Paolina Russo Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The inspiration for Paolina Russo’s highly anticipated spring 2026 collection took root during an enlightening research trip to Ilsan, a vibrant city located northwest of Seoul, celebrated for its impressive vintage shopping scene. “There are mountains of vintage pieces from America, the UK, and beyond,” shared Paolina Russo, co-founder of the brand, during a preview of the collection. The challenge presented was to uncover archival designs that exuded a unique blend of “Laura Ashley meets sport”—a nearly impossible mission, as Russo noted. “While we didn’t find exact matches, we managed to fuse various silhouettes,” she elaborated.

At first glance, the whimsical florals that Laura Ashley is known for might seem worlds apart from Russo’s characteristic jersey tops and optical illusion prints. However, this season, Russo and co-founder Lucile Guilmard sought to delve into a more feminine aesthetic. This ambition materialized through their creation of lightweight chiffon handkerchief dresses, featuring a combination of Liberty-inspired florals melded with bold sports jersey numbers. These designs were innovatively constructed using enlarged photographs of previous seasons’ archival pieces. The pastoral theme was further underscored by this season’s intentionally low-fi lookbook, which showcases photographs taken by Russo during a scenic hike in Wales. Complementing this motif, the duo introduced a “girly” update to the classic tracksuit, incorporating an elasticated maxi skirt paired with a matching zip-up jacket, both adorned with distorted picnic blanket checks.

This season also marked a notable introduction of lighter, more wearably crafted knits that were meticulously developed in partnership with a vertical factory in Hong Kong, where the entire production process—from fiber to final garment—is completed. Historically, Paolina Russo has garnered greater acclaim with its fall collections, showcasing popular styles like warrior princess knits and laser-printed denim. However, spring 2026 symbolizes a transformative chapter in the brand’s evolution. “This collection synthesizes everything we’ve been building over the past few seasons and presents a more varied wardrobe,” Russo expressed. “It’s undoubtedly one of our favorite collections yet.”