“Our shadows walk among us,” Collina Strada’s Spring 2026 show notes read. Designer Hillary Taymour’s latest array, titled "Shade," called upon an unlikely source of inspiration, philosopher Carl Jung, whose provocative quote laid the foundation for the new range.
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” What happens when we befriend the monsters hiding in our closets? What would we divulge to our shadows if they ever caught up to us? Perhaps they're not that different after all, and perhaps our shadow is more authentic than our front-facing selves because they're unafraid to be unabashedly imperfect. Perhaps we have more in common than we may think.
Taymour is no stranger to presenting collections that urge audiences to ponder contemporary questions. Even if the issues we face may seem insurmountable, her designs attempt to bring meaning to the current chaos of the world. As we navigate an era of crisis, a dark time for humanity as inequality exponentially grows, the designer presents compassion and understanding through a collection that doesn’t cower in the face of darkness — it willingly invites it in.
At Manhattan’s East River Piers, the show commenced as models made their way across the industrial runway. But as soon as the show got started, it became apparent that the audience was starting to see double. Each model had their own ghoulish counterpart, and they walked in pairs from the beginning of the show to the finale. The twins wore all-black versions of each look, highlighting each ensemble in two different iterations.
The collection included Collina Strada's classic DNA — lots of lace, bubble hems, oversized silhouettes and mesh — incorporated into a series of oversized organza cargo pants, satin slip dresses, chiffon gowns and outerwear. Hairy hats drew the eyes upwards, while a Collina x Converse collaboration balanced out some of the looks.
For a collection all about duality, Taymour seemed to hit the nail right on the head. Each ensemble could live comfortably within a downtown party girl’s sequin-filled wardrobe, but the all-black looks offered something less commanding for the party-girl’s counterpart — maybe the esoteric writer or the girl who wants to look well-dressed without seeming like she tried to look well-dressed. The collection has touch points for all different style sensibilities, uniting wearers over a core sense of humanity and a sartorial appreciation.
Collina Strada’s Spring 2026 collection proved that facing the darkness can be scary. But in order to invite in more light, we must welcome the dark with open arms. We must befriend our shadow — and in Taymour’s case, bedazzle it, cover it in lace and wrap it with a few bows.
Photography: Matt Weinberger
