Ann Demeulemeester PRE-FALL 2026

For Pre-Fall 2026, Ann Demeulemeester’s creative director Stefano Gallici continued his quiet recalibration of the brand’s identity, using the collection as a creative training ground. Stripped of the runway theatrics that define his Paris shows, this pre-season offering revealed a sharper focus on construction and wearability without losing the poetry at the heart of the house. Gallici approached the archives with a measured distance, blending the founder’s codes of romantic rebellion with his own instincts. His muses this season were telling: the musician side of Johnny Depp and model Jamie Bochert, both icons of nonchalance, embodying the collection’s too-cool-to-care spirit.

The clothes reflected that balance of refinement and grit. Long coats and slouchy tailoring were rendered in crushed velvet and brushed wool, their lived-in finish giving the collection a sense of intimacy. Leather biker jackets, pinstriped suits and fluid blouses carried an ease that felt modern but unmistakably Demeulemeester. The interplay of textures was particularly rich, with embroidered velvet, silk chiffon, devoré fabrics and paisley motifs building a narrative of dark romance. It was an exercise in restraint, proof that Gallici can edit without diluting the house’s emotion.

Accessories added to the atmosphere of collected nostalgia. Feather brooches, chains and pendant earrings looked like discoveries from an attic or a vintage market, anchoring the collection in the personal and the poetic. The result was a pre-collection that felt grounded yet alive, practical yet romantic. Gallici seems to be shaping a new rhythm for Demeulemeester, one where emotion meets functionality, and where each piece feels like part of a story that continues to unfold quietly, on and off the runway.