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.

THE INDUSTRY IS RIDDLED WITH VARIETY AND DIFFERENT AESTHETICS, BUT ACCEPTANCE STILL HAS A WAY TO GO. ENTER ELTON "HANKO" ILIRJANI, A STAR REDEFINING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE YOURSELF IN AN EVER-EVOLVING SOCIETY. GIUSEPPE IACIOFANO WRITES ABOUT A CLOSE FRIEND FOR ASTHETIK MAGAZINE. ELTON ILIRJANI AND FASHION’S ROLE IN DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE THE INDUSTRY IS RIDDLED WITH VARIETY AND DIFFERENT AESTHETICS, BUT ACCEPTANCE STILL HAS A WAY TO GO. ENTER ELTON "HANKO" ILIRJANI, A STAR REDEFINING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE YOURSELF IN AN EVER-EVOLVING SOCIETY. GIUSEPPE IACIOFANO WRITES ABOUT A CLOSE FRIEND FOR ASTHETIK MAGAZINE. Written by Giuseppe Iaciofano Composed by Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard In an industry known for its glamour, exclusivity, and impossible beauty standards, Elton Ilirjani—better known as “Hanko”—is quietly reshaping what fashion can stand for. People often notice his strong presence and sharp creative instinct first. But those who’ve worked closely with him say his real impact goes far beyond the runway. Over time, Hanko has become a genuine supporter of emerging designers, using his platform to give them visibility at moments when it matters most. And the name “Hanko” itself carries a deeper meaning. Recently, Elton shared that it’s actually his mother’s name, something he carries with immense pride. “It reminds me of where I come from,” he said. “Strength, dignity, resilience.” For him, his nickname is a constant grounding force. Breaking into fashion isn’t easy, especially without the right connections. Hanko understands that, which is why he’s made it part of his work with Poet-Lab to spotlight new designers. When he backs someone, it makes a difference. A single post from him can bring thousands of new followers, industry attention, and sometimes even press coverage. But those close to him say it’s not about chasing hype. He looks for designers with something real to say, people with a clear identity and a commitment to inclusivity. “He doesn’t just post and disappear,” one collaborator said. “He actually gets involved. He mentors, gives advice, and connects people.” Despite being surrounded by fashion’s elite, Hanko has never believed that beauty alone is enough. He’s consistently used his voice to speak about human rights, equality, and representation. “Fashion is a language,” he said. “It can exclude, but it can also empower. I choose empowerment.” And it is t hat mindset that shows throughout his extensive work. He pushes for broader representation—across race, body types, and gender identity— and challenges the narrow standards the industry has held onto for too long. In this world, where social media often rewards quick trends and viral moments, Hanko takes a different approach, using his platform with a solid purpose: to make a difference and make it stay. The designers he supports don’t just get a short spike in attention; many go on to build lasting momentum. “He didn’t just help my brand,” one young designer said. “He believed in me as a person.” And it's with this sentiment that Ilirjani fell upon PoetLab, Iaciofano's staple London Fashion Week brand that grows with each season that it presents. Modelling for the last two collections, and supporting the work the Italian designer does on his Instagram account, which boasts close to 12M followers. What really sets him apart is how personal everything feels. Carrying his mother’s name isn’t branding — it’s a tribute. In an industry that can sometimes feel superficial, that connection to family and identity adds something real. Hanko is building a legacy rooted in purpose, rather than just a global image. And at a time when headlines are often dominated by unnecessary topics, he’s proving that influence can be used for something more meaningful and lasting.

YAKU STAPLETON NEGOTIATES WITH REALITY THROUGH COMBAT IN HIS FOURTH INSTALLMENT AT LONDON FASHION WEEK. ZA SENOI SHARES HER THOUGHTS.  YAKU AW26: READY, PLAYER, FIGHT YAKU STAPLETON NEGOTIATES WITH REALITY THROUGH COMBAT IN HIS FOURTH INSTALLMENT AT LONDON FASHION WEEK. ZA SENOI SHARES HER THOUGHTS. Written by Za Senoi Edited by Gabriel Mealor-Pritchard Photography by Christian Tuckwell Smith “We’re trying to make art that responds to the world rather than simply offering hope, because hope alone doesn't drive change”, read the show notes of Yaku Stapleton's AW26 presentation, Evolution of Combat. This collection acts as an effort to bridge the gap between reality and the role-playing game-inspired narrative that Stapleton has been building since his MA at Central Saint Martins in 2023. Previous iterations of this world have echoed the video game-adjacent sentiment of escape – of offering refuge from the real world through an adventure in a distant land. However, for AW26, the team “realised that limitlessness cannot sensibly produce only positive outcomes.” Each YAKU collection is based around members of the Family, characters created largely based on Stapleton's own relatives. “The story this season focuses on two brothers, the protectors and warriors of the Family. Our research looked into combat; the beauty and discipline that comes with it, but also exploring what happens when the motives behind it change,” Stapleton told Asthetik amid the aftermath of his presentation. The team takes a layered approach to portraying combat, a central aspect for RPGs and, really, video games at large. The show is divided into a four-act structure, following the narrative of warrior Télavani – the inhabitants of the YAKU universe – navigating the challenges of their universe. Though Stapleton has been known to world-build in previous seasons, this collection kicked things up a notch. The universe constructed in the basement of 180 Strand enveloped attendees in a sensorially immersive experience. In the dimly lit hall, stalagmites emerge from the floors urging guests to stay on high alert and watch their step. Around the runway path, Télavani characters frozen in motion: some resting in battle formation, others scaling pillars or sword fighting while hanging from the ceiling. Ominous music floods the space as a faceless, flowing figure draped in black cotton fabric strips walks through, beckoning a disembodied narration that booms through the space. This characteristic directly references RPGs – the game will always guide its player through opportunities and storylines. The narrator then sits back, among the audience, allowing for the first characters to descend upon the runway. The first act's pieces are free-flowing. Ultra-wide trousers and loose t-shirts allow for movement, while airbrushed muscles and 3-D printed Hulk-like gloves signal confrontation. The performers (as they cannot be described uniquely as models) dance as if the Télavani are training for a battle. Stapleton drew heavily on movement inspiration from Caribbean martial arts and the intersection of fight and play. This act's oversized clothes lend themselves to the eagerness in each motion, while simultaneously acting as armour for cartwheeling soldiers. The music quiets, the narrator stands, and Act Two begins. The score becomes more upbeat and whimsical, as do the dancer's movements. Each now carries a weight on their back – whether a recognisably ready-to-wear backpack or a protruding mound concealed by a moss-green cape. In this section, Stapleton also introduces the brand's upcoming collaboration with Nike. The look in question, a full tracksuit in classic grey jersey, brings the collection's visual language starkly back into the real world. “Previously, we worked to balance reality and fantasy within each garment, aiming to hit somewhere in the middle. This season, we experimented with separating them,” the show notes acknowledge. Though it is encouraging to see an industry titan like Nike collaborating with the new generation of designers, this look stood out in its simplicity. In contrast with the dramatic, gathered silhouettes that precede it, the ensemble would benefit from ludic styling elements that incorporate it more seamlessly into the rest of the collection.

EDWARDIAN FINESSE, STREETWISE ENERGY AND FAMILY MEMORIES COME TOGETHER IN DENZILPATRICK’S LATEST COLLECTION, AN IMAGINATIVE COLLAGE OF LONDON MENSWEAR AT ITS FINEST. HARRY NICHOLSON TELLS US WHAT WENT DOWN AT THE BRAND'S AW26 LONDON FASHION WEEK PRESENTATION. Images Courtesy of DenzilPatrick LONDON BELONGS TO DENZILPATRICK EDWARDIAN FINESSE, STREETWISE ENERGY AND FAMILY MEMORIES COME TOGETHER IN DENZILPATRICK’S LATEST COLLECTION, AN IMAGINATIVE COLLAGE OF LONDON MENSWEAR AT ITS FINEST. HARRY NICHOLSON TELLS US WHAT WENT DOWN AT THE BRAND'S AW26 LONDON FASHION WEEK PRESENTATION. Written by Harry Nicholson In the midst of an ever-bustling London Fashion Week, Denzilpatrick quietly marks five years of business with a stand-out, yet poignant Autumn/Winter collection. Daniel Gayle and James Bosley bring it all back home, with a lineup of looks imbued with family memories and the swagger of the city that shaped them. The menswear brand is named after Gayle’s Jamaican and Irish grandfathers, Denzil, a saxophonist, and Patrick, a Navy seaman, two men whose polarising personalities were as bold as their style. Gayle and Bosley have imagined how the pair might dress if they were arriving fresh to London today. The result, ‘London Belongs To Me’, reads as a fusion of bold heritage and modern confidence, as if Bridgerton were to find itself set in Peckham, circa 2026. “It's just obviously how decadent and how special dressing was at that time for everyone across all kinds of lifestyles and people,” Gayle told me. “I think dressing had much more rigour to it and it was of much more importance within society.” That sentiment convincingly informs every look, signalling intention and cultural pride. Tailoring, unsurprisingly, remains Denzilpatrick’s strongest suit as an anchor of the collection. Double-breasted suits are cut with strong shoulders, reworked with safari-style frontal pockets and military buttons that nod to Patrick’s military past. Yet Denzil’s soul is just as present, most vividly in Gayle’s favourite look - a sharp suit rendered in gleaming scarlet Japanese crepe satin. Elsewhere, dandy historical references meet designs seen today. Nylon tailcoats - first seen in AW24 - become the new parka, while detachable bib-fronted shirts featuring elongated cuffs and epaulettes position shirts as a rare statement piece. Edwardian codes, it turns out, emerge as the most inventive element of the collection, offering rich styling choices and structural details that avoid drifting into costume. Each look is complemented with a mix of period knee-high boots and an assortment of PUMA Suedes, a welcome pop of colour that injects a dose of street-level pragmatism into the otherwise dressed proceedings. It’s an unlikely pairing, but the collaboration is a perfect match, articulating the cultural collision London does best. Knitwear, another staple of Denzilpatrick, is a practical counterpoint to the sharp, tailored silhouettes. Showing me a chunky, ribbed Aran sweater, Gayle notes the homage to Patrick: “It's a very much a seafarers-inspired type of knit with chunky half cardigan stitch. They’re reminiscent of those men at sea from another time.” The knitwear forms a foundation for modular styling, layered under tailoring or topped with the detachable bib panels, allowing for an easy shift between formal and relaxed effortlessly. Print plays an interesting part in bridging the eras. Paisleys and tapestry florals have been lifted from lived-in rugs and curtains, then spray-treated onto joggers and shirts. Its a clever bit of translation by using streetwear techniques: recasting historic motifs into the contemporary. The layering of pieces is busy, yet not excessive. A tone-on-tone palette reins in the varied textures, allowing decorative touches - feathers sprouting from the edges of tailcoats or brooches reminiscent of miniature chandeliers - to serve as decadent flourishes. Interrupting what would usually be expected from a winter collection, regency breeches are recast as shorts, coordinating with the proportions of the strong shoulders. Gayle justifies the logic with a relatable personal preference, if nothing else: “Both James and I will try and wear shorts for as long as we possibly can, up until late October when it's just too cold. I mean, shorts can work all year round somewhere, you know?” On this milestone, Denzilpatrick feels more and more assured. The presentation delivers wearable, confident pieces that appeal to streetwear enthusiasts while simultaneously demonstrating a fresh approach. In a menswear landscape dominated by safe, gaudy casualness, Gayle and Bosley are doing something far more interesting: folding their own and London’s layered histories into wearable and confident pieces. If this is the blueprint the pair are drafting for new menswear, London rightfully belongs to Denzilpatrick.

NAOMI HART LONDON TALKS GEODE-INFUSED SPACE-AGE FUTURISM RIGHT AFTER HER LONDON FASHION WEEK DEBUT. A BEAUTIFUL DEPRESSION: TIFARET TELLS US A STORY GABRIEL MEALOR-PRITCHARD INTERVIEWS TIFARET DESIGNER, CHIYUE, AND FINDS OUT MORE ABOUT HER LONDON FASHION WEEK SHOW IN COLLABORATION WITH FASHION SCOUT. 1/6 IMAGES COURTESY OF CHRIS YATES - @ITSCHRISYATES Protein Studios in Shoreditch housed the collaboration between Fashion Scout and fashion brand Tifaret for their London Fashion Week debut. The studio was filled with photographers, and the attendees waited with anticipation. The lights dimmed, the show began. "When I was driving from my home to my studio, I always see this kind of gloomy sky with big pipes and all the flames are burning, it's like my environment made me have this dream for this show. And now I feel like this dream came true." The creative director of Tifaret, Chiyue, told me in an interview right off the back of her LFW runway, held in conjunction with Fashion Scout. Talking about her garments and their cuts, Chiyue tells me, "I prefer to combine the east with the west. Lots of my clothes have draping and have a very precise proportion, but on the other hand, I prefer to have some Chinese or Asian elements. Flatter pattern making, like my skirt, totally flat... So, when the girls move, lifting their hands, the clothes they are wearing have more of a flow." This 'flow' she speaks of came to the garments effortlessly, as the models walked back and forth. They looked soft and light, truly encapsulating the quintessential essence of the Asian culture, which Chiyue always finds a way to connect her designs to with each collection. The collection presented a mix of tweed and cotton that garnered attention from the audience in their own right. Muted colours dominated the showcase, with splashes of blue and orange adding contrast to the palette. I asked what it meant to her to collaborate with Fashion Scout, an esteemed partner within the industry. Chiyue responded, "Oh, it's very sophisticated, they have supported me for many years and they have discovered a lot of other brilliant designers, and I'm happy that I'm a member!" All we know is that the show was a HIT. The clothes told the story they were destined to, highlighting the beautiful depression Chiyue intended for them to present. The dark, soulless factory backdrops she saw as she was on her way to something she loves so dearly, the beauty of creativity. This contrast brought the clothes to life. Premium Upgrade Required Please upgrade to Premium plan to remove the watermark and access Spotify widget settings

THE YOUNG DESIGNER CHOOSES TO ARCHIVE HER LATEST COLLECTION OF 3D-CRAFTED DESIGNS AFTER THEY ARE WORN ONLY ONCE, SEALING THEM AWAY, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. MARY WENTHUR TELLS ALL. KARINA BOND AUTUMN/WINTER 2026: CONCEALED CREATIONS THE YOUNG DESIGNER CHOOSES TO ARCHIVE HER LATEST COLLECTION OF 3D-CRAFTED DESIGNS AFTER THEY ARE WORN ONLY ONCE, SEALING THEM AWAY, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. MARY WENTHUR TELLS ALL. Written by Mary Wenthur Images Courtesy of Karina Bond London In an industry built on exposure and turnovers, Karina Bond is choosing to conceal her latest collection. ‘Vivarium,’ Bond’s AW26 line, comprises eight looks, and each is to be worn by only one person in the world. The garments will never be sold or replicated and will be carefully archived after their moment in the spotlight. This past week, the designer unveiled these creations at Chateau Denmark’s Thirteen, a cocktail bar and event space. Guests were confined to a gothic bedroom, home to the eight avant-garde designs that seemed to come alive in the dim light. Recreating her own vivarium, Bond said, “You're one with the creatures for a split moment, and then they kind of disappear. You might get to see a maximum of eight people ever wear these out.” Bond already has a list of people chosen to wear each look, though the identities remain a secret within the whimsical world her designs create. In her narrative, the clothing chooses a “host,” and “to wear one was to enter a contract,” she described. “You would be the first and the last.” She uses a 3D printing pen, taking over 100 hours to hand-draw each design.“I feel like a lot of the time I'm literally putting bits of my soul into my work,” Bond said. It is a zero-waste substance made from a rubber-polymer mixture that allows the models to bend and twist into new poses, with a second-skin-like texture that breathes as muscles flex. Sculpted directly onto the body, the eight designs feature woven dresses interconnected with ribbon, tulle and hand-painted feathers. Elements of nature appear distorted through Bond’s extraterrestrial lens: a high-neck collar is intricately drawn in a dimensional pattern, like coral growing from a reef. Corsets in liquorice-braided plastic intertwine in warped formations, bending the boundaries of reality. As Bond puts it, the effect is “something that we see in AI fashion, but this is real.” As an avid film and video game lover, I draw inspiration from stories like The Last of Us, a post-apocalyptic video game set in a world overrun by parasitic fungi. Where mushroom-like layers grow from bodies much like Bond’s 3D printing tactics. Each model resembles their own character. She places small 3D-printed red horns between webs of clear, pen-drawn lines that scale down the bodices of one dress, completely moulded to movement. “I make kind of artwork for the body, and not just clothes to put on a person,” said Bond. The delicate art made Bond question the merchant side of the industry, expressing her feelings towards the system of rapid output, “A lot of the time pieces get loaned out to stylists and transported everywhere, and they end up becoming disposable,” she said. This new collection also celebrates the launch of Bond’s bioplastic 3D-printed mini bags. As part of Bond’s storyline, these mini bags resemble small horned creatures and are offered in an array of colours, including baby pink, pearl, cobalt blue, black, and blood red. The three different spiky designs: stone, petal and stella, bring an element of her vivarium to the outside world. These priceless designs will later be kept safe by Bond herself, concealed from the outside world as time goes by. This is a completely new concept for her brand, but Bond is currently creating her ready-to-wear for next season. Always focused on creating “something you don’t see in everyday life,” she adds, “that’s what I like to prove.”

READ THE LATEST STORIES FROM ASTHETIK MAGAZINE HERE STEM AW26: THE ELASTIC LOGIC OF WOOL STEM, AN EMERGING FASHION LABEL BASED IN DENMARK’S CAPITAL, UNVEILED ITS FIFTH COLLECTION THROUGH AN INTIMATE PRESENTATION CENTRED AROUND A COMMUNAL FELTING TABLE. ATTENDEES WERE INVITED TO WORK WOOL BY HAND AS THE COLLECTION MOVED THROUGH THE SPACE, AND WE’RE SPREADING THE WORD. REFERENCE EXHAUSTION: JONATHAN ANDERSON'S DIOR AW26 SEQUINS, FURS, NEON MULLETS AND EVERYTHING NICE; CURIOUSLY SELECTED INGREDIENTS IN A VAGUELY-FOLLOWED RECIPE FOR JONATHAN ANDERSON'S DIOR AUTUMN/WINTER 26 MENSWEAR. ISABELLA SENOI SHARES HER VIEWS. 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. APPEARING WELL-READ THROUGH MARKERS OF FASHION UMA KARUPPIAH EXAMINES FASHION’S ENDURING FIXATION ON LITERATURE. FROM TOTE BAGS TO LUXURY RUNWAYS, BOOKS HAVE UNEQUIVOCALLY BECOME SIGNALS OF TASTE, PRETENSION. HYÈRES 40: 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?

 UNVEILED AT LONDON FASHION WEEK AW26, THE PERUVIAN DESIGNER TURNS FRAGILITY INTO POWER; FUSING REBELLION AND SUSTAINABILITY TO CREATE A COLLECTION THAT REFUSES TO WAIT FOR PERMISSION. MAYA KALE SPEAKS TO THE DESIGNER. GENARO RIVAS ON BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING UNVEILED AT LONDON FASHION WEEK AW26, THE PERUVIAN DESIGNER TURNS FRAGILITY INTO POWER; FUSING REBELLION AND SUSTAINABILITY TO CREATE A COLLECTION THAT REFUSES TO WAIT FOR PERMISSION. MAYA KALE SPEAKS TO THE DESIGNER. Written by Maya Kale Images Courtesy of Kvishal Official Genaro Rivas’ AW26 collection, A Glass to Break, is unapologetically daring. Emerging designers today have no option but to grasp onto the finest of threads in order to climb up the ladder of success, and Rivas struck the balance between the turbulence and beauty of this world. Held in a compact studio in Knightsbridge, Rivas made sure to immediately set the tone for his collection. By using narrow beam lights and alternative metal music from bands such as ‘Deftones,’ it screamed ‘rebellion’ even before the show started. “This collection comes from the heart and from the feelings of breaking into the industry”, says Rivas, and this is shown through his bold and strong silhouettes. Each garment held the weight of his message - denim with a shattered glass print, a mesh-lined dress with sharp, uneven glass-like cutouts that merge with soft toile towards the end - all showcase the beauty in breaking. Bold smoky eyes, and sharp makeup looks enhanced the cohesion of his looks as well. Rivas balanced body-contouring silhouettes with voluminous, fluid forms, evoking a mood that was simultaneously loud and defiantly free. The collection narrates itself like a story, where Rivas addresses concepts such as fragility in a positive way - a notion that is usually suppressed and pushed down. Through soft, delicate materials like bright yellow and red bio-fur, contrasted with dresses fastened by exposed zippers and sewing pins, Rivas leans into the aesthetic of the unfinished. The pins reflect pain and fragility, while the soft fur and use of yellow reflect hope and resilience. This is the first time Rivas has used accessories in his collection. Renowned artists such as Roberta Cucuza crafted the eye-catching headgears that mimicked halos with the reflective red translucent materials, reiterating the power lingering in the attire. “Sustainability in fashion is how I live my life,” says Rivas. He aims to create designs that have stories attached to them – “when you know what materials are used, where they come from, it becomes a fully rounded product, and that’s what I aim to focus on.” ‘ A Glass to Break’ has consciously used materials that not only link back to Rivas’ roots - the bio-fur from Peruvian alpacas, for example - but also ones that reveal new layers to sustainable fashion- biodegradable headpieces, bags made from plastic bottle sippers, raw materials sourced from the ocean - all contribute to creating an elevated fashion world that is not only impactful, but mindful. Another key accessory used was a handcuff that mimicked glass shards - one that does not fully close - a metaphor for the strong grasp this invisible glass ceiling holds over emerging creatives, but the unclosed cuff gives room to shatter it - and that is exactly what Rivas is doing, one collection at a time. “I aimed to create a collection that’s not just beautiful, but raw”, says Rivas. This rawness is presented vividly in his work. It is claimed that this is his most daring collection to date, and it is unsurprisingly so. He has transformed struggle into a celebration that yells: I am proud of who I am, what I do, and I will make my mark, breaking the sound barriers of this said glass ceiling. The alternate name for this collection is ‘Fractured Glass’ - transparently highlighting the impact of such a hyper-competitive industry on designers and creatives - fractured, tainted, breaking - but uses emotions and past experiences to transform struggle into a catalyst for reinvention. It celebrates growth and beautifully presents Rivas’ emotions through each material, accessory, and garment. Designers like Rivas are slowly paving the way for a reinvented fashion sphere, one that is strong in its intrinsic values and successfully creating breathtaking designs while committing to conscious environmental practices. “Peru is where I come from. It is my base that London now shapes”, says Rivas, not forgetting to appreciate and acknowledge the plethora of opportunities in a city saturated in style. Ultimately, ‘A Glass to Break’ is not just about rebellion - It’s about reframing the entire narrative into a system that prefers passion over composure, being raw and loud over being pristine. He transparently reveals the tension of the fashion landscape while proving that the barriers can be pushed through. The collection is a declaration of his presence in this landscape, and is fuelled by intention, thought, and being transformative. Navigating between his Peruvian roots and the relentless pace of London, Rivas is creating a global dialogue that paves the way for new designers. It is a way for him to express that he is not waiting for space to be made for him - he will carve his way out, and shatter any obstacles on his own terms.