Germanier Spring 2026 Couture
Backstage at his Spring 2026 Haute Couture show, Kevin Germanier described a paradox that could only exist in modern luxury. The Swiss designer, who built his reputation transforming discarded materials into glittering couture, noted that the recent musical chairs of creative directors across major fashion houses had unexpectedly benefited him. “More turnover means more stock,” he said. For Germanier, surplus isn’t waste — it’s opportunity. This season, that opportunity arrived through an expanded collaboration with LVMH, granting him access to unsold inventory from seven of the group’s maisons, including Olympic uniforms designed by Berluti. The result was Les Chardonneuses, a collection that turned luxury’s excess into its own critique.
Germanier’s aesthetic has always been exuberant, but here it found new resonance. Lisa Rinna opened the show in a black off-the-shoulder bodysuit, a drop-waisted tulle skirt and a crown made from recycled plastic bottles, embodying what the designer called a “slutty New Look.” Suits and jackets were reworked from past-season stock, with seams inverted, logos removed and silhouettes feminised through crystal embroidery and feather trims. One standout piece was a dark denim ensemble adorned with spiky thistle appliqués cut from Coca-Cola cans, its gleaming edges catching the light like a provocation. The palette moved from deep blue to pure white, culminating in a trio of lace bridal gowns that shimmered with both irony and beauty.
This collection marked a turning point in how couture can confront its own contradictions. By transforming unsold luxury into art, Germanier reframed sustainability not as a constraint but as a creative force. The partnership with LVMH, attended by Antoine Arnault, underscored how the world’s largest luxury group is beginning to engage with that conversation more publicly. For Germanier, whose work once upcycled Mylar balloons and plastic bags, the message was clear: fashion’s future won’t be built from newness but from reinvention. Excess, in his hands, becomes not a burden but a resource — proof that even within couture, rebellion can glitter.
