Paris Fashion Week: The Beat Goes On - Anrealage’s Heartfelt SS26 Show Reframed Fashion as a Living Organism

In Paris, one of the 'living' creations by Japanese designer Kunihiko Morinaga. Photograph above and cover picture by Jay Zoo for DAM. 

At Paris Fashion Week, Kunihiko Morinaga once again reminded the industry why his label Anrealage has become a touchstone for fashion that feels both cerebral and visceral. For Spring/Summer 2026, the Japanese designer staged a show that positioned the heartbeat, a universal symbol of life and love, as the collection’s core metaphor. Story by Andrea Heinsohn. Photography by Jay Zoo

Artistic director of Anrealage.

Kunihiko Morinaga, backstage

in Paris before his show. 

THE runway at the Anrealage show, in Paris at the Palais de Tokyo, unfurled with designs that appeared less like clothes and more like living organisms. Structured dresses expanded and contracted with wired volumes, recalling anatomical forms as much as baroque flourishes. 

Hemlines rippled like tidal waves, while capes and jackets seemed animated, their contours suggesting a presence beyond fabric. Accessories stretched the fantasy further: cat-shaped handbags with gently swishing mechanical tails offered a playful yet uncanny counterpoint, echoing the comfort of companionship in a world increasingly mechanized.

What gave this spectacle depth was the collaboration with Heralbony, a Tokyo- and Paris-based creative company supporting artists with disabilities. Eighteen artists contributed their work, each print translated into textile through Kyocera’s Forearth technology, a sustainable, waterless printing method. The result was garment as gallery, as canvases that displayed personal visual languages while advancing environmental responsibility. 

Sound was integral to the experience. Continuing a partnership with composer Thomas Bangalter, the soundtrack layered rhythmic beats with recordings of everyday noises, many produced by individuals with disabilities. The result felt at once intimate and avant-garde, underscoring Morinaga’s ongoing interrogation of how we perceive difference.

Anrealage has long operated at the intersection of the ordinary and the extraordinary, technology and craft. With this collection, Morinaga not only reaffirmed his reputation as a meticulous innovator but also highlighted a larger cultural shift, one in which inclusivity and creativity are inseparable. The SS26 show was less about theatrics for their own sake and more about shifting perspective: reminding us that beauty is not uniform but plural, and that fashion can serve as a vessel for empathy as much as for aesthetics.

The heartbeat motif ran through every look, not as a literal pulse but as an emotional cadence. In Paris, Anrealage made its case clear: difference does not divide, it can bring us together.

Scroll down or tap pictures to see more highlights from the Anrealage SS26 show in Paris

Milan Fashion Week: When Function Meets Finesse Anteprima’s Spring/Summer 2026 Collection Reimagines Utility with Elegance

Vivid colour and sleek, sporty lines were signatures of Izumi Ogino's Anteprima collection. Photograph above and cover picture of Dhruv Kapoor SS26 by Jay Zoo for DAM

Anteprima’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection opened at Milan Fashion Week, presenting a measured and deliberate approach to contemporary womenswear. Known for designs that balance elegance with function, the Japanese label delivered a show that underscored its consistency rather than spectacle. Story by Jeanne-Marie Cilento. Photographs by Jay Zoo

Sheer layers and knits 

gave the collection 

a sporty aesthetic.

CREATIVE director of Anteprima, Izumi Ogino, played with contrasts in her new collection: lightweight fabrics given structure, sheer layers tempered by tailoring, and knits designed to appear delicate yet strong. 

Silhouettes were fluid and wearable, intended for real movement, while accessories such as new iterations of the Wirebag reinforced the designer's dual emphasis on utility and refinement. The result was a collection that felt modern without being trend-driven.

Ogino has built Anteprima on these principles since founding the brand in 1993. Five years later, she became the first Japanese female designer to present at Milan Fashion Week, establishing herself in a highly competitive international arena. 

That achievement was more than symbolic; it marked the beginning of a career defined by her ability to merge cultural influences: Japanese craftsmanship and precision with Italian passion and flair.

Over three decades, Ogino has returned to the same core values: utiliatrian design, fine detailing, and an understanding of women’s multifaceted lives. She has often stated that her aim is to create clothes that provide ease, and the SS26 collection reflected this philosophy clearly. These were garments made to fit into daily life while retaining a quiet sense of sophistication.

While Anteprima does not rely on bold theatrics to make its mark, Ogino continues to evolve the label through innovation and cultural engagement. Beyond the runway, she has supported artistic collaborations, aligning the brand with broader conversations around creativity and craft.

This combination of steady identity and thoughtful growth has kept Anteprima relevant on the Milan stage. The SS26 collection was not a departure but a reaffirmation of the label's direction: clothing that emphasizes subtle strength, functionality, and long-term wearability.

In a fashion week filled with dramatic statements, Ogino’s work stood apart by remaining firmly aligned with her founding principles. For the designer, success is not defined by chasing current proclivities, but by refining an aesthetic that continues to resonate with women more than 30 years on.

Scroll down to see more highlights from the Anteprima SS26 collection in Milan