For creative director Kei Ninomiya , fashion seems to be less about everyday clothes and more about creating experimental art that gets people thinking. In fact, back at his AW25 show , the Japanese designer assured guests that it was okay if the collection was “hard to understand”, as long as it sparked some ideas.
This season was no different. As modern technology makes its way into the fashion industry (see the SS27 robo-dogs for proof), the collection seemed to urge guests to unplug and touch grass, showcasing intricate sculptures crafted from flowers, butterflies and playing cards.
Kicking off the show, strings of glowing, pearled raindrops transformed everyday suiting and embellished leather jackets into subversive, swinging dresses and skirts. Later, flowers were imagined into a series of different textures and shapes: meshed together on dresses like colourful lace, puffed out to add volume to full-length gowns and tops, wrapped around the body like ropes, or cut into leather harnesses.
Backstage, Ninomiya offered a very brief explanation of the floral brigade: “armor of peace.”
Elsewhere, playing cards were shaped into structured, 18th century-style skirts and mini-dresses that flared out at the hips, and shortly after, 3D prints of hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades were turned into garments of their own. As with every Noir Kei Ninomiya show, cutting-edge beauty dominated the runway.
Sadly, we didn’t see a return of last season’s puffed-up rodent hair and basket weaves . Instead, each model sported long, coiled-up ringlets in pink, platinum blonde, black, and red that stretched and bounced as they walked the runway.
Complementing the hair looks were tall, antler or tree branch-like headpieces that looked like they could have been gathered up from the forest floor. Instead of lipstick, orchids, roses and lipstick, orchids, roses, and hydrangeas were tucked inside models’ teeth as if to say: don’t just smell the roses, taste them.
Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.
Olivia Colman, Emma Corrin, Noah Jupe and even Billy Elliot – it was an all-star cast on Miu Miu’s latest runway, modelling a collection that proved bookworms can be sporty too