Fall 2026 marks Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim’s last season helming both Oscar de la Renta and Monse as co-creative directors before focusing solely on the brand they created just before re-entering the American luxury house in 2016.
“The headspace for fall, given the situation in our personal lives going from two companies to one, was interesting,” Garcia said during a preview of Monse’s latest outing in their Lower East Side studio and by-appointment space. “We have developed a vernacular at Oscar and at Monse that because of how little time we have in both, it just coincidentally is one feminine and one masculine.”
Garcia said while Monse’s fall lineup isn’t “full throttle, Laura and I, yet,” it serves as a transitional season that begins to combine their two worlds. “We like a flower, and we also like suits,” he added.
Leading up to their show in September, where their 360 vision will be on display, the duo began by keeping up the well-loved “Monse-isms” — like bandana prints; cool re-worked tailoring with a bit of a London bent, and knitwear — while injecting the feminine optimism seen through their work at Oscar de la Renta. A big part of this transition is expanding their evening and occasionwear, as seen in sheer, draped corsetry dresses with 3D floral appliqués or a fun, colorful fringed skirt.
“Laura and I are leading busy lives, but while we’re doing that she developed her Martha Stewart of it all, cooking, and I eased into my painting,” Garcia said of their passions, pointing out a large-scale painting of plucked sunflowers in the corner of the room that had been translated nicely onto feminine printed dresses.
“I don’t know if there are a lot of challenges other than the amount of people helping us. We’re very ambitious people, we want a huge collection all the time. So I think it’s about the editing. Other than that, we are very excited,” the duo said of their road ahead, which includes focusing on direct-to-consumer business, slowly expanding their accessories, and growing their custom business, “little by little,” which will more than likely attract many of the red carpet clientele they’ve worked with over the years at Oscar de la Renta.
