All eyes were indeed on Aadnevik this season as designers Hila and Kristian Aadnevik unveiled their Spring/Summer 2026 collection at London Fashion Week, dedicated to the memory of France’s last queen, Marie Antoinette.
The collection transported us back to 1770, when the young Archduchess of Austria left her homeland at just 14 years old to marry Louis XVI in a grand ceremony at Versailles. From that moment, she became one of the most talked-about monarchs in history – a symbol of extravagance, rebellion, and tragedy.
A Queen of Contradictions
“Marie Antoinette is the hedonistic muse of this collection; a woman of paradoxes – a queen of both immense extravagance and scandalous simplicity,” said the designers. This duality is reflected throughout the show, with couture pieces that balance ornate courtly drama against the rebellious intimacy of her private wardrobe.
Regal Opulence on the Runway
The gowns featured soft pastels in blue, green, and pink, adorned with hand-crafted silk flowers echoing the Queen’s love of blossoms and her transformation of the Petit Trianon into a floral paradise.
Laced silk corsets intertwined with fine braided leather contrasted with weightless chiffon and tulle skirts, while dresses shimmered with intricate embroidery and glittering crystals, capturing the indulgence of Versailles.
The palette moved from porcelain whites and delicate lace, evoking innocence, to shades of black and deep red, a solemn reminder of her tragic fate.
A Romantic Enigma
Aadnevik’s vision is both a homage and a reinvention, celebrating Marie Antoinette as a timeless muse – a fantasy of beauty, decadence, magic, and inevitable sorrow.
The show closed with a haunting reminder of her humanity, quoting her final words before the guillotine:
“Pardon me, Sir. I did not do it on purpose.”
With Paul Winstone capturing the regal silhouettes and Matt Draper documenting the drama on film, this was a collection that will be remembered – not only for its craftsmanship but for its story, one that continues to captivate more than two centuries later.
Photography by Paul Winstone | Videography by Matt Draper
