Puig showcases Carolina Herrera SS26 collection in Madrid

Madrid – Puig, the Spanish multinational, exhibited a remarkable display of influence, convening power, and leadership within the fashion and beauty industry. This was showcased in Madrid with the presentation of Carolina Herrera's new SS26 collection. Carolina Herrera is one of the largest assets held by the company chaired by Marc Puig. Since its listing in May 2024, Puig has focused on highlighting its unique, diversified business model.

This model treats fashion and beauty as two sides of the same coin. This was particularly evident on the evening of September 18 in Madrid. The city had been anticipating this date since the April announcement that it would host Carolina Herrera's next runway show. This presentation, organised in parallel with Madrid Fashion Week and the current edition of MBFW Madrid, marks a significant moment in the brand's history. It is the first seasonal collection shown outside New York in its 44-year history. It is the third organised outside New York, considering the 2024 and 2025 Resort collections shown in Rio de Janeiro and Mexico, respectively.

Reflecting Puig's focus on its business model, the show celebrations began hours before the 8 pm showtime at Plaza Mayor. A pop-up space dedicated to Carolina Herrera's new perfume, "La Bomba", was installed in the bustling Plaza del Callao. Marc Puig, president of Puig, highlighted the fragrance's launch during the presentation of the group's latest half-year results.

The official presentation took place at this emblematic Madrid location. Large screens also broadcast the fashion show live. Puig's two main business pillars, perfumery and fashion, were united to present the new seasonal collection, described by Carolina Herrera as "a love letter to Madrid". The collection was unveiled amidst the scent of "La Bomba", a fragrance honouring the brand's founder, Carolina Herrera, whom Diana Vreeland called "La Bomba".

Wes Gordon, creative director of Carolina Herrera, said, "Madrid has always been one of my favourite cities in the world, rich in history, art and culture", and "home to incredible creatives with a unique approach to beauty and joy". He added: "There's something about the rhythm of this city, its appetite for life, that inspires me and fills me with energy, and that is deeply aligned with the Herrera woman."

Lace, ruffles and violets

Inspired by the artistic, creative, and cultural heritage of Madrid and Spain, Wes Gordon designed a collection connecting the city's past and present to celebrate the femininity of tomorrow. Gordon's main inspiration came from the links between 17th-century Madrid during the Golden Age and the "Movida Madrileña" of the 1980s. By blending these eras with Carolina Herrera's signature codes and incorporating key voices from Madrid's current fashion scene, he shaped this seasonal collection.

The collection's colour palette draws inspiration from Pedro Almodóvar's films, featuring sensual violets and lilacs, electrifying fuchsia pinks, and intense saffron yellows. Crisp white and sensual carmine red, key colours in the Herrera universe, complement these hues. Deep, luxurious jet black, the distinctive colour of the Spanish royal court during the Golden Age, completes the chromatic spectrum.

Drawing inspiration from Paloma Picasso and Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, the 18th Duchess of Alba, Gordon created a series of flowing, sculptural, daring, and demure dresses. These pieces reflect the unique style, tastes, and sensibilities of each muse, blended with the essence of Carolina Herrera and Gordon's own vision.

Gordon reinterprets elements such as the brocades worn by the Spanish court during the Golden Age, traditional Spanish mantillas, bullfighters' monteras, Goyaesque attire, the cobblestone patterns and awnings of Plaza Mayor, and the tailoring, ruffles, and polka dots characteristic of Carolina Herrera. Floral motifs and prints, including carnations (Madrid's signature flower), violets (another typical Madrid flower and the namesake of the city's traditional violet sweets), and "rosas del Retiro" (roses cultivated in El Retiro Park's rose garden), complete the collection.

Carolina Herrera stated that the Spring/Summer 2026 collection is "inspired by the vivid union between Madrid's 17th-century Golden Age and the irreverent spirit of the 1980s 'La Movida' movement, the same era as the House's founding. This collection connects past and present in a celebration of femininity towards the future". They emphasised that the collection is "a love letter to Madrid, an iconic city of contrasts, precision, audacity, and beauty, seen through the kaleidoscope of Carolina Herrera".

Collaborations with Palomo and Sybilla

To further celebrate Madrid, Carolina Herrera collaborated with several local businesses and designers. This dialogue between the New York fashion house and the city included a collaboration with Casa Seseña, a historic cape maker founded in 1901. The show featured archival designs worn by figures such as Alfonso XIII, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Carolina and Reinaldo Herrera.

The brand also presented a collection of hand-blown glass accessories by Levens, created by artist Mar del Hoyo; jewellery pieces crafted by Madrid-based jeweller Andresgallardo; a selection of the brand's iconic white shirts, reinterpreted by Alejandro Gómez Palomo, founder and creative director of Palomo Spain; and sculptural dresses co-created by Wes Gordon and the iconic Spanish designer Sybilla. This collaboration marks Sybilla's return to the forefront of the industry, showcasing her creations on the runway. She and Gordon designed five exclusive pieces in monochrome red and black.

Sybilla said: "I feel that collaborations are the future, and this one has been very easy and fun. Working with Wes has been a pleasure, and I feel honoured to be part of this project that has celebrated Madrid, the city that has influenced and inspired me in so many ways." This collaboration saw Sybilla "blend her unmistakable sculptural and sensual style and particular pattern-making technique with the elegance of Carolina Herrera", according to her fashion house.