Jonathan Simkhai treated Spring 2027 as an autumnal exercise, building a collection around leather, weighty laces and glossy, jelly-coated knits that push against conventional seasonal dressing. The consequence is a runway that prioritises material innovation over springtime lightness, a move that aligns with shoppers who already buy coats in summer and swimwear in winter.
The Story in Pictures
Simkhai framed the anti-seasonal direction as a deliberate test of his own instincts. "I just wanted to try new things," he said. "I wanted to challenge myself. It was quite simple in a way." That impulse informed both silhouette choices and surface experiments across the show.
The opener set the tone: a black leather T-shirt dress that revealed a sliver of hand-rolled white chiffon fringe beneath. The men’s looks included simple cream and black two-piece leather suits, nodding to a ’90s minimalism, while the womenswear offered fully fringed leather maxi dresses that swept the floor as models walked.
A few pieces edged toward established house codes, notably boxy, colourful brushed-suede jackets worn with high-collared shirts, which read closer to Loewe or Celine than to Simkhai’s usual direction. Fringe reappeared in knitwear as well, translated into sculptural, tiered tank dresses that played with volume and movement.
Perhaps the season’s most literal material experiment came in the high-shine, jelly-coated tanks. The finish gives knitwear a rubber-like gloss while keeping the garments soft and wearable. "It’s languid and not stiff at all," he said. The same coating appeared on denim pants and jackets, producing a polished, vacuum-sealed sheen without the constriction of real latex.
Later looks referenced a moodboard of strange florals such as pincushion flowers, realised as shaggy white tops and skirts made from strips of organza, chiffon and paillettes. Cut with asymmetrical hems and matched to small satin tuxedo coats, these pieces balanced formal structure with playful texture.
Because seasonality is increasingly porous for consumers, Simkhai’s anti-spring stance feels timely rather than merely contrarian. The collection is a focused study in fabric and finish, confirming that material choices can define a season as much as palette or print.
