’s dresses, with their gravity-defying structures, are positioned in juxtaposition with Alaïa’s sculpture-like dresses and overcoats. Dior’s garments fascinated him. They “stood up on their own,” Alaïa once said. Cutting and sewing became his lifelong obsession. That obsession quietly threads through the exhibition. The accentuated waists. The sculpted shoulders. The curved hips. The restrained yet powerful palette of blacks and greys and greens, and reds. Alaïa never copied Dior. He studied him, absorbed him, and translated that early awe into a language that was entirely his own, in a way only he could. Decades apart, the garments seem to recognise each other. What gives the exhibition its emotional weight is the knowledge that Alaïa was not only a couturier but also a guardian of fashion history. Over the course of his life, he collected more than 500 Christian Dior designs, preserving them with almost archival devotion. The pieces shown in this exhibition come from that personal collection. These were garments he lived with, learned from, and protected as part of the patrimoine de la mode. Upstairs, the exhibition becomes even more intimate. Being able to see Alaïa’s former studio space, visitors understand the passion he had for his work. The distance between creator and creation collapses. The scene was left exactly as it was in 2017 at the time of his passing; it almost feels like he’ll come back any second. A video installation closes the visit, grounding the garments in the philosophy of the man himself. “It’s a matter of complicity between a woman and a couturier,” says Alaa in an interview. “I make sure she keeps her personality.” One truth clearly emerges: Alaïa loved women. Not as an abstract muse, but as bodies in motion and as living sculptures. His clothes listen before they speak. This exhibition is powerful. It is about continuity and how admiration and precision become craft, how couture history is often written through devotion to skill. At a time when fashion feels increasingly loud and explanatory, “Azzedine Alaïa and Christian Dior” offers a look into fashion that is refreshing and increasingly rare.

PRESENTED IN FRONT OF ROYALTY AND HELD WITHIN THE BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL'S NEWGEN SPACE, TOLU COKER PRESENTED HER AW26 COLLECTION DURING LONDON FASHION WEEK. IYANUOLUWA OSATIMEHIN. Images Courtesy of Joshva Jerry and Rosslyn Photography FLAIR FASHION AW26: THE DESIGNERS THIS SEASON, FLAIR FASHION ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT FORWARD A COHORT OF NEWGEN TALENT, FOUR OF WHICH CAUGHT OUR EYE. ASTHETIK MAGAZINE’S JOSHVA JERRY WENT BEHIND THE CURTAINS AND FOUND OUT MORE BACKSTAGE. Written by Joshva Jerry Edited by Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard Flair Fashion, a platform that promotes the next generation of designers and brands, held yet another diverse showcase during London Fashion Week’s Autumn/Winter 2026 season. From gothic and noir tastes — blended to convey the deeper, darker emotions of its designer — to streetwear crafted by the hopes of a young 19-year-old chasing fashion, along with dreams that were made into artistic designs enabling one to escape reality. It sat as an exhibition of growing creative talent by an emerging cohort of designers. We caught up with four of them after the show. For Tara Kari, a womenswear designer from Finland, her desire to bring her dreams to life led her to create physical manifestations of said dreams through garments. But unlike typical visions, Kari chose the wild ones. The ones that made her feel like she “absolutely had to make“. The ‘Eye Top’ was one example. In her dream, two eyes were protruding from her chest, leading her to create a garment that featured an optical illusion… quite literally. Another design was the ‘Screw Jacket’, derived from another dream she had that her “body was made from wood and [she] was screwing it back together”. These chaotic thoughts, now observed as fashion, translated an element of authenticity on the runway and truly showcased the potential of working with unrestrained creativity. Adam Raillard, the previously mentioned 19-year-old designer with a keen eye for streetwear who has “been working 9 to 5 jobs, earning minimum wage, and trying to build up money to invest back into [his] brand,” presented his brand, The Kong is DeAd. Having had only one month to prepare for his debut, the creative found himself having to deal with a restrained timeline, yet still managed to bring a breathtaking collection to the runway. As mentioned, the brand targets the streetwear audience from that young perspective, with Raillard only starting sewing six months ago, one would be unable to distinguish. Aiming to become "the number one streetwear brand in the world, straight up”, Raillard’s determination resulted in a completed collection that was both original and fresh, demonstrating how, even with constraints, it is possible to chase and achieve goals when you set your mind to it. Seven Spot Lady Birds, also known as SSLB, is a label whose main work is less about clothing, but rather jewellery. Made using old Chinese embroidery techniques, incorporating intricate decoration, the products pivoted the audience’s focus from the typical collections on the runway to something more delicate and powerful—their embroidered collection of nature and creatures. which included handmade earrings and necklaces that captured the essence of “a dragon and phoenix”. And even though it was their first time on the runway, they were able to perfectly seize the audience’s attention and centre it on the focal point of their brand, the details. Yet another designer that grabbed the audience’s attention from the start was Noira, as she debuted her pilot collection to a runway audience for the first time. But even with the lack of experience, she was able to skilfully convey a storyline of emotions through each piece in her collection, the final look of which she dedicated to her dear friend who had sadly passed away. Through meticulous design choices, including ensuring each model possessed their own “garment, have their own character, have their own feeling, have their own action”, a narrative emerged that showed the collection as “exhausted, depressed… turned crazy” and then that same narrative ended, by expressing to those feeling similar emotions that they, “will see the light. They will see the dawn,” and with that hope that trickled through the collection, the creative was able to connect with the people … and “heal the people”. These were the stories of just a few of the designers and brands that showcased their talents, dreams and hopes at Flair Fashion during London Fashion Week. Flair Fashion has successfully shown itself once again as a platform that sources and upholds some of the top emerging talent amongst the new generation, including the other participants who also had their own unique and novel concepts that they brought to the runway, including: Fee Muse, Psy Lau, PODYH, Une Enfant, and Belsize25. See you next season!

EGONLAB JUST PRESENTED ITS AW26 COLLECTION DURING PARIS FASHION WEEK, MARKING THE HOUSE’S NINTH SHOW SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2019. FASHION WRITER HARRY NICHOLSON BREAKS DOWN WHAT UNFOLDED ON THE RUNWAY. THE POLITICS OF CREATIVE SURVIVAL: EGONLAB AW26 EGONLAB JUST PRESENTED ITS AW26 COLLECTION DURING PARIS FASHION WEEK, MARKING THE HOUSE’S NINTH SHOW SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2019. FASHION WRITER HARRY NICHOLSON BREAKS DOWN WHAT UNFOLDED ON THE RUNWAY. Written by Harry Nicholson Edited by Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard For a brand that’s only seven years old, EGONLAB’s FW26 collection, Lazarus, walks with the confidence of a brand that knows exactly where it stands - and more importantly, what it refuses to become. Wednesday’s show was not simply another exercise in dark romanticism, but an almost confrontational statement about what it means to create something today, in an industry where productivity is beginning to eclipse creativity. Kevin Nompiex and Florentin Glémarec have long translated tensions - masculine and feminine, refinement and defiance - yet here that tension is truly woven throughout the collection. The title Lazarus conceptualises the collection’s positioning of rebirth not as a glorious reinvention, but as an act of survival. EGONLAB’s ‘rebirth’ saw it return to its roots: black dominates, yet is defined by reliefs and texture, achieved through crumpled fabrics. Fluid jerseys and quality wools in dark notes create a chiaroscuro effect, adding sharp tonal depth. Overhead, Jameela Jamil’s manifesto encapsulates the message of resistance to the sanitation of creativity: "Most flee the darkness; we built our sanctuary within it.” Silhouette - arguably EGONLAB’s sharpest weapon - has been pushed further, with shoulders becoming more defined, and asymmetrical buttoning cinching the form on tailored pieces. Effects of ‘trompe l’oeil’ and doubling of jackets that peek around the edges suggest an unfinished evolution, caught in the act of becoming something. Denim pieces serve as a refreshing switch-up amongst the darker tones, constructed with puzzle-like stitching and oversized collars and buttonholes. I found the fine line between couture and commerce is Lazarus’ triumph. Feathered looks evoke a likeness to the mythical chimaera (welcome back, Mugler’s La Chimère (AW97), iconography that symbolises the marriage of haute couture and urban fashion, seemingly opposites but both possessing the same capacity for creativity in their own right. The tailoring, for all its theatricality, retains a rigour that grounds the collection firmly in wearability. A selection of looks wear deep red plaid that cuts through the ashy palette with violent passion, a colourful reminder that emotion is what drives this brand. A collaboration with Converse contributed to Lazarus, showing the classic Chuck Taylor redefined as a fully hand-woven ‘artisanal statement piece’. But then there are THE boots: thigh-high, opened leather straps barely containing shearling that erupted from within - not only a standout, but a memorable articulation of EGONLAB’s balance of excess and style. The inspired namesake of 20th-century expressionist artist Egon Schiele, this collection embraces rawness and bodily expression as he did. Do not mistake this collection as a resurrection, but instead a reassertion of EGONLAB, and by extension, any brand’s right to exist under uncompromising terms. Jamil’s manifesto makes it clear: “Creativity is a blade-thin, sharp, and unforgiving force. Only the bravest dare to reach its edge, leaving their hands stained not with sin but with the raw matter of creation. Make no mistake: the true monsters don’t lurk in the dark; they walk in daylight, smiling as they drain the world of wonder and call it efficiency.” In returning to its instincts - exaggeration, excess, and silhouette - EGONLAB resists the ‘suits’ allergies to risk, offering a vision of fashion instead as resistance and self-actualisation over compliance.

CONNOR OVES PRESENTS HIS AW26 COLLECTION ON THE CLOSING DAY OF LONDON FASHION WEEK. CLAIRE MCKINSTRY WAS THERE AND RECALLS THE NIGHT IN HER OWN WORDS. SOME GLAMOUR TO QUIET THE FEAR CONNOR OVES PRESENTS HIS AW26 COLLECTION ON THE CLOSING DAY OF LONDON FASHION WEEK. CLAIRE MCKINSTRY WAS THERE AND RECALLS THE NIGHT IN HER OWN WORDS. Written by By Claire McKinstry Edited by Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard In the slightly outdated and deceptively intimate Claridge’s ballroom, London-based American designer Conner Ives brings together a host of names—from Lila Moss to iconic milliner Stephen Jones—to witness the debut of his politically charged AW26 collection on Monday afternoon. The location represents a land far removed from a room with sheets bleakly draped over the windows—the type of sobering afterparty environment that Ives fears, according to his show notes. Pop music fills the space, and champagne glasses glisten under the chandeliers. Ives was clearly catering to the “incessant craving to go out,” an escapist urge that inspired the collection, encouraging attendees to “party before the peril.” A graduate of Central Saint Martins and the 2025 winner of the prestigious British Fashion Council/Designer Fashion Fund, Ives skyrocketed to prominence at his AW25 show one year ago, where he wore his “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt. The shirt has since raised over $600k for a trans rights charity and has been worn by everyone from Haider Ackermann to Addison Rae. While he acknowledges the product’s importance and impact, he has since attempted to expand the label’s recognition beyond that viral moment. Many designers of late seem to fear striking a political chord; the Instagram account Diet Prada recently wrote an NYFW review calling out New York-based designers for their toned-down—if any at all—response to global politics. Meanwhile, Ives is unequivocal in his stance. The designer references the Weimar Republic in his show notes, an era in Germany when the Nazis were on the rise but had not yet taken power. It was the country’s first attempt at democracy but also a period of economic mayhem; nevertheless, arts and culture thrived. Ives is unambiguous when he draws parallels between this period of history and the US’s current state, writing that history is “repeating itself” and stating, “Fuck ICE.” , Yet despite these present dangers—and those on the horizon—he continues to shape culture and create meticulously crafted clothing. Back in the ballroom, models waltz sensually down the runway in silks, velvets, furs, and feathers, often making eye contact with the audience and performing as much as presenting. Tish Weinstock sets the mood as the show’s opener, wearing a T-shirt stating “I work nights”; the show closes with Dominique Jackson in a silky white evening look, the fabric billowing as she walks, complete with a fur-trimmed hood. Creamy yellow silk robes and dresses line the runway, embroidered with motifs of animals and flowers; similarly, embroidered bags and boots complement other looks. Silhouettes range from structured evening jackets to high-waisted tapered jeans, blending traditional with contemporary. Ives continues to push through the fear and bring people together in joyous moments, emphasising a basic human inclination toward beautiful things. As he states, there’s nothing wrong with a little “glamour to subdue the dread.”

SOME DESIGNERS CREATE GARMENTS; OTHERS CONSTRUCT ENTIRE UNIVERSES AROUND THEM. JEAN LOUIE CASTILLO BELONGS FIRMLY TO THE LATTER, BY CONJURING GOTHIC MYTHOLOGIES THROUGH CLOTHES THAT FEEL LIKE RELICS FROM ANOTHER WORLD ENTIRELY. TORI PALONE DESCRIBES THE NIGHT. Images courtesy of Lauren Cremer AW26: JEAN LOUIE CASTILLO’S WORLD OF HIS OWN SOME DESIGNERS CREATE GARMENTS; OTHERS CONSTRUCT ENTIRE UNIVERSES AROUND THEM. JEAN LOUIE CASTILLO BELONGS FIRMLY TO THE LATTER, BY CONJURING GOTHIC MYTHOLOGIES THROUGH CLOTHES THAT FEEL LIKE RELICS FROM ANOTHER WORLD ENTIRELY. TORI PALONE DESCRIBES THE NIGHT. Written by Tori Palone The brands’ autumn-winter 2026 collection, SILVERCITY, was unveiled last night at the Mandrake Hotel; a venue which, with its sorcerer eye decorum and graffitied bathroom walls, seemed to bleed seamlessly into Castillo’s shadowy realm. Candles threw flame onto an otherwise dark room and a curtain of fog backgrounded the models’ ascent onto center stage, creating an otherworldly feel which mirrored the collection’s haunted elegance. In some ways, the collection felt more like a theatrical production than a typical runway affair. The models were not simply models—they walked, heaved, sleuthed, and strode down the catwalk, clearly cogs in a bigger, Jean Louie Castillo imagined system. At the start of the show, resident instagram monster MONSTERS kINC stalked the floor on digitigrade legs, her movements animatronic and wild. A black crinkle-cut shroud obscured her face, while laced-up vinyl boots—slouched at the toes like claws—punctuated her passage through the crowd. Immediately, the model ushered in a sense of benign curiosity from onlookers who were desperate for clues of her mysterious origin. In other words, what the hell was going on? Castillo is transfixed with spinning the ordinary into the sublime. He has an uncanny ability to make denim look liquid, and a tendency towards bending everyday materials to convey a deliberate sense of anti-purpose. PVC, for example, was coerced into high-shouldered jackets and dresses, manipulated to resemble sheets of crumbled aluminium foil which rose from the body like a tide. Castillo’s own sculptural ingenuity was contrasted against sharp tailoring, strewn open jackets and elongated gowns that contoured the body ceremoniously. The show proceeded mostly as a play between black and silver, braving a world where darkness and glamour didn’t simply collide, but rather pressed forward in constant chatter. Silver accents appeared throughout the lineup, catching in the metallic flash of the models’ lipstick or in the shape of a ray gun, enlarged and held at the hip. Models’ bodies were treated as extensions of the clothes, their alternate personas amplified through makeup and body paint—iridescent silver or white with black veining patterns. Though self-contained, SILVERCITY mirrors earthly hierarchies, revealing societal cracks through discontent and disillusionment. According to Castillo, “The world is about seeing a divide between the upper city and lower city,” a delineation which is visually apparent across his collection. Castillo’s fabricated lore imagines a city ruled by the Echelites—an aesthetically superior faction who govern with a silver fist. They saunter down the runway with a regal gait, swaddled in fur throws, wielding pistols or cigarette holder-like gadgets in their hands. Cavers, on the other hand, move along in disarray, their fractured movements zombie-like. Barred in silver cascading chains (akin to a straitjacket), they prowl the runway with a dilapidated effort, their bodies dirtied and bruised looking. Still, there is a sense of camaraderie among the factions—repeating materials, silhouettes and silver paint made it slightly harder to differentiate which characters belonged to the High City and which simply aspired to. Castillo’s tale of two cities acts as a microscopic lens on earthly concerns. Cast under dystopian light, he magnifies the tensions and anxieties of our own reality. He explains, “I wanted to find a place for all my work. I didn’t feel that it really fit in anywhere.” In creating SILVERCITY, Castillo has at last found a domain for his imagination to unfold free from earthly constraints.

WITH LESS GLITTER AND MORE GRAVITY, THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL HAD A QUIET QUESTION AT ITS HEART; BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO NURTURE CREATIVITY TODAY? BY KRISTEN VONNOH HYÈRES 40. A CELEBRATION AT LA VILLA NOAILLES A NEW ERA AT HYÈRES? INSIDE THE RESET AND FUTURE OF THE FASHION FESTIVAL WITH LESS GLITTER AND MORE GRAVITY, THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL HAD A QUIET QUESTION AT ITS HEART; BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO NURTURE CREATIVITY TODAY? Written by Kristen Vonnoh Sunlight in Hyères shines differently in October. Still golden and cinematic, but softer now, quieter. The glittering summer crowds have gone, and the local life is vibrant. Held from October 16th to 18th, this anniversary edition marked not just a milestone, but a recalibration. Gone were the extravagant soirées and late-night villa parties that once defined the Hyères mythology. In their place was a focused energy around the young designers and the collections of fashion, photography, and accessories present. It was a refreshing way of focusing on the reason we were all there. As the 40th edition of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography, and Accessories unfolded at Villa Noailles, that same soft light seemed to mirror the mood: a festival once synonymous with exuberance, now tracing the contours of a new sensibility. After a turbulent year, the Villa Noailles welcomed a new director, Hugo Lucchino, formerly director of the Palais Galliera, after the departure of the festival’s founder, Jean-Pierre Blanc. The change felt both administrative and emotional, as speaker after speaker came up to the microphone to pay homage to Jean-Pierre. It began, as it always does, with giddy anticipation. Parisians spilling from trains, the sound of luggage wheels over cobblestones, a sun that felt slightly too warm for autumn. But beneath the familiarity, something had shifted. The opening ceremony was brisk and simple. After the speeches, Ascendant Vierge took the stage in a flash of sound and synths under the provençal sun. It wasn’t extravagant, but it didn’t need to be; this year, Hyères felt more contained and more reserved. In a perhaps symbolic move, the festival introduced an all-designer jury, forgoing the traditional figure of a festival president. Among them were Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Julien Dossena, Louis Gabriel Nouchi, Alexandre Mattiussi, and Viktor & Rolf; a constellation of designers representing different chapters of contemporary European fashion. This flattening of hierarchy felt aligned with the wider undercurrent of the festival, celebrating and nurturing young talent. The Grand Prix du Jury Mode went to Lucas Emilio Brunner, whose collection À Bout de Soufflé floated between ballooning forms and Ivy League codes. Adrien Michel received the 19M Métiers d’Art Prize for his use of technical sportswear and refined craftsmanship. Layla Al Tawaya was awarded the Ateliers des Matières Prize for her gender-fluid leather and tulle constructions. Youssef Zogheib earned the Public Prize for menswear with couture precision. The Prix Supima, created for the 40th anniversary of the Festival, rewards the best use of SUPIMA cotton, a signal of the festival’s growing ties to the industry and its material economies. The winner was Noah Almonte, who received fabric support for his next collection and a trip to New York for the Supima Design Lab 2025. Under Lucchino’s direction, though still fresh, the Villa Noailles appears to be entering a different era. There’s talk of transparency, recalibration, and institutional renewal. The Robert Mallet Stevens’ 1923 modernist villa has always been a vessel for artistic optimism, an architecture of light and possibility. This year, it became something else too: a metaphor for resilience. Pascale Mussard, the Villa’s President, beautifully spoke of the artistic vision of the Noailles during the opening ceremony, citing the artistic heritage and patronage of its original owners, Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles. The collections and exhibitions from the 2025 festival will remain open until January 11, 2026. They linger in the rooms of Villa Noailles, where the old indoor pool once was, shapes, textures, and experiments in silhouette, each one carrying the trace of a generation negotiating its place in an industry that never stops shifting. The light fades early in Hyères this time of year, signalling the arrival of colder days. Still, it leaves behind a glow that is reflective, uncertain, and full of questions about what comes next.

EACH YEAR, THE WOMENSWEAR PATHWAY AT CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS PARTNERS WITH THE CRISTÓBAL BALENCIAGA MUSEUM IN THE NAMELY, BALENCIAGA PROJECT. BETH DARROCH SAT FRONT ROW AND WATCHED IT UNFOLD AND TELLS US MORE ABOUT DESIGNER IMOGEN GREGORY'S STELLAR COLLECTION. INSPIRED BY BALENCIAGA: INSIDE SAINT MARTINS’ BA SHOW EACH YEAR, THE WOMENSWEAR PATHWAY AT CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS PARTNERS WITH THE CRISTÓBAL BALENCIAGA MUSEUM IN THE NAMELY, BALENCIAGA PROJECT. BETH DARROCH SAT FRONT ROW AND WATCHED IT UNFOLD AND TELLS US MORE ABOUT DESIGNER IMOGEN GREGORY'S STELLAR COLLECTION. Written by Beth Darroch Edited by Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard Balenciaga is not an easy reference to inherit, but at Central Saint Martins, the students of BA Fashion Design Womenswear didn't really try to. Instead, they got on a plane to Spain, spent time with nine pieces inside the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, and came back with something to say. The brief asked them to look at how Balenciaga absorbed popular costume into his practice, how he abstracted and elevated it, and what that process of adaptation might look like when placed in the hands of a generation navigating a very different set of pressures. Each pathway documented its research and creative development before designing a complete outfit, assessed by both Central Saint Martins and the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, with the emphasis falling on technique and interpretation rather than straight-up homage. The question was never really whether students could replicate Balenciaga's silhouettes, but whether they could understand what drove them. Forty-seven looks were presented at the LVMH Theatre, and among the designers was Imogen Gregory, whose two pieces shifted the conversation to somewhere more real. “My project draws on the Spanish folktale La gallina de los huevos de oro, The Hen That Laid the Golden Eggs,” she explains. “In the story, the farmer keeps pushing the hen to produce more golden eggs until he destroys the very thing that was sustaining him.” In Gregory’s interpretation, the hen represents the British public, while the farmer stands in for government policy, economic systems and rising living costs. The metaphor reflects a population being forced to produce more through longer hours, multiple jobs and constant Financial compromise. Material choice becomes central to that argument. “I took some bamboo and indigo dyed it, and the material is cheesecloth treated by airbrush laced with coffee,” she says. “The main idea was trying to take tailoring in a contemporary lens and use resources around us, to show that people can’t afford tailored garments anymore because of the pressures of the government.” Where Balenciaga worked with the refinement of couture fabrics, Gregory uses bamboo, cheesecloth and coffee. Tailoring, usually tied to ideas of status and security, is handled more resourcefully here. The lace is stained rather than pristine, the finish less polished, but the structure is still there. It feels shaped by the realities of the moment, not removed from them. And yet, Gregory does not frame the metaphor as entirely hopeless. Reflecting on time spent in Balenciaga’s hometown, she describes people sitting in winding streets drinking wine despite economic pressure. Even if the eggs are a source of stress and hardship, she says, they are still golden.“There is still value in each one”, she states. Across the show, that balance between reverence and resistance was clear. Balenciaga’s influence could be seen in the rigour of cut and attention to construction, but it was filtered through contemporary experience. At Central Saint Martins, heritage is preserved and tested against the realities students are living through now.

Asthetik Magazine is a fashion and lifestyle magazine/blog which presents different perspectives on the world of fashion. Including recipies and design information, this website is bound to inspire and enthuse you on the latest trends and styles from across the globe. ASTHETIK MAGAZINE DENZILPATRICK AW26: LONDON BELONGS TO DENZILPATRICK POETLAB AW26: WHERE VALUES LEAD FASHION JEAN LOUIE CASTILLO’S WORLD OF HIS OWN CONNER IVES AW26: SOME GLAMOUR TO QUIET THE FEAR YAKU AW26: READY, PLAYER, FIGHT WE CAN’T KEEP IGNORING AFRICAN FASHION FLAIR FASHION AW26: THE DESIGNERS INSPIRED BY BALENCIAGA: INSIDE SAINT MARTINS' BA SHOW IN SURVIVOR’S REMORSE , TOLU COKER REFLECTS ON ORIGIN THROUGH UNIFORM DANIEL ROSEBERRY MAKES COUTURE LOOK EASY REFERENCE EXHAUSTION: JONATHAN ANDERSON'S DIOR AW26 THE POLITICS OF CREATIVE SURVIVAL: EGONLAB AW26 APPEARING WELL-READ THROUGH MARKERS OF FASHION EMERALD FENNELL’S REIMAGINING OF “WUTHERING HEIGHTS” Load More BECOME A MEMBER NOW Please enter your email here... Sign Up WELCOME TO THE CLUB!

GABRIEL MEALOR-PRITCHARD FINDS OUT HOW LEO PROTHMANN'S AW25 COLLECTION EXPLORES WHERE HE'S BEEN AND WHERE HE'S HEADED AN ASTHETIK MAGAZINE CONVERSATION: THE DUALITY AND EVOLUTION OF LEO PROTHMANN GABRIEL MEALOR-PRITCHARD FINDS OUT HOW LEO PROTHMANN'S AW25 COLLECTION EXPLORES WHERE HE'S BEEN AND WHERE HE'S HEADED. Upon the Jurema terrace at the Mandrake Hotel, designer Leo Prothmann showcased his much anticipated AW25 collection at London Fashion Week. The innovative designer, who works closely with Rick Owens, presented 'FINCA' (translating to 'ESTATE'), paying homage to his family's Spanish heritage, all whilst painting a picture of the journey that has led him to where he finds himself now. Prothmann has continued his partnership with Rick Owens on the brand's AW25 "Concordians" collection, where he designed the striking leather chaps that dominated the runway and social media thereafter. As the pieces travel from waist to foot, they transition into a relaxed rendition of the kiss boot we all know. This circles back to Prothmann's first collaboration with the esteemed fashion house when he redesigned the staple Rick footwear to incorporate his take on the iconic heeled boot for the house's AW24 runway. The Spanish designer has always found himself on a journey. A voyage to explore new ventures and take up new talents, from horse-riding to fashion. Wherever the creative finds himself, he thrives. His designs combat the traditional gender stereotypes the world knows all too well and break down the boundaries between contemporary and agricultural style. Blurring the lines between his origins and his current position within the fashion industry. After growing up in the rural Spanish countryside surrounded by animals, he left it all behind as he ventured forth to Berlin to pursue his dreams in fashion. This is where the unmistakable Berlin-club-scene-edge, garnered from the designer's time spent in the capital, filtered into his designs. Though the creative moved to further a field with his dreams for fashion in mind, Prothmann makes it his aim to keep his heritage and childhood deeply rooted within his designs, aptly referring to his brand as 'Stable Glam.' His latest collection seconds this notion with heavy-metal wellington platform heels and equally heavy-duty coats. FINCA acts as a testament to his adoration for equestrianism and the countryside that raised him. The creative's most recent presentation reinforces the house's duality by presenting rich textures – rubber, metal, and leather – with earthy/muted tones that establish the collection's raw nature. When not behind the sewing machine, Leo can be found behind an easel, taking inspiration from his talent in painting and translating it into garments that represent his artistic identity. His work can be purchased through his website, found alongside his garments. To find out more, after the show, I spoke to Prothmann about his AW25 runway, discussed his inspirations for the collection and also how, on top of all of this, he has implemented a 100% proceed fundraiser in aid of The Brain Tumour Foundation. G: FINCA is deeply personal, evolving from your childhood and family tradition. What was the most emotional or challenging part of translating these memories into fashion? L: I think the hardest part was speaking about the impact of failure and the feeling of not living up to expectations. Back then, my life was completely focused on a showjumping career, which ultimately didn’t work out. It was a tough lesson, but it taught me discipline and helped me value things in a completely new way. It was a tough but necessary realisation. G: Duality plays a big role in your journey. How does this tension between self-discovery and transformation manifest in your design process? L: I have had several careers that will always be part of me. Looking at the Gemini brothers helped me relate to my own story of self-discovery and transformation, which has been similarly multifaceted and never straightforward. This comes through in my design process as I reference these different, seemingly disjointed industries that are, however, all embedded in my persona. This also comes through in how we style and present the collection. I don’t conform to traditional gender norms, and that naturally translates into my work—there’s a fluidity and multifaceted nature in how I express identity and transformation. G: Equestrianism was a budding interest of yours before you transitioned into hospitality and later fashion. Do you see parallels between these worlds, and how do they influence your work today? L: Absolutely. There’s a strong parallel—both industries have a certain camp quality. Equestrian attire is this perfect mix of chic and sporty, and hospitality has its own exaggerated aesthetics—the uniforms, the formalities. It’s warm yet sterile at the same time because of the strict hierarchy. Both worlds instilled in me a strong sense of discipline, which has shaped my work ethic and design approach. G: You talk about a shift in style after moving to Berlin at the age of 16. How did Berlin’s fashion and culture inspire you to embrace a more flowing, intimate aesthetic? L: I moved to Berlin in 2013 when I was 16, and that’s when I started going out. Back then, Berlin’s nightlife felt different—no ID checks, no bag checks—pretty much anyone could get in. It was a time of total freedom, and that sense of liberation really shaped me. That’s why there’s always a playful edge to my designs—I was playful back then, and I’ve always valued the freedom that safe, inclusive spaces like Berlin’s nightlife provided. G: This isn’t your first time experimenting with footwear after your continued collaborations with Rick Owens. FINCA reimagines rubber boots with substantial soles and industrial-style heels. What exactly drew you to explore such a bold reinterpretation of a functional item? L: I’ve always wanted massive wellies with a big heel and platform. I love how they look in the mud—practical but dramatic. G: The colours seen in FINCA have been translated from your paintings. How does your work as a painter influence your design choices, and do you approach fabric like you would a canvas? L: For me, painting is a therapeutic process—it’s like scrolling through Instagram for some people, a way to relax. But while painting is impulsive, sewing requires control; if you sew impulsively, you’re more likely to hurt yourself. I love navigating that contrast in creative energy. G: You set up a fundraiser for The Brain Tumour Research Foundation in aid of your brother's diagnosis in 2023. It is an initiative that stems from a place so close to home. How do you see fashion as a vehicle for storytelling and social impact? L: It’s important to spread awareness that serious health conditions can affect people at a very young age. I want to reinforce that taking care of yourself, being open about struggles, and seeking support should be seen as strengths, not weaknesses. It’s important for everyone, regardless of gender or background, to be open about their struggles and to seek support without fear of being stigmatised. G: If someone unfamiliar with your work were to experience FINCA for the first time, what is the one feeling or message you’d want them to take away? L: I’d want them to feel like they’re at my family home in Spain—a sense of acceptance, freedom, and fun! G: The idea of personal evolution is central to FINCA. Looking ahead, how do you see your work evolving even further? L: I just want to keep creating more refined pieces: things my clients can wear and love for years. I want to be the kind of designer who you just know you can get a sick jacket or a cool pair of boots from, and they’ll last forever.