The Dandy Has Their Day at Vivienne Westwood
Review of Vivienne Westwood Spring 2026 Men’s Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Modern dandyism, flamboyant fun, extravagant expression
For a Milan season that many would agree felt noticeably lighter, the presentation format became the place to play. As more breathing room between shows meant that static formats, which would have once been sacrificed due to time constraints, were a welcome reprieve. Much more oversubscribed than in previous seasons designers relished the opportunity to slow down and set the tone.
Exploring a variety of ways to communicate their collections, saw films (Magliano), retrospective exhibitions (Stone Island), designers dissecting the why behind the what complete with visual aids (Mordecai), and theatrical settings (Church’s). Speaking of settings, Andreas Kronthaler’s menswear presentation for Vivienne Westwood was unironically set in a classic Italian
caffettería, serving Gelato – as if pre-empting the needs of those attending an outdoor showcase in the middle of June. The familiarity worked and the bygone-era vibe of the Caffettería meshed with the brands historical foundations which underpin each collection.
Riffing off the inspiration behind this year’s Met Gala exhibition – which explores the history and ripple effects through time of, specifically, the black dandy – the modern dandy became a central theme for Spring 2026, as Kronthaler explained “From early Renaissance to The Grand Tour, the English have admired the Mediterranean way of life – they brought a certain way of dressing here and the Italians made it their own. The look is a dandy of today”. The theatricality of the dandy’s dress was translated by subverting the house-dress into a non-binary consideration, pulling waists up to rib-cage height only to further emphasise the zone with a bare chest, and precariously high platform heels which only served to push the exhibitionist agenda further. But, a cut-out leotard and bathmat-style tunic may have been an addition to far as they landed on the costume side of dandyism.
Feeling a lot more playful and exploratory than previous seasons, it was obvious that the designer had fun assembling these looks, and for those dipping their toe into the World of Westwood – as opposed to identifying as a die-hard fan – there was no sacrificing of that most dandyesque of tropes, the impeccably tailored suit.
THE DIRECTION
THE QUOTE
The timeless elegance of English tailoring and the ‘raffinato non so che Milanese’. When a man has style, it means so much. It has nothing to do with fashion, it’s about style’
Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood
THE WRAP UP
The more extravagant flourishes within this spring 2026 collection may not be to everyones tastes, but no one can argue that it doesn’t capture the essence of the brand, as well as make modern, the idea of the dandy for today.
