Paris Haute Couture: Forged by Fire, Shaped by Sea, Yuima Nakazato Reimagines Fashion's Future

In Paris, Japanese couturier Yuima Nakazato celebrated his tenth anniversary showing on the Paris haute couture calendar with an evocative collection titled Inferno. Photographs and cover picture by Andrea Heinsohn for DAM

Yuima Nakazato challenges the conventions of haute couture by placing innovation and environmental consciousness at the heart of his work. Celebrating ten years on the official Paris Haute Couture Week calendar, the Japanese designer returned with a collection exploring the dialogue between ancient tradition and future technology. Inspired by the volcanic landscapes and immense oceans of the Canary Islands, he ruminates on transformation, resilience and the fragile balance between humanity and the natural world. Story by Jeanne-Marie Cilento. Photography by Andrea Heinsohn

The glimmering 'Inferno' hues of Yuima Nakazato's

show in the cavernous Salle Noire in Paris.

ON a scorching Paris summer morning, the journey into Yuima Nakazato’s Autumn/Winter 2026 Haute Couture presentation began with a physical and symbolic descent. 

Leaving behind the intense heat and bright summer light above the streets of the French capital, DAM entered the darkness of the Salle Noire at the Maison des Métallos, a dramatic transition that felt like stepping into the 'inferno' at the heart of the collection.

The underground black-box space, with its raw and immersive atmosphere, has long been associated with designers seeking a more experimental relationship between fashion, architecture and performance. Its intimate darkness has provided the setting for memorable Paris presentations, including those of Junya Watanabe, whose conceptual approach has often embraced the contrast between industrial surroundings and meticulous craftsmanship.

Within this dimly-lit, shadowed environment, Yuima Nakazato unveiled Sea of Fire Inferno, a collection marking the decade since the Japanese designer first joined the official Paris Haute Couture Week, seasons spent challenging the boundaries between couture, contemporary art, technology and sustainability.

Yuima Nakazato shows how couture is a living art form, capable of responding to environmental challenges, technological change and humanity’s relationship with the natural world

Sculptural neck and head pieces are a 

signature of the designer's hand work.

DAM has covered Nakazato’s journey throughout this remarkable ten years, documenting the evolution of a designer who has consistently expanded the language of couture. 

Since his debut as an official guest designer in 2016, he has remained the only Japanese Maison presenting on the official Haute Couture Week calendar, creating a body of work that exists between fashion, sculpture, theatre and scientific innovation.

The origins of the latest collection began far from Paris, on the volcanic landscapes of the Canary Islands. Facing the Atlantic Ocean from cliffs of black lava rock, Nakazato encountered a landscape shaped by opposing forces, ancient eruptions beneath the sea, immense waves crashing against the coastline, and a constant dialogue between creation and destruction.

“Fire brings light and warmth, broadening the possibilities of life, yet also burns whole lands, possessing the power to decimate life itself,” Nakazato explains. “Water, the source of life, a precious resource in danger of reaching its limits, also brings uncontrollable disasters, growing ever more intense in the modern age.”

“Fire and water are fundamentally opposed, yet they transform beneath the light of the sun and the moon, I came to see them as two inseparable, complementary forces within a single whole”

The dialogue between destruction

and creation underpinned the ideas

behind the designer's collection.

For the designer, these forces were not simply symbols of conflict. They represented a deeper relationship between opposing energies, a duality that became the foundation of the collection. “Fire and water are fundamentally opposed,” Nakazato reflects. 

“Yet, just as they seem to transform beneath the light of the sun and the moon, I came to see them as two inseparable, complementary forces within a single whole.”

That philosophy shaped every element of the new designs. Rather than presenting nature as a visual reference alone, Nakazato translated its contradictions into garments that explored transformation, movement and the shifting boundaries between strength and vulnerability.

Central to the collection was monogi, the traditional costume-changing technique used in Noh and Kyogen theatre. Unlike a conventional costume change hidden from the audience, monogi makes transformation visible, turning the act of change itself into part of the performance. It can represent the passage of time, a change in identity or the emergence of another state of being. Nakazato used this process during the show, dressing models and adding accessories hanging on the stage. 

Central to the collection is monogi, the traditional costume-changing technique used in Noh and Kyogen theatre. 

Yuima Nakazato using the monogi technique.

showing the transformation of the garments.

The couturier adopted this centuries-old theatrical principle as a foundation for the collection. Five performers wore garments based on the construction principles of the kimono, allowing the pieces to transform visibly before the audience. 

The movement from deep blue to intense red became a physical expression of the transition between water and fire, between calm and chaos, preservation and destruction.

The influence of the kimono was fundamental to Nakazato’s approach. Rather than simply referencing traditional Japanese dress aesthetically, he explored its underlying philosophy of adaptability and storytelling. “The Japanese kimono is constructed entirely from rectangles, yet it can assume countless forms depending on how it is worn,” he explains. “Its patterns also carry meaning, stories, and prayers.”

This understanding of clothing as a vessel for memory and narrative has remained central to Nakazato’s practice. This season, garments became more than exceptional examples of craftsmanship; they became expressions of history, cultural symbolism and human transformation.

Discarded garments are transformed into new materials, fasteners created from upcycled clothing make sustainability integral to every component 

Nakazato's handmade ceramic "armour' (above)

is a motif he has explored in his recent work.

The designer’s continues his 'fragile armour' series, further exploring the relationship between protection and vulnerability. Typically, armour represents defence and conflict, yet Nakazato questions whether true strength must always appear rigid or impenetrable.

“Traditionally, armour exists to protect the human body while symbolizing conflict,” he says. “By creating armour from fragile ceramic, I seek to redefine what armor can represent.”

The result was a reinterpretation of resilience, one where fragility itself becomes a source of strength. Alongside these philosophical explorations, the collection demonstrated the technical innovation that has become central to the Yuima Nakazato Maison. 

Continuing his collaboration with Epson through Dry Fiber Technology, the designer explored methods of transforming discarded garments into new materials. A further partnership with YKK resulted in fasteners created from upcycled clothing, extending the sustainability conversation into every component of the garment.

Photographs captured of the ocean surrounding Tenerife, were digitally transformed, the blue waters reimagined as flames through advanced textile printing technology 

Photographs taken by the designer of the ocean

are digitally transformed to create new designs.

Technology became another form of storytelling. Photographs captured by Nakazato of the ocean surrounding Tenerife were digitally transformed, with the blue waters reimagined as flames through advanced textile printing technology. The process mirrored the collection’s central idea: that different elements can evolve into something entirely new.

After ten years on the official Paris Haute Couture calendar, Yuima Nakazato continues to occupy a singular position within contemporary couture. While many traditional maisons often look to heritage as their foundation, Nakazato has built his identity through experimentation, proving that craftsmanship and technology, cultural tradition and innovation, can exist not in opposition but in conversation.

Inferno is not simply an anniversary collection; it was a statement of intent. It demonstrated that couture remains a living art form, capable of responding to environmental challenges, technological change and humanity’s evolving relationship with the natural world.

Yuima Nakazato remains one of couture’s most original voices, a designer who continues to redefine the possibilities of the discipline while honouring its savoire faire tradition

Yuima Nakazato is a designer who redefines

the parametres of both fashion and couture, 

Nakazato graduated from the Fashion Department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in 2008 before establishing his international career through an interdisciplinary approach to design. 

Since joining Paris Haute Couture Week in 2016, he has expanded his practice beyond fashion into opera, ballet and contemporary art, creating costumes for productions including those with the Boston Ballet and the Geneva National Theatre. His work was celebrated in his first sole exhibition dedicated to his practice, Yuima Nakazato: Beyond Couture, presented at the Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode in 2024.

In this decade after his Paris debut, Yuima Nakazato remains one of couture’s most original voices, a designer who continues to redefine the possibilities of the discipline while honouring its savoire faire traditions. Through the new collection, he reminded the fashion world that couture is not only about creating beauty, but about questioning, transforming and imagining what comes next. 

See more highlights from Yuima Nakazato's Haute Couture AW26/27 Collection in Paris

Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show Reveals a Spectacular 125 Years of Runway History

The life-size, 35-metre-tall rocket ship at Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel show that formed the backdrop to the Autumn/Winter 2017collection at the Grand Palais. Cover picture of Yuima Nakazato Haute Couture AW26/27 in Paris by Andrea Heinsohn for DAM.

By Mal James

Fashion shows can often feel exclusive, reserved for the very rich, the very famous or the very well-connected. This perception has been aided by depictions of the catwalk in film and TV, think The Devil Wears Prada, Zoolander, Absolutely Fabulous, which simply confirm the widely held view of fashion as synonymous with artifice and superficiality.

Yet, while the catwalk is undoubtedly a stage for pomp and social peacocking, it is also a serious business. It can make or break a collection’s success, and launch designers and models into the fashion stratosphere. Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show at the V&A in Dundee unveils this reality, offering an access-all-areas glimpse into the intricate world of fashion, revealing great complexity beyond the perceived superficiality.

This exhibition is superbly co-curated by the museum’s Kirsty Hassard and Svetlana Panova, along with Jochen Eisenbrand and Katharina Krawcyzck of the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, where the show originated. It chronicles fashion’s 125-year catwalk journey, exploring its rich history and enduring cultural significance.

It was an Englishman, Charles Frederick Worth, who pioneered the catwalk in mid 19th-century Paris, where he revolutionised fashion presentations by using live models instead of static mannequins. Runway shows allowed models to showcase complete outfits and provided wealthy clients with a more immersive view of Worth’s designs.

By the early 1900s, these fashion parades held in Parisian ballrooms started to evolve into more theatrical events. This trend continued into the 1920s, when shows grew increasingly spectacular and decadent, with Gabrielle Chanel famously presenting models descending the mirrored staircase in her iconic atelier at 31 rue Cambon, Paris.

Fashion and history

On loan from the Balenciaga archive, and seen for the first time in the UK, there is an exquisite array of outfits presented on miniature wire mannequins. This display describes how, in 1945, as Paris emerged from Nazi occupation, the city faced a shortage of materials, making conventional fashion shows impossible. Titled “théâtre de la mode”, this ingenious solution presented haute couture at micro scale to buyers, press and clients, allowing Paris to reclaim its status as the fashion capital of the world.

The exhibition shows how post second world war, catwalk shows expanded in scale, ambition and location, with designers keen to make a lasting impression. André Courrèges and Paco Rabanne were pioneers in the 1960s, while from the 1980s onwards, Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier helped to modernise presentations, connecting them with pop culture and mass audiences.

The emergence of the “supermodels” in the late 1980s and 1990s helped to turn catwalks into cultural phenomena. Groundbreaking shows, such as Versace’s spring/summer 1991, where models who were stars in their own right walked to George Michael’s Freedom, highlighted a dynamic synergy between fashion and pop culture.

By the late 20th century, designers including Alexander McQueen were creating unforgettable fashion moments, such as the No. 13 collection (spring/summer 1999), where model Shalom Harlow wore a white dress that was sprayed by two robots.

Notably, the exhibit dedicated to Hussein Chalayan showcases his contribution towards the transformation of fashion shows into more artistic and cerebral experiences. His 2000 After Words collection, featuring wearable furniture, challenged traditional norms and paved the way for more artistic presentations.

Spectacle, innovation, commerce

There is plenty of fashion spectacle throughout, the exhibition excelling with a curated selection of iconic pieces from the likes of Viktor & Rolf, Maison Martin Margiela, Vivienne Westwood, Loewe, Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Yohji Yamamoto and Iris van Herpen – the range is dazzling.

I was captivated by the voluminous but solemn blue Balenciaga velvet dress from the spring/summer 2020 collection by Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia. Evoking a Victorian silhouette, yet with no decoration and a tailored bodice, it reflects fashion’s historical roots in contrast with unfussy modern design.

The powerful silhouette and electric blue tone bring a seriousness to an otherwise radical or performative aesthetic. Positioned in the exhibition, it reminds us how modernity is always tethered to historical influences.

The exhibition showcases how catwalks have become crucial for brand marketing, merging art, commerce and entertainment, while engaging global audiences through digital channels. It includes invitations and artwork from key designers, along with miniature models of Chanel’s 2014 Supermarket and 2017 Space Rocket shows, offering insights into the intricate yet monumental scale of catwalk productions.

The curators have seamlessly integrated Scotland’s contribution to catwalk history too, charting the influence of fabrics like tweed and tartan, and featuring photographs from Glasgow’s Empire Exhibition in 1938, possibly Scotland’s earliest fashion show. There are also fascinating images from Dior’s inaugural Scottish shows in 1955 in Glasgow and at Gleneagles, echoed almost 70 years later with a 2024 Dior show (under designer Maria Grazia Chuiri) where models walked the exquisite topiaried gardens of Drummond Castle in Perthshire.

The exhibition includes the coveted label Le Kilt, featuring an outfit from the 2024 show, created in collaboration with Dior, further highlighting the the fashion house’s Scotland connection. Prominent Scottish designers are also featured, such as Christopher Kane, Charles Jeffrey and the poignant inclusion of an outfit by the late Pam Hogg who died last November.

The exhibition highlights how catwalks can mirror societal changes and evolving beauty standards. I was thrilled to see the inclusion of Rick Owens’ Spring/Summer 2016 presentation, where a 40-strong group of female “steppers” stomped down the runway in poses and expressions that defied typical beauty expectations.

The show caters to diverse audiences and ages, featuring dynamic catwalk and backstage photography by British photographer Robert Fairer, who has captured the energy and spirit of the fashion industry since the early 1990s. Engaging and interactive exhibits also let audiences in on the inner workings of fashion shows, including hairstyling and make-up.

Fun selfie opportunities allow visitors to engage with fashion’s more flamboyant side which make you feel like part of the exhibition, rather than merely an observer. This excellent V&A show truly challenges and expands our perception of the catwalk, leading audiences towards a lasting and deeper respect for the art of fashion and its important and enduring influence.

The Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show is now on at the V&A Dundee until January 2027.

Mal James, Personal Chair of Fashion Design, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh

Review: Cartier, ‘the Jeweller of Kings’, has Come to the National Gallery of Victoria in a Dazzling New Exhibition

Cartier's legendary 'Tutti Frutti' necklace, a riot of carved emeralds, rubies and sapphires, that captured the French house's bold interwar imagination in 1936  and a new modern elegance. Cartier Collection. Photograph: Vincet Wulveryck. Cover picture of Hermes AW26 by Max Farago,

By Sasha Grishin

Harper's Bazaar editor and Parisian

socialite, Daisy Fellowes, wearing

the 'Tutti Frutti' Hindou necklace

in its original form, in 1937.

Photograph: Cecil Beaton

Founded in Paris 179 years ago, Cartier has fostered a legendary reputation as the creator of luxury goods for royalty, the aristocracy, film stars, and the generally wealthy. The English king Edward VII famously referred to Cartier as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers”.

The glittering magnificence of the Cartier style through the ages has been brought together in a major exhibition by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, now being presented at the National Gallery of Victoria.

An Instant Hit 

Curated over almost a decade by the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Helen Molesworth, the Cartier show opened in London last year for a seven-month season and promptly sold out.

With almost 350 items on display, it was celebrated by many as one of the best shows of 2025. However, one criticism was the exhibition was too cramped, and the inevitable small scale of most of the objects resulted in a crowd crush within darkened spaces.

King Edward VII famously referred to Cartier as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers”

Director of the Cartier Collection, 

Pascale Lepeu, at the new exhibition

Melbourne, at the NGV International.

The NGV iteration of the exhibition, with almost 400 items, presents a number of alterations to the checklist of exhibits, such as the inclusion of necklaces and bodice ornaments owned by Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. Melba was an early client of the brand, with Pierre Cartier among her fans.

More significantly, the NGV has collaborated with internationally renowned designers to reimagine the exhibition, following in a tradition it has established for itself over several years.

The gallery has collaborated with Studio Sabine Marcelis and CLOUD, two multidisciplinary design practices based in Rotterdam, in The Netherlands.

Marcelis evokes the Cartier colour palette in her design, while CLOUD has built on the Cartier geometric forms to create light-filled architectural structures that are involved in a creative dialogue with the jewellery.

It was Alfred’s three sons who made Cartier into a powerhouse of fashion design, with offices in Paris, London, New York and St Petersburg

Alfred Cartier (second from right) with his three sons

Pierre, Louis and Jacques, 1922. Cartier Collection

Photograph: Vincent Wulveryck.

A Thumbnail Sketch of the Cartier Style

The thumbnail sketch of the development of the Cartier style is mandatory for understanding the exhibition. 

Louis-François Cartier founded the firm in Paris in 1847, and in 1874 passed it to his son Alfred. 

It was Alfred’s three sons – Louis, Pierre and Jacques – who internationalised the brand and made it into a powerhouse of fashion design, with offices in Paris, London, New York and St Petersburg.

Louis embraced orientalist Art Deco designs and colourful “Tutti Frutti” jewel combinations. 

He also pioneered wristwatch designs and exploited platinum as a structural base for elaborate diamond and gemstone settings in the jewellery.

Cartier continues to resonate with its audiences by tapping into ancient cultures and traditions, making them modern and relevant

Splendid Cartier Paris necklace from 1947.

Cartier Collection. Photograph: Nils Hermann.

Pierre extended operations to New York, while Jacques developed operations in New Bond Street in London.

It is difficult to define the Cartier design, yet relatively simple to recognise it when you encounter it.

Writing in the NGV Cartier catalogue, Vivienne Becker, a prolific London-based jewellery historian, arrives at a convincing characterisation. She writes that the style:

is underpinned by culture, by an ever-evolving quest to infuse jewellery design with originality, artistic integrity and cultural richness.

As one makes their way around the exhibition, there is constant encounter with styles from the past – including Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese, Iranian and Islamic elements – informing the use of diamonds and other precious materials. 

The tiaras have been worn by celebrities, from Clementine Churchill at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to the singer Rihanna

A scintillating tiara, made by Cartier 

Londonin 1937. Cartier Collection.

Photograph: Vincent Wulveryck

A Who's-Who List of Clients

Cartier also has its repertoire of signature motifs, such as the iconic Panthère, which may appear as a panther clip brooch, or snakes and crocodiles that can take the forms of necklaces and bracelets.

As jewellers and watchmakers, Cartier was known as the “watchmaker of shapes” – exploiting squares, rectangles and octagons, rather than the traditional circle.

While celebrating a supreme elegance, most of the items on display have the power to surprise, such as a spectacular scarab brooch, or a 1933 brooch with a giant floating amethyst set against sapphires, diamonds and platinum.

A highlight of the exhibition is the display of more than 20 stunning tiaras. These are symbols of royalty and glamour, with connotations of celestial halos, laurel wreaths and garlands.

These tiaras have been worn by a who’s who of celebrities. For instance, one scroll tiara (1902) was worn by Clementine Churchill at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and again in 2016 by the singer Rihanna, on the cover of W magazine.

Household names who have worn the Cartier jewellery in this exhibition include Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly and Dame Nellie Melba

Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor,

in Cartier jewels, 1939. Conde Nast

Photograph: Cecil Beaton Archive

There is also the Sun tiara of 1907, with a 32-carat cognac-yellow diamond at its core, and the Art Deco diamond and platinum Halo tiara of 1934, which was inspired by ancient Egypt and owned by Begum Aga Khan III.

Household names who have worn the Cartier jewellery present in this exhibition include Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Rihanna, Princess Margaret, The Duchess of Windsor, Dame Nellie Melba, the Maharaja of Patiala, Begum Aga Khan III and American heiress Barbara Hutton. These will prove a selfie magnet for many visitors.

While this is not the first major Cartier exhibition in Australia (there was a big show in Canberra in 2018), it is the largest, containing almost 300 items never previously seen in Australia. It is also the most innovative in its display.

Cartier continues to resonate with its audiences by going beyond mere displays of ostentatious wealth; it taps into ancient cultures and traditions, making them modern and relevant to contemporary audiences.

Cartier is showing at the National Gallery of Victoria from June 12 to October 4.

Sasha Grishin, Adjunct Professor of Art History, Australian National University

Paris Haute Couture: Imane Ayissi and the New Geography of Luxury, Where Cultures Come Together

One of the soigne, jewel-coloured gowns that were a highlight of Imane Ayissi's AW26/27 haute couture collection in Paris. Photographs and cover picture by Andrea Heinsohn for DAM

Haute couture is at its most engaging when fine craftsmanship is matched by a powerful point of view. At Paris Haute Couture Week, Imane Ayissi once again demonstrated why he occupies such a distinctive place on the official calendar. Presenting his new Autumn/Winter 2026-2027 collection, the couturier unveiled a collection that fused sculptural elegance, artisanal mastery and cultural storytelling into a personal vision of contemporary couture. Story by Jeanne-Marie Cilento. Photography by Andrea Heinsohn

The couturier Iman Ayissi with his new collection at the

finale of his joyous show in at the Aero Club de France.

AMID the gilded salons of the Aero Club de France in Paris, Imane Ayissi prepared to present Ozouandam Ollat, the Ewondo expression for haute couture, a collection that reaffirmed his voice within the international couture landscape. The show culminated in an impromptu and joyous dance on the runway. 

For the new season, the Cameroonian-born, Paris-based designer explored the relationship between movement, memory and craftsmanship, creating a refined vision of couture where once more he melds the precision of Parisian savoir-faire and the richness of African artisanal traditions.

Presented as part of the official Paris Haute Couture Week calendar, where Ayissi appears as a guest member of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the collection demonstrated his continued commitment to expanding the language of couture beyond geographical boundaries. His work has always existed at the intersection of cultures: not as a contrast between African heritage and European technique, but as a sophisticated dialogue between two creative worlds.

The Autumn/Winter 2026-2027 show began with the atmosphere of departure and flight, setting the tone for a collection built around transformation and freedom. An announcement inviting guests to prepare for takeoff introduced a theatrical sense of movement, while also carrying an emotional resonance for Ayissi, paying tribute to his late mother, a former Miss Cameroon and flight attendant whose elegance and presence remained an important influence throughout his life.

Imane Ayissi's work is at the intersection of cultures: not as a contrast between African heritage and European technique, but as a sophisticated dialogue between two creative worlds

One of Ayissi's vividly hued new designs that

explore fine, beadwork and floriate patterns.

This emotional connection was expressed through garments that appeared to defy stillness. Ayissi’s silhouettes moved between structure and fluidity, balancing architectural precision with dramatic gestures of fabric. 

Sculptural dresses unfolded into sweeping capes and extended trains, while carefully constructed volumes created a sense of power without sacrificing elegance. Each look revealed the designer’s understanding that couture is not simply observed, it is experienced through the movement of the body.

That sensitivity to motion is deeply connected to Ayissi’s own artistic history. Before becoming one of the most recognised couturiers of African heritage, he trained as a dancer with the Ballet National du Cameroun, an experience that continues to influence his approach to form, proportion and rhythm. His early career as a model in Paris, working with renowned maisons including Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy, further immersed him in the traditions of French luxury before he established his own couture house.

Born into a family surrounded by creativity, Ayissi grew up with a fine appreciation for performance and craftsmanship. His mother’s achievement as Miss Cameroon 1960, his father’s career as a champion boxer and the artistic pursuits of his siblings created an environment where discipline and expression were intertwined. These influences continue to shape a designer whose collections are as much about identity and storytelling as they are about design.

By bringing together personal history, global craftsmanship and an unmistakable creative identity, the designer is helping shape a more expansive future for couture

This sleek, brilliant red suit is beautifully cut and 

has a dash of romance with its swathe of raffia. 

For this collection, Ayissi once again placed materials at the centre of his creative vision. Luxurious silks, raffia, handwoven textiles and intricate embroidery demonstrated his ability to elevate traditional techniques into contemporary couture. 

Rather than using heritage as a decorative reference, he treats craftsmanship as a living practice, giving African textile traditions a place within the highest levels of international fashion.

The collection’s colour palette intensified its emotional impact, moving through vibrant blues, rich oranges, luminous jewel tones and softer shades that highlighted the complexity of the textiles. Beaded surfaces, floral-inspired embellishment and handcrafted details created garments that felt both modern and timeless.

Sustainability remained an essential part of Ayissi’s couture philosophy, with an emphasis on natural materials, artisanal production and techniques that celebrate longevity. In a fashion environment increasingly focused on speed and volume, his work offers a substantive alternative: luxury defined by skill, cultural knowledge and the human touch.

With Ozouandam Ollat, Imane Ayissi continues to demonstrate that haute couture is not a fixed tradition but an evolving art form. By bringing together personal history, global craftsmanship and an unmistakable creative identity, he is helping to shape a more expansive and inclusive future for couture, one where history becomes a source of innovation and beauty.

See more highlights from the Imane Ayissi Autumn/Winter 2026-27 Collection in Paris