Ann Demeulemeester Pre-Fall 2026 Ready to Wear Collection Review

Never look down on commercial exercises: they are the gym of the fashion industry. The training sessions offered by pre-collections — which Ann Demeulemeester introduced relatively recently — are helping Stefano Gallici flex his creative muscle in a complimentary way to the moody shows he stages during Paris Fashion Week.

Far from the immersive experience, rich storytelling and plenty of references that inform his runway outings, Gallici is finding a right distance to look at the archives and new ways to fuel that dialogue between past and present, the founder’s codes and his own inspirations, that is marking his tenure.

Take his muses for this season. While the brand’s association with the likes of Patti Smith is a no-brainer, it was way more interesting to see vintage imagery of Johnny Depp pinned on Gallici’s pre-fall 2026 mood board. It was the actor’s side gig as a musician to fascinate the designer, along with that of model Jamie Bochert, the other character inspiring Gallici in infusing their too-cool-to-care attitude and grungy vibe into his lineup.

Overall, this marked a decisive improvement compared to his pre-collection debut, as it maintained a razor-sharp focus on product and uncomplicated shapes without silencing that poetic imprinting embedded in the brand and carried on by the designer. Even if in a streamlined version, the slouchy, elongated tailoring of the house charmed and efficiently mingled with Gallici’s go-to archetypes, such as leather biker jackets and long coats oozing raw charm and rocker charisma with their lived-in effect.

Sartorial pieces in classic or sized-up pinstripe motifs caught the attention and were crafted from crushed or embroidered velvet to look great for their construction and rich texture, which added to brushed wool, silk chiffons, satin, devorè velvet and paisley motifs. Elsewhere, tartan kilts and printed jersey basics counterbalanced the dark romanticism of Victorian-like dresses, gauzy blouses and the liquid shine of lingerie-inspired frocks. 

Looking like treasures of vintage thrifting sessions, jewelry encompassing feather-shaped brooches, chains and dangling earrings punctuated the looks and contributed to strengthen Gallici’s character-building exercise, which is poised to appeal to both new and hard-core fans of the brand.