MKDT Studio’s Caroline Engelgaar was thinking about the importance of reconnection for spring 2026, given the multiple crises the world is facing right now. The designer sought inspiration from American surrealist painter Kay Sage, and the Paris-based Jean Jacques Balzac, a pseudonym adopted by an artist who uses AI to create “wrong architecture” illustrations. For Engelgaar, Sage’s work is about looking back, while Balzac represents the future. “I think it’s where we’re standing in the world,” she explained in a preview. “It seems as if everything, almost, is split in two.”
This need for reconnection was translated literally via the woven pieces that featured throughout the collection: clutch bags with trailing ribbons that blew in the wind, along with the braided detailing on tops, dresses, and jacket sleeves—all creating a similarly undone effect. Intricately embroidered wave motifs also appeared on a pale yellow dress and skirt, offering a more refined take on the theme.
Elsewhere, exposed seams and raw edges were designed to represent the need for us to reconnect with our garments. Speaking of which, the fringed shoes made from deadstock fabrics—a collaboration with Paris-based shoe brand Calla—nodded to the enormous amount of waste created within the fashion industry.
Somewhat purposefully, the spring 2026 offering was a lot less polished compared to past seasons. Going forward, customers are more likely to connect with what MKDT Studio does best: beautifully crafted tailoring.
