At Paris Couture Week 2026, Ashi Studio unveiled the Spring/Summer 2026 Couture collection, exploring historic corsetry and references to Victorian mourning.
During the Paris Couture Week 2026, held in January, Ashi Studio Presented the collection Spring/Summer 2026 Couture, entitled “The Beginning”. The fashion show was part of the official haute couture calendar in Paris on January 29 and its central axis was the investigation of Victorian mourning rituals, historical corsetry techniques, and contemporary material manipulation. Among the outfits, Look 14 stood out, a custom-made oxblood crocodile leather jacket, structured close to the body to the floor, with a raised collar and exposed back.
Founded by the Saudi designer Ashi, the maison has consolidated its presence in Paris over the past few seasons with a language that combines classic construction and material research. The brand operates within the haute couture circuit as a studio that stresses tradition and theatricality, often dialoguing with historical references and body control codes. In this collection, the starting point was the Victorian-era obsession with grief, desire, and aesthetic discipline.
The collection used 18th century corsetry techniques to compress waists and structure bell-shaped silhouettes. Dresses incorporated rounded extensions, glue-treated surfaces to create apparent moisture effects, and trompe l'oeil paintings that transformed flat fabrics into illusory bows and drapes. Braided hair was integrated into the pieces as a reference to Victorian mourning jewelry, while keys, moths associated with death, and wax seals appeared as symbolic elements. Part of the development was carried out in collaboration with scenography and hair professionals who work in the cinema, including teams involved in the production of “Dracula”.
The recurrence of the corset in the season was one of the movements observed on different runways and high-profile events. The structured silhouette reappeared as an instrument of body definition, indicating a symbolic repositioning of this piece in the contemporary imaginary. By framing the corset as an element of power and not just of restraint, Ashi Studio spoke with a market that revisits historical codes under new cultural and commercial interpretations.
In the context of haute couture, where exclusivity and narrative go together, the collection reinforced the studio's role as a technical laboratory. The combination of artisanal techniques, burned surfaces, experimental applications and material illusion evidenced a strategy focused on differentiation within a highly competitive global calendar.
The intersection between artisanal tradition, historical symbolism and technical experimentation helps to understand transformations that impact both the creative discourse and the market positioning of the houses.
