April 2026 News Roundup
1.
Though fans and industry insiders were heartbroken when The Vampire’s Wife folded last year, Susie Cave is returning with a different approach to luxury: Susie Cave Weddings and Funerals. Instead of building a brand based on the traditional Ready-to-Wear cycle, Cave’s new venture focuses on demi-couture pieces crafted for the most significant milestones of life. By moving away from a wholesale model, Cave explains she is no longer beholden to the “relentless, voracious appetite of the industry,” allowing her to design “beyond the demands of the market.” Her shop, which is slated to open mid-to-late May on a discreet street in London’s Kensington neighborhood, will be by appointment only, signaling a return to the intimate, high-touch roots of luxury dressmaking. Learn more here.
Pierre Hardy. Photograph courtesy of Ron Adar / Shutterstock.
2.
A personal career highlight during my tenure at Hermès was the opportunity to work with and meet shoe designer Pierre Hardy. A true design polymath, Hardy’s background in fine arts and dance informs a design philosophy that treats the body as the starting point for his creations. Hardy is the designer of some of the most influential silhouettes in the luxury canon, including the iconic H-shaped Oran sandal and the all-leather Quick sneaker, the first true luxe sneaker designed for life rather than sport. In this interview, Hardy reflects on his beginnings in fashion as an illustrator, his sketching ritual, and how the unique culture at Hermès allows him the rare luxury of designing at a human pace. Read the full interview here.
3.
2026 marks ten years since the passing of Prince, and to commemorate the anniversary, his longtime art director and photographer Steve Parke has released a new monograph: Prince: Black, White, Color. Parke, who chronicled the artist for 13 years at Paisley Park, goes beyond the stage to explore everything from cover illustrations to set design and new photography formats. The book serves as an intimate act of remembrance, featuring over 250 images—many previously unseen—that capture Prince’s sun-drenched home in Marbella and quiet moments with his first wife, Mayte Garcia. Together, Parke and Garcia reflect on the unique creative environment Prince built, providing a rare look at the community behind the Purple One’s legendary output. Read the full story here.
Detail of an Issey Miyake dress. Photograph courtesy of FashionStock.com / Shutterstock.
4.
How fashion brands handle production remnants is a topic rarely discussed, but at Milan Design Week 2026, Issey Miyake decided to let the public in on the mystery. The house debuted The Paper Log: Shell and Core, an exhibition of handcrafted furniture created from the tightly compressed rolls of paper used to protect fabric during the pleating process. The project was sparked when head designer Satoshi Kondo visited the brand’s factory and recognized the structural beauty of these “paper logs.” In collaboration with Ensamble Studio, the brand transformed this industrial residue into "Core" (solid, marbled stools and tables treated with wax and glue) and "Shell" (ephemeral, sculptural forms hardened with resin). It is a remarkable display of material memory, proving that even the most functional byproducts can be reimagined into uniquely artistic objects. Discover the exhibition here.
5.
Last month, the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers announced its nine finalists, after whittling down a shortlist of 20 semifinalists from a staggering 2,500 applicants. This year’s group represents a truly global cross-section of emerging talent, featuring designers from the United States, France, Georgia, Belgium, China, Sweden, the UK, Spain, and Kenya. The 2026 finalists—including Colleen Allen, Julie Kegels, Zane Li, and Anil Padia of Yoshita 1967— will now compete for the Grand Prix and the Karl Lagerfeld Prize, which offer both financial grants and essential mentorship from LVMH executives. As the industry increasingly looks toward the next generation of talent, this diverse group of creators represents the next wave of designers poised to redefine luxury on their own terms. Explore the finalists here.
Susie Cave photo courtesy of Ovidiu Hrubaru / Shutterstock.
