Gvasalia presented the Vetements Spring-Summer 2026 collection in a raw concrete space off the Champs-Élysées, where pulsating strobes and barking dog sounds created a more confrontational than celebratory atmosphere. The Georgian designer wanted to make a statement about our screen-obsessed culture. He did so with garments that appeared conventional from the front but exposed nearly everything from behind.
Models wearing sheer face masks navigated the runway under lights so intense that several walked directly into the photographers’ pit. Cara Delevingne walked with remarkable composure, despite the chaotic setup and her oversized heels. Ice Spice, Kelly Rutherford, and Michèle Lamy watched from the front row.
The technical work deserves recognition. Hunched-forward shoulder pads nodded to our smartphone posture. High privacy collars on outerwear were sometimes connected to baseball caps with poppers, creating a no-photos enclosure. These details revealed a genuine understanding of how people navigate public spaces today.
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However, Gvasalia undermined his own cleverness with forced provocation. The opening looks featured T-shirts with swastikas crossed out in red. He explained that he was inspired by seeing one spray-painted near the brand’s Swiss headquarters. This reduced a symbol of genocide to the visual language of a no-smoking sign.
Jeans appeared normal from the front, but the back was made of clear plastic. The dresses referenced Gwyneth Paltrow’s 1999 Oscar gown and Grace Kelly’s wardrobe; however, the backs were cut away to reveal hosiery and skin. Gvasalia said he drew inspiration from how little his pop star clients wear onstage and from a scene in Eyes Wide Shut. When Natalia Vodianova walked out in what appeared to be a Grace Kelly dress, the back told a different story entirely.
Clubwear worked better. Skinny jeans, leather coats with face-covering collars, cropped T-shirts, and shrunken polos looked sharp set to pounding techno. The Margiela influence was evident throughout the collection, from stocking masks to deconstructed tailoring. Karolina Kurkova wore a jacket reminiscent of Barbour, and Winnie Harlow appeared in a strong-shouldered version of the polka-dot dress Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman.
The show closed with Anok Yai in a black gown, weeping. Gvasalia explained that this referenced their shared history as refugees of war. However, the connection between that raw emotion and the rest of the presentation remained unclear.
