An avid reader, Stefano Gallici tries to squeeze in at least a 30-minute reading session before going to bed every day to wind down, detox from screen time and foster another of his passions, along the ever-present ones for music, photography and vintage thrifting.
He seems not to have been immune from the 250th anniversary celebrations of Jane Austen’s birth this year, since “Pride and Prejudice” was neatly tucked between two other books on his table at Ann Demeulemeester headquarters on the eve of the brand’s spring 2026 show.
On the left of the tome was Danny Sugerman’s 1989 book “Wonderland Avenue,” in which he found similarities with Austen’s romance but transposed into a different era and mood, drenched in ‘70s rebellion; on the right, one on the late basketball player Pete Maravich, reigniting Gallici’s fascination with the sport he played in his youth.
He intertwined all these narratives in his spring 2026 collection, his most daring outing yet at the brand for how he let his personal take surface, approached colors and clashed elements ranging from lingerie-inspired pieces to retro basketball jerseys.
The opening section was the strongest, with all the elongated tailoring reinterpreting the Victorian era with a softer filter and a play on proportions, the fluid pink brocades winking to bedtime and ‘70s hotel vibes, as well as the contrasting great leather biker jackets and coats with a lived-in effect that oozed rocker attitude.
Then came a mashup of references, from corsetry revisited for modern times – as a cotton canvas bralette to layer over shirts – waistcoats, flimsy white blouses and gauzy-textured dresses to iterations of regimental jackets worn with raw denim or leather pants, often tucked in stompy boots. An ivory leather jacket that Gallici had laser cut after the pattern of an old handkerchief stood out in the mix and led to a series of lightweight pinstripe suiting and silk basketball jerseys and short shorts, before an all-black closing segment evoked the dark romanticism of the house.
Overall the collection signaled Gallici’s growing confidence and commitment to infusing a youthful vibe in the brand, which does risk alienating some core Demeulemeester devotees. Luckily for Gallici, the company is putting effort into opening up to a new audience and can now count on a new crowd entering its orbit, headlined by Netflix stars Jenna Ortega and Jamie Campbell Bower, who sat front row and walked the show, respectively.