Abigail Smiley-Smith’s first collection as Creative Director of Maison Kitsuné It is called Voyage Vestiaire and was presented at Paris Fashion Week

For the SS26 collection, the Maison Kitsuné showroom was imbued with soft colors, refined Japanese denim, fine knitwear, and stylized illustrations of Art Deco Paris, with a refreshed fox symbolizing the Maison’s new luminous chapter. Leading this evolution is Abigail Smiley-Smith, newly appointed Creative Director, who previously worked for brands such as Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, and Victoria Beckham; her arrival marks a decisive turning point for the brand founded twenty-five years ago by Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki, and we met Smiley-Smith and Loaëc in Paris to discuss what feels like a new beginning for Maison Kitsuné, a brand that, a quarter of a century after its founding, is entering a more mature and confident phase of its evolution.

A British designer with a background in some of Paris’s most influential fashion houses, Abigail embodies Maison Kitsuné’s vision as a synthesis of Parisian elegance and Japanese innovation, of fashion and culture, of discipline and artistic sensitivity; her first collection, titled “Voyage Vestiaire”, draws on the poetic image of a Japanese traveler rediscovering Paris with new eyes, and as the designer explains she wanted to express “a Paris that is constantly reinvented through the gaze of an outsider, curious, respectful, fascinated,” adding that “the collection is about building a wardrobe that’s functional yet poetic, reflecting the dual heritage between the two cultures.” The SS26 silhouettes articulate this idea of movement and lightness through fluid, versatile pieces that remain essential while rich in material nuance; the men’s wardrobe reinterprets Parisian preppy codes with technical fabrics and contemporary cuts, while the women’s line finds a natural balance between structure and spontaneity that captures the rhythm of urban life, and for Smith Maison Kitsuné has always been “a modern and functional wardrobe,” with the season’s challenge being to elevate that identity by “making it more refined but still wearable and relevant.” 

Material research plays a central role, as fabrics such as crinkled poplin, Japanese cotton, and technical seersucker narrate the dialogue between East and West animating the Maison; “When I think of Japan, I immediately think of textile innovation and denim, fields in which they truly excel,” says Smith, while icons of classical Paris—fountains, metro stations, Art Deco motifs—are reinterpreted in the collection through a fresh, outward-looking gaze. A highlight of the season is the Savoir-Faire capsule, which celebrates the encounter between French tradition and Japanese craftsmanship through six exclusive pieces ranging from premium leather outerwear to crochet shirts and artisanal denim; each piece is accompanied by a label explaining the techniques employed, testifying to the deep connection between heritage and innovation.

While Abigail’s artistic direction sets a new creative course, for Gildas Loaëc it also represents a milestone in the Maison’s evolution: “We started almost 25 years ago, and even today we’re still learning and growing within the fashion world,” the founder notes, adding that “one of our goals has always been to evolve towards a more sophisticated and expressive offering, with more style, more technique, more savoir-faire; thanks to Abigail, we feel ready to confidently enter Paris Fashion Week, and for us, as a company born in Paris, that’s a very meaningful step.” Loaëc sees this new phase as a natural maturation of the brand, which continues to build its multidisciplinary universe across fashion, music, hospitality, and art; “Everything we do, from interiors to fashion, from our nightclub to our record label, revolves around creativity and curation,” he explains.

The strength of Maison Kitsuné, he adds, lies in its independent model: “We’re still 100% independent, and that gives us the freedom and flexibility to grow at our own pace.” Abigail Smith interprets this independence as a source of authenticity, noting that many brands aspire to call themselves lifestyle brands whereas Maison Kitsuné “truly is one, it was born that way”; that authenticity resonates with a community of people who share the same taste and sensibility, and “Maison Kitsuné is for cultural nomads who move between cities like Paris, Tokyo, and London, curious people passionate about design, music, and fashion: the brand should mirror a world where a Japanese ikebana sits naturally next to a pair of worn-in jeans, because ultimately it is a question of harmony, culture, and taste.” With its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Maison Kitsuné reaffirms its ambition to level up through an evolution that does not deny its origins but amplifies them, weaving together craftsmanship, design, and global vision; with this debut, Abigail Smith opens a new era for the Maison, contemporary and cosmopolitan, poised between Paris and Tokyo, between timeless elegance and creative experimentation.