Here was a compelling collection by Luca Lin, who revved up his primary love of pattern making to rethink the construction of wardrobe archetypes.
In a genderless lineup, the 2026 LVMH Prize semifinalist designer reconsidered the shapes of classic tailoring, twisting the lapels and rolling up the sleeves of blazer jackets or expanding the proportions of mannish pants to the limit – only to play with folds and buttons to generate roomy pleated versions that could be adapted to different bodies.
The generous and relaxed volumes of his stratified looks were magnified by the charming textural interplay and tonal color combinations. In addition to cutting trench coats and shirts from tulle in different hues and have them nonchalantly layered atop one another, he experimented with leather, recovering scraps hailing from Lineapelle to create meaty patchwork outerwear.
The same upcycling spirit informed the highlights of the collection: two couture-like jackets entirely embroidered with vintage buttons recovered from the archives of Italian company Ribl.
As he continues his mission to promote inclusivity and multiculturalism, Lin said backstage he teamed with a community of spinners and weavers in Rongjiang and Congjiang counties in Guizhou, China, to preserve an old fabric-making technique done on small hand looms, which was behind some of the cotton pieces in the collection.
The designer’s social involvement also had him push a narrative about defying conventions beyond the wardrobe staples. His final three looks twisting around the body or recreating breast and body rolls were conceived as sculptural objects aimed at sparking a conversation around today’s standardized notion of beauty.
