Milan Fashion Week: Garcias Takes the Scenic Route to the Spring/Summer 2027 Runway

Nicolas Martin Garcia's debut runway show in Milan. The Colombian designer worked at Dolce& Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli before starting his own label. Cover picture and all photographs by Andrea Heinsohn for DAM

In an industry constantly searching for new perspectives, one of the most engaging debuts of Milan Fashion Week came from a designer whose story spans continents, cultures and generations. With Latin Dreamers, Nicolas Martin Garcia transformed his Spring/Summer 2027 runway into a vivid exploration of migration, identity and aspiration, blending Colombian spirit with Italian craftsmanship in a collection that was both personal and resonant.  Story Jeanne-Marie Cilento. Photography by Andrea Heinsohn

Vivid colour and relaxed ease were signatures

of the new Garcias SS27 collection in Milan.

MILAN Fashion Week gained a new voice as Colombian-born designer Nicolas Martin Garcia unveiled the first runway presentation for his three-year-old brand. The occasion carried historical significance, with Garcia becoming the first Colombian designer to present a runway show on the official Milan Fashion Week schedule. 

Rich in emotion, cultural pride and visual impact, the collection signals the arrival of a distinctive new voice on the international menswear stage. Yet despite the milestone, the evening never felt focused on personal achievement alone. Instead, it became a broader celebration of the communities, families and cultural traditions that have shaped his life and continue to inspire his work.

For Garcia, the Milan Fashion Week debut for Spring/Summer 2027 was the culmination of a journey that began thousands of kilometres away in Bogotá. Born in Colombia and raised in Italy from the age of four, the designer has spent much of his life navigating two cultures, two identities and two creative traditions. 

After graduating from Rome's Accademia Costume & Moda and honing his craft within the design studios of Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli, Garcia stepped onto Milan's official runway calendar with Garcias, a label that draws directly from his personal story. The result was Latin Dreamers, a collection that was inspired by themes of migration, heritage and ambition, making it one of the more fervent shows of the season.

For Garcia, his Milan Fashion Week debut was the culmination of a journey that began thousands of kilometres away in Bogotá

Nicolas Martin Garcia wanted to created a sense 

of Latin neighborhood as part of the runway show. 

The venue was transformed into a vivid recreation of a Latin neighbourhood, immersing guests in an environment that reflected the everyday realities and cultural richness of migrant communities. References to local businesses, gathering places and family life created an atmosphere that felt authentic rather than theatrical. It was a setting designed not simply to frame the clothes but to communicate the experiences behind them.

Those experiences have long informed Garcia's creative vision. Having built his career within some of Italy's most influential luxury houses, including the extended periods working in design at Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli, he has developed a sophisticated understanding of craftsmanship, tailoring and luxury construction. Yet Garcias represents something more personal: an exploration of the cultural dialogue between his Colombian heritage and Italian upbringing.

That narrative was woven throughout the collection. Structured tailoring sat alongside fluid silhouettes, while richly embellished surfaces contrasted with moments of restraint. Colour played an important role, balancing vibrant Latin influences against the refinement associated with Italian luxury. The result was a collection that felt contemporary and confident, expressing what Garcia has previously described as a fusion of Latin exuberance and European sophistication.

The collection celebrated the determination of those who leave home in pursuit of opportunity while carrying their traditions, memories and sense of identity with them

The designer wanted to celebrate the dreams and 

identity people searching for new opportunities. 

Rather than looking backwards with nostalgia, Latin Dreamers presented heritage as a living force that continues to evolve across generations and borders. The collection celebrated the determination of those who leave home in pursuit of opportunity while carrying their traditions, memories and sense of identity with them.

In his show notes, Garcia described the presentation as "a celebration of identity, migration, resilience, and the dreams carried by millions of people who leave their homes in search of new opportunities while remaining deeply connected to their roots." It was a sentiment that ran throughout the evening and gave emotional weight to the collection beyond its visual impact.

That sense of gratitude extended beyond the runway itself. Garcia dedicated the achievement to the many individuals who have supported the growth of the brand, paying particular tribute to his mother, whose sacrifices and encouragement he credited as the foundation of his success. He also acknowledged the role played by the Afro Fashion Association and its founder Michelle Francine Ngonmo in helping create opportunities for emerging voices within the industry.

As Milan continues to seek fresh perspectives capable of enriching its menswear landscape, Garcias arrives with a distinctive point of view and a compelling personal narrative. The debut demonstrated not only a clear aesthetic vision but also an understanding that fashion can serve as a platform for representation, storytelling and cultural dialogue.

For Garcia, the show represented the fulfilment of a dream years in the making. For Milan, it introduced a designer whose experience spans Bogotá, Rome and the world's luxury fashion capitals, yet whose message remains rooted in community, identity and possibility. As his closing declaration stated: "Si lo crees lo creas" — if you believe it, you create it.

See more highlights from the Garcias Spring/Summer 2027 show in Milan below: 

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 in Paris. 

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

Bangarra’s Sheltering is a Powerful Showcase of First Nations Dance and Creativity, Opening at the Sydney Opera House

Dancer Donta Whitham is part of the triple bill 'Sheltering'. Photograph (above) by Daniel Boud. Cover picture of Hermes AW26 collection in Los Angeles by Max Farago.

By Erin Brannigan

Frances Rings’ artistic directorship of Bangarra Dance Theatre’s shines through the company’s new triple-bill production, Sheltering. She demonstrates a commitment to uplifting company members and First Nations creatives, with a coherent curatorial vision that shows care for diverse audiences.

This triple-bill is a beautiful sampler of what this important company has to offer to the cultural, political and creative facets of our nation.

A nurturing home for First Nations creatives

Sheltering comprises three individual choreographic works: Keeping Grounded, Brown Boys, and Sheoak.

Sheoak is a 2015 work by Rings herself, commissioned by then Artistic Director Stephen Page.

Keeping Grounded (2023) is choreographed by Indjalandji-Dhidhanu and Alyawarre woman Glory Tuohy-Daniell, with a cast of eight company dancers.

Keeping Grounded is performed by eight company dancers. Daniel Boud

The most recent work is a short dance film called Brown Boys (2024). It was directed by Cass Mortimer Eipper and Daniel Mateo, a Bangarra company member and Gomeroi and Mari Ma’ufanga, Tongatapu (Tonga) man.

Both Brown Boys and Keeping Grounded were first presented in Bangarra’s emerging artist showcase, Dance Clan, and supported from there onto the mainstage program. Creators Tuohy-Daniell and Mateo trained at NAISDA, Australia’s National Indigenous Dance College, and joined Bangarra through its Russell Page Graduate Program, which provides training and mentorship for new company dancers.

Keeping Grounded

Keeping Grounded opens onto an enormous and heavy rope net designed by Dyarubbin woman, Shana O’Brien. Under it, figures twitch and roll like a catch of fish.

The set features a large heavy rope net designed by Dyarubbin woman Shana O’Brien. Daniel Boud

Karen Norris’ textured lighting supports the impression of a coastal setting, and “sets the scene” across the work as it shifts from an evocation of Country to a more technologically-mediated aesthetic.

In an interview with Glory Tuohy-Daniell, the choreographer describes how the work invites viewers “to consider how small, almost forgotten actions keep us grounded […] a step barefoot, a moment of stillness, a return”.

Tuohy-Daniell’s movement vocabulary is striking for its literal groundedness, reflecting the central theme highlighted in the work’s title.

The first sections see the dancers bound to the floor with a variation on the typical angular, rolling, swooping and sharply delineated shapes of Bangarra’s Indigenous contemporary style – here purposefully fractured.

Set to a score by Brendon Boney, the movement in this section is broken into one movement per beat, a staccato rhythm that suggests a disconnect from the flow of nature. This “pixellated” quality makes familiar forms new in an exciting way.

Brown Boys

Six-minute dance film Brown Boys is a meditation on the experience of young First Nations men. Daniel Mateo, the writer, choreographer and performer, has a cultural background spanning northern New South Wales and Tonga.

The program notes describe Brown Boys as a total work of art involving poetry, choreography, cinematography, sound and dramaturgy.

Adding to this is the central role of sculpture. Set and costume designer Elizabeth Gadsby has worked with traditional forms to establish a culturally informed aesthetic. This includes a fale (pronouned “fah-lay”), which is a traditional Tongan shelter made of grass matting. This structure frames Mateo’s body inside the film frame.

A fale is a kind of traditional Tongan shelter. Cass Eipper

Ochres, minerals and soils are other material elements featured in the design and choreography. The striking final image shows Mateo literally grounded by a soil mound that takes the silhouette of a 19th century crinoline skirt.

Mateo’s text and performance are extraordinary. His direct and settled gaze to camera, gentle unfolding movements, and spoken word poem, give visibility, dignity and complexity to the figure of the young Indigenous man. That he has “always been beautiful” could not be more persuasively portrayed.

Sheoak

Rings’ mastery of group choreography was recently showcased in her commissioned work for the Australian Ballet, Flora. Having delivered another major work for Vivid 2025, this was likely the right time to revive one of her classics.

The opening image of Sheoak showcases both Rings’ choreographic skill and Jennifer Irwin’s amazing legacy as a costume designer. The dancers wear shirts with black on white streaks – skeletal puzzle pieces that join together to form larger human sculptures.

Sheoak gives palpable form to the exhaustion and frustration experienced by First Nations peoples. Daniel Boud

The theme of this work is cultural strength, resilience and adaptability, with the sheoak tree as the central metaphor. Dancer Chantelle Lee Lockhart is captivating in the role of this “Grandmother tree”, as it’s known to the Dharawal people.

The choreography weaves around Jacob Nash’s set design, featuring seven two-metre-long branches. The passing of branches signals the struggle to pass on cultural responsibility and knowledge from generation to generation.

The company of technically virtuosic dancers seems right at home in each of the three diverse works of Sheltering. The program particularly underscores Tuohy-Daniell’s potential as a new leading light in Australian choreography

Sheltering as a whole is dedicated to the late David “Dubboo” Page, brother of former Artistic Director Stephen Page. David’s work as composer, singer and musician was central to establishing the Bangarra aesthetic. His music also features in Rings’ Sheoak.

Sheltering is on now at the Sydney Opera House until June 13. The production will show at the Arts Centre Melbourne from June 18 to 27, and at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre from July 9 to 18.

Erin Brannigan, Associate Professor, Theatre and Performance, UNSW Sydney

Hermès Finds a New Rhythm Beneath the California Sky in Los Angeles

Karen Olsen strikes a pose on the specially built Hermes pavilion for the Autumn/Winter 2026 second chapter by artistic director Nadège Vanhée. Photograph (above) and cover picture by Max Farago.

As the sun slipped behind the hills of Bel Air, Hermès transformed a secluded Los Angeles hillside into a stage for a captivating fashion moment. For the latest chapter of its Autumn/Winter 2026 womenswear collection, artistic director Nadège Vanhée looked beyond the house's equestrian roots, embracing the grace of dance, the glow of California light and a new vision of luxury, reports Antonio Visconti

The architectural installation created 

for the Hermes show at dusk in LA.

HIGH above Los Angeles, where the city dissolves into winding hills, Hermès unveiled a collection that felt less like a fashion presentation and more like a meditation on movement, light and freedom. 

For the French house's latest travelling chapter of its Autumn/Winter 2026 womenswear collection, artistic director Nadège Vanhée turned her gaze westward, drawing inspiration from the unique atmosphere of Southern California and the poetry of a body in motion.

Guests arrived at a purpose-built pavilion perched looking across Bel Air, a striking architectural installation glowing in shades of soft gold as dusk settled across the landscape. The setting captured the essence of the collection itself: expansive, optimistic and suspended somewhere between reality and dream.

While Hermès is often celebrated for its mastery of leather craftsmanship and equestrian heritage, this season Vanhée explored a different narrative. Dance became the collection's guiding spirit, influencing silhouettes that moved with remarkable fluidity. The designer imagined a woman stepping beyond the studio, carrying the elegance and discipline of performance into everyday life.

Artistic director Nadège Vanhée turned her gaze westward, drawing inspiration from the unique atmosphere of Southern California and the poetry of a body in motion

The designer embraced the luminous hues of 

California with rich reds and warm yellows. 

The result was a collection that balanced structure with ease. Sculptural dresses referenced the tension and artistry found in ballet costumes, while flowing skirts and draped garments seemed to float around the body. Fabrics shifted and responded to movement, creating an almost cinematic effect as models navigated the curving runway.

Colour played an equally important role. Rather than the muted palettes often associated with European winters, Vanhée embraced the luminous tones of California. Vivid reds, sunny yellows and sea-hued blues appeared throughout the collection, reflecting the distinctive quality of Los Angeles light. This daylight vibrancy was paired with deep blacks and midnight shades that evoked the city's transformation after sunset.

Leather, naturally, remained central to the Hermès identity. Supple jackets, refined outerwear and impeccably crafted separates anchored the collection, offering a sense of strength beneath the softness. Yet even these pieces felt lighter than previous seasons, revealing a designer increasingly interested in fluidity rather than rigidity.

Sculptural dresses referenced the tension and artistry found in ballet costumes, while flowing skirts and draped garments seemed to float around the body.

Miley Cyrus wore a sleek, black

leather mini-dress to the show. 

The front row reflected the global reach of the house, bringing together clients, artists and a select group of celebrities, including Miley Cyrus, Kerry Washington and Keke Palmer. Their presence underscored Hermès' growing connection to Hollywood while maintaining its singular identity that has mostly eschewed celebrity ambassadors, unlike many other storied French fashion houses. 

What made the evening particularly compelling, however, was not the star spectacle but the confidence of the clothes themselves. Vanhée appears to be entering a new creative phase, one that broadens the visual language of Hermès while remaining faithful to its traditions of craftsmanship and refinement.

The collection also hinted at what lies ahead. As anticipation builds around Hermès' upcoming couture collection, this show suggested a designer increasingly comfortable exploring volume, drape and emotion on a grander scale.

Against the backdrop of a fading Californian sunset, Hermès offered a vision of contemporary luxury that felt remarkably fresh: sophisticated yet effortless, disciplined yet free, grounded in heritage while looking toward new horizons.

See highlights from the Hermes Autumn/Winter 2026 collection in Los Angeles

From Fossicking for Fossils to a Champion for Life on Earth: Sir David Attenborough at 100

Sir David Attenborough on location filming the BBC documentary series 'The Private Life of Plants' at Cape Point in South Africa. He is pictured in the fynbos, a unique shrubland biome alongside a Protea plant. Photograph: Neil Nightingale.

By Euan Ritchie

Sir David Attenborough has turned 100. Very few people have the good fortune to live for a century. Fewer still achieve so much and touch so many lives. Across his seven decade career with the BBC, Attenborough ushered in the transition from black and white to colour television. He gave the now legendary comedy troupe Monty Python their lucky break, greenlighting their Flying Circus. His keen eye and care for viewers is in part why tennis balls are yellow, not white – they’re much easier to see on screen.

But Attenborough is, of course, most famous for his nature documentaries. For decades, he has fronted the camera to educate, entertain and inspire billions of people about the complexity, wonder and majesty of the natural world, and the many threats it faces. It wasn’t a given – Attenborough was told early in his career his teeth were too big for television!

For ecologists like myself, Attenborough’s work has been a source of deep inspiration. It was instrumental in my decision to pursue a life and a career dedicated to understanding, caring and fighting for the protection of nature. For this gift, I am eternally grateful.

A career driven by curiosity

Attenborough’s connection with nature came early, forged in no small part through an insatiable fascination with fossils – including his childhood joy at discovering an ammonite in the Leicestershire countryside.

He went on to study geology and zoology at Cambridge University, graduating in 1947. He served in the navy and worked in an educational publishing house. Notably, the BBC rejected his first job application as a radio producer in 1950. But he tried again, and joined the BBC as a trainee producer in 1952.

His career in nature documentaries began to bud almost immediately, with his Zoo Quest series beginning in 1954. But it burst into full bloom with the landmark Life on Earth series in 1979, which brought distant locations, extraordinary wildlife and evolution and ecology to TV. It instilled a sense of wonder and awe in audiences, while maintaining and respecting scientific accuracy.

Early in his career, Attenborough (right) interviewed Edmund Hillary. Wikimedia, CC BY-NC-ND

The master storyteller

One reason Attenborough has had such success as a communicator is his understated, calm but authoritative demeanour. When you sit down to watch an Attenborough documentary, you feel in safe hands.

His approach isn’t the norm. In other nature documentaries, wildlife can often seem secondary, as props for the presenter.

Some of Sir David’s documentaries didn’t always go to script.

In series such as The Living Planet, The Trials of Life, The Blue Planet, The Planet Earth, and scores of others, Attenborough took us across the globe, revealing nature’s beauty, oddities and extraordinary complexity, as well as its macabre and brutal aspects. The habitats home to the world’s species are brought to life in extraordinary detail. We watch with laughter, trepidation, sadness, anger, excitement and awe, ebbing and flowing as nature’s stories unfold.

Who can forget the first time they saw and heard the extraordinary vocal repertoire and mimicry of a lyrebird, or a curious mountain gorilla’s desire to connect with a fellow great ape? The epic battle for survival between a hatchling iguana and hungry hordes of racer snakes? Or the breathtaking explosion of colour and complexity of a coral reef? Each of these was captured by master cinematographers and the story told to us by Attenborough.

The broadcaster pictured with a rainbow-billed toucan.

Over his long career, Attenborough has become an icon. He was voted the UK’s best TV presenter of all time. But his prodigious output has come at a personal cost too. One of his regrets is how much time he has spent away from his family.

He is also not off limits to criticism. For a long time, Attenborough focused on the glory of nature, largely omitting the damage humans do through overfishing, deforestation, pollution, spreading exotic species, and other threats. He has also shied away from assigning blame to those most responsible for the harms inflicted on nature.

In 2018, he said too much focus on why so much wildlife is threatened was a “turn-off” for some viewers. Ecologists and conservation scientists can sympathise. We know bombarding people with doom and gloom invites apathy and despair, not a desire to act. It’s a hard line to walk between harsh realities and hope.

To his credit, Attenborough has belatedly focused on these issues in recent years. Footage of plastic pollution in Blue Planet II and the ravages of industrial fishing in Ocean have brought a sharp focus on these issues.

In 2020, he released A Life On Our Planet, which he describes as a “witness statement” to the startling losses of biodiversity he has seen over his lifetime. Rather than just spell out the problems, Attenborough laid out how to solve them – and the role we can all play in fixing the two biggest and deeply interwoven problems nature faces: climate change and biodiversity declines and extinctions.

While Attenborough’s earlier work largely avoided these difficult conversations, they succeeded in bringing nature’s wonder to millions of people. This shouldn’t be overlooked. At a time when more and more of us are cut off from nature, Attenborough’s documentaries forged a new connection. For people to care about losing nature, they first have to know and love it.

Conservation relies on stories

Scientific research rarely leads to the behavioural changes we might hope for. Accumulating facts and evidence is vital. But it’s not enough. What humans respond to is stories.

Alongside other globally renowned voices such as the late, great Jane Goodall, Attenborough’s work telling the stories of nature has shaped public opinion. In turn, it has galvanised conservation efforts such as the push to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.

As he celebrates his centenary, it’s encouraging to see a new generation and diversity of voices in the media and science communication, advocacy, and scientific community. They speak and share their messages with great clarity, confidence, and passion.

Attenborough is just one person. He can’t replace the vital role of scientists, community leaders, conservationists and policymakers in conserving nature. But no one will ever replace David’s distinctive voice. As he has said:

it seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living

Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University