Desirability and ecological responsibility are frequently discussed as opposing forces in fashion, but that’s never stopped Stella McCartney from exploring the most viable ways to combine both. Twenty-five years after launching her eponymous house, the designer returned to Paris with a Spring/Summer 2027 collection that placed that philosophy beneath the surface — quite literally — by turning the runway into a love letter to marine life.
Staged in the rain-soaked gardens of the British Ambassador’s Residence, the show explored an underwater world through colour, movement and creatures, while continuing McCartney’s long-standing use of lower-impact and animal-friendly materials.
The presentation opened with a broadcasted prologue from naturalist Sir David Attenborough, as attendees were handed copies of ‘The Stella Times’ newspaper, an activist print piece detailing the urgent environmental impact of commercial fishing. McCartney borrowed a quote from the third-century philosopher Porphyry to emphasise its importance, stating that “To compare animals to us in order to justify our aggression is absurd; for the wolf kills out of absolute necessity, while we kill for luxury and call it justice.”
McCartney’s instinct for colour came through in sea-inspired shades — seafoam, sage green and warm coral — punctuated by bright aqua blues and flashes of blush pink set against stretches of chocolate brown, cream and deep black. The marine life motifs were everywhere: orcas appeared across knitwear and bags, vintage-style airbrushed dolphins populated casual jersey T-shirts and dresses.
Intricate tops were woven to look like ribbed marine coral, while a striking starfish design adorned second-skin bodysuits and matching hand-shaped clutch bags.
The silhouettes remained characteristically light, with fluid dresses, lean tailoring and sportswear creating plenty of air around the body. Knitwear pieces used transparent fishing line to create oyster-inspired shapes, allowing the fabric to twist into frilly lettuce hems and wavy textures that rippled across the models as they walked.
Classic tailoring revived archival silhouettes through dropped lapels and softly structured jackets, contrasted against sporty jersey elements, minimal bralettes and signature side cut-outs. The lower half of the body received plenty of volume through oversized silhouettes, tracking relaxed, wide-legged trousers and low-rise denim cut from entirely recycled yarn.
On the runway, models carried transparent variations of the iconic Falabella bag incorporating recycled PET bottles and plastic waste, alongside a new mini Appaloosa shoulder silhouette and the heart-shaped Ryder handbag. Footwear stories continued the transparent theme via mesh stilettos and casual loafers, accented by technical trainers from the adidas by Stella McCartney collaboration.
Discover the Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2027 collection here .
photography. courtesy of Stella McCartney words. Gennaro Costanzo
Victor Kunda for adidas & Mercedes-Benz.
The adidas Samba has been to football terraces, fashion weeks and just about every street corner in between — but it still has a few unexpected moves left. Now, in partnership with Mercedes-Benz , the iconic three-stripe silhouette is taking a distinctly automotive turn. The two German giants have announced the launch of the limited-edition ‘adidas Samba OG x Mercedes-Benz’, arriving as part of the automotive marque’s ‘140 Years of Innovation’ anniversary celebrations.
Marking the opening chapter of a long-term strategic partnership between the two companies, the collaborative trainer launch serves as the foundation for a series of future projects and collections to come. “What unites us is a shared passion for iconic design, innovation and creating experiences that people truly connect with,” says Christina Schenck, Vice President Digital & Communications and Investor Relations at Mercedes-Benz AG.
Design-wise, the shoes borrow directly from one of the automotive brand’s most recognisable interiors. The sneaker’s leather upper is finished with a quilted diamond-stitch pattern inspired by the seating of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, bringing a distinctly automotive detail to the low-profile football classic. The three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star is emblazoned across the tongue, while the shoe arrives in three monochromatic colourways: Magic Beige, Grey Five and Black.
Mariona Roma & Niklas Rueth for adidas & Mercedes-Benz.
The accompanying campaign features an internet-savvy cast including internet style icons Aki & Koichi , British fashion content creator Victor Kunda and digital style duo Mariona Rom a & Niklas Rueth .
The launch also coincides with the latest leg of Mercedes-Benz’s ongoing ‘140 Years. 140 Places.’ journey, in which three custom S-Class saloons — nicknamed ‘Bertha’, ‘Carl’ and ‘Gottlieb’ — are travelling almost 65,000 kilometres across six continents. The cars are scheduled to arrive at adidas’ global headquarters in Herzogenaurach right on time for the release, before beginning the final stretch back to Stuttgart.
For Michael Batz, Motorsport Category GM at adidas, the collaboration brings together two brands with equally established visual identities. “It is a great privilege to collaborate with such an enduring and renowned brand as Mercedes-Benz,” he says. “Together, we have reimagined the adidas Samba with iconic design details that bring together two centres of excellence, both known for pushing boundaries while staying true to what makes them distinctive.”
Mariona Roma for adidas & Mercedes-Benz.
Aki & Koichi for adidas & Mercedes-Benz.
The adidas Samba OG x Mercedes-Benz will be available to order online and in selected adidas stores from 13 October. Find out more here .
photography. courtesy of adidas & Mercedes-Benz words. Gennaro Costanzo
Deep in the archives of New Haven, Connecticut, Gant has dedicated years to curating some of American sportswear’s most memorable tailoring since opening its doors in 1949. This October, the brand opens its vaults to resurrect four standout shirts in a limited drop dubbed ‘ The Replica Collection ’.
Reserved exclusively for Gant Club members, the capsule takes an affectionate trip down memory lane, pulling original vintage silhouettes straight from the vault and tailoring them for a modern wardrobe meant to be shared across genders.
The throwback journey begins in the swinging sixties with two distinct interpretations of mid-century style. First up, the 60s Oxford Replica revisits a button-down silhouette originally spun from polyester during the era, cleverly re-engineering it in premium cotton for a relaxed, clean finish. Accompanying it is the 60s Checked Shirt Replica, a faithful homage to the brand’s skill for getting colour combinations and geometric patterns spot-on, also referencing the East Coast Ivy League heritage.
Fast-forwarding to the eighties, the remaining duo captures the laid-back, outdoorsy sentiment of late 20th-century dressing. The 80s Twill Shirt Replica draws inspiration from an archived cotton twill piece, carrying a relaxed charm and an authentic, lived-in character. Alongside it sits the 80s Flannel Replica, crafted from lightweight flannel that carries all the soft appeal of a beloved vintage market find while remaining light enough for layering through autumn.
Gaining entry to this archival revival requires a quick pass through the brand’s loyalty ranks. The Replica Collection is now available strictly for Gant Club members in limited quantities. Discover more here .
photography. courtesy of Gant words. Gennaro Costanzo
Identity is what ultimately defines a brand and its essence — and Pierpaolo Piccioli knows exactly what that means after his years at Valentino, where colour, couture and an unabashed sense of romance became inseparable from his vision. After only a year at the helm of Balenciaga , the Creative Director has been carefully investigating where his vision sits: closer to Cristóbal’s sculptural couture legacy, or the commercially potent language of Demna’s streetwear era.
His answer came in the form of a collection that refuses to pick a side, instead pulling the two histories into Piccioli’s own vocabulary through extraordinary volumes, expressive colour and couture techniques applied to everyday clothes.
‘Les Coraux de la Liberté’ by French textile artist Aude Franjou stood in the middle of the runway, echoing that idea in three dimensions. The wrapped-linen sculpture, inspired by marine coral, was chosen as an image of both natural and human ecosystems, mirroring the ways in which organic structures can inform modern pattern cutting.
Spring/Summer 2027 was full of animation and free shapes. Airy fabrics floated around oversized silhouettes, enormous trousers gave the lower half of the body a new scale and dresses seemed almost to inflate as they walked, recalling Cristóbal’s sense of volume.
Piccioli’s instinct for colour came through in saturated purples, electric blues, vivid oranges and accents of magentas set against stretches of white, beige and black. Colour-blocking — one of the signatures most closely associated with his Valentino years — returned with plenty of confidence.
The cleverest clothes were those where the couture methodology was almost hidden in plain sight. A humble white shirt emerged with a sculpted peplum created through rows of stitching; denim was cut on the bias; T-shirts acquired sculptural proportions. Piccioli has described the aim as bringing couture into the daily wardrobe, taking the techniques traditionally reserved for exceptional clothes and applying them to garments as familiar as jeans and shirts.
There was also a lot for the eye to linger over. Structured decorations gathered around the hems of dresses or expanded into oversized collars, while laser-cut surfaces and Calais lace opened sections of the body without making the clothes feel overly ornamental. Some of the most striking silhouettes were almost entirely about what happened at their edges: petals, architectural flounces and extended fabric trails changed the outline of a garment as it moved.
Accessories added another layer of attitude: thick Bow Mask sunglasses gave the faces a slightly futuristic severity, substantial boots anchored the more inflated proportions, and long cummerbund-like extensions wrapped around waists before falling down the legs. Even the bags — supple Nodo and Silhou styles — were treated as objects shaped by hand, while softer footwear marked a noticeable departure from the chunkier shoes associated with the house in recent years.
The finale belonged to Anok Yai , who closed the show in a hugely voluminous, ultra-sheer pink dress that bounced and floated around her as she walked, transforming the final look into a study in fabric, air and movement.
For Piccioli, couture is “a laboratory of possibilities”, and this season those possibilities were allowed to stretch considerably.
Discover the Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2027 collection here .
photography. courtesy of Balenciaga words. Gennaro Costanzo