Save your tears, as a result of it’s solely laughter right here, and there’s a celebration occurring. That’s the post-show backstage vibe at Isabel Marant, the place after 30 years Marant is stepping down from designing her personal label, a label that singlehandedly exported the concept of the Cool French Woman (or certainly Cool French Boy) to the world, and by doing so, was typically imitated however by no means ever bettered. (Marant will nonetheless be engaged on the label behind the scenes, simply not designing.)
Now her artistic director Kim Bekker will take the highlight—and take cost—and we’ve simply completed seeing her terrific spring 2026 assortment, a sun-kissed, pack-your-bag ode to wanderlust, wealthy with suede, lace, and leather-based, a lot of it patch-worked and embroidered. Tonight isn’t even a bittersweet second, however a completely charged, absolutely go-for-it leap into the long run. As I used to be leaving, Marant was all smiles. “That,” she mentioned approvingly of Bekker’s assortment, “was so Isabel Marant.”
Certainly it was. Bekker is aware of the model just like the again of her hand, and her assortment impressed as a result of she by no means put an espadrilled, wedge-muled, slouchy-booted foot improper. At a preview, Bekker expanded on the gathering’s place to begin. “This season was in regards to the concept of a journey—and the journey I’m on,” she mentioned. “It’s the concept of touring from place to position, on the highway, sunburnt, with a backpack full of garments she has picked up on the way in which.” This concept of the freewheeling nomad noticed Bekker take the Marant classics—utilitarian blousons, cargo pants, surplus shorts, romantic blouses, slouchy coats, wispy attire, and military shirts (based mostly on the classic ones Marant herself wears)—and bleach and bronze them in weathered shades of cream, ivory, sand, khaki, brown, blue and black, an earthy distillation of the right summer season wardrobe.
But these garments have been even higher shut up. Bekker had labored arduous to layer them with all kinds of element: flying jacket zippers and double layering on blousons; intricate patchworks that introduced totally different textures (shine and perforated) collectively; and embroideries of baubles, shells, and tassels, all mining a extra elevated concept of craft. Her males’s, in the meantime, harked again to the early ‘80s vibe of square-cut roomy jackets with slouchy pants, and berber stripe double-breasted tunic shirting.
To hold all this round, on the again of a bike, say, or on a bus shaking its approach throughout the desert (or you realize, extra probably a packed subway automotive) there have been suede crescent moon baggage with gilded straps and capacious backpacks. It’s unlikely Bekker’s going to be hitting the highway any time quickly, what with the calls for of her new function, so she mentioned it’s extra a case of touring in her thoughts. That mentioned, proper now, she’s very happy to not be going wherever. She has discovered her spot within the solar.
