During Paris Fashion Week, Maison Kitsuné opened its doors where models walked around a live DJ by Leo Pol set against an installation as the crowd watched, many of them were sipping Café Kitsuné, bringing the worlds of the house all together. Music is very much the foundation since it started in 2002 by Gildas Loaec and Masaya Kuroki. Since then, it has grown into a multi-disciplinary brand that spans lifestyle experiences.
The collection balanced playful signature with growing sophistication. While the alpaca balaclavas topped with fox ears were a favorite, the season’s strength lay in its material confidence and layered narratives with voluminous, cocooning knitwear, hand-knitted cable wool jumpers, cardigans, roll-necks and cropped alpaca sweaters. Styled alone or offset with oversized leather jackets and long wool coats, these pieces grounded the collection in warmth and tactility. Wide-leg denim, discreetly stamped with tonal fox motifs, reinforced the brand’s relaxed attitude. Practicality met elegance in jackets and bombers designed with straps to be worn backpack-style, alongside technical waterproof coats, down jackets and fleeces. Oversized functional pockets and subtle performance details added structure without tipping into overt utilitarianism. Yet at its core, the fox remains unmistakably itself.
Back in September, Abigail Smith was appointed Creative Director and debuted her Spring Summer 2026 collection, bringing with her over two decades of experience having worked with Calvin Klein, Celine, Chloé, Burberry, and Stella McCartney. Now back for fall, you can feel the real confidence in the house to become major players in fashion, along with offering a new expression, or drawing on a quote from the founders, “To be where we are least expected to be.”
Stepping into the role as Creative Director, how did you respond to honoring the Maison Kitsuné codes while having your own creative identity and instincts?
Abigail: It was quite instinctual for me to be honest. I’ve probably been following the brand for about 15 years, back in the day, as this record label with cool parties and everything. I identified with that lifestyle and backstory. Growing up, I came to fashion almost via music. I grew up in Sheffield, where there’s pretty much zero fashion, but there’s tons of music, and that’s how you would encounter fashion, like in the clubs. I think the two things that make Kitsuné unique is this duality of Paris and Tokyo, which fascinates me.
I’ve worked in Paris before, I was at Celine and Chloé, very Parisian situation, but then this idea that you could play with that in a much more lifestyle way, and then to throw that kind of Tokyo-like innovation and craftsmanship. I really like that. This is much more of an inclusive brand; you can speak to so many people, so it just felt intuitive. I knew the codes were kind of preppy, a little bit street, and there were always these references that I started exploring but wanted to just amp it and modernize it.
Today, we can go just about anywhere in jeans, t-shirts, and sweaters, so I wanted to know what aspects you brought in to bring an element of elegance to the house and the collection?
Abigail: That’s the thing I didn’t want to shy away from, the fact that we’re going to show a jeans look or a t-shirt. So, then, how do we do it? How does it feel elevated? For the jeans, we used Japanese denim, our second collaboration with Kuro. They do this amazing handcrafted denim. If you look up close, it’s hand-stitched. Each one is treated in this very precious way, so we’ve got things like that. The Japanese are really good at taking something to the next level; that’s an example of how we can elevate even a simple product. I’m just taking certain things that I know, like executions of fabrics.
If there’s one word that describes the season?
Abigail: Textured. I think I started with the texture, which did start in a big way from the fabrication. When you’re looking at a modern functional wardrobe, it’s not going to ever be really a single silhouette. It shouldn’t be. You should always feel at ease. So, then the layering can really come through from the different textures.
With this collection, and now with you at the house, was there any particular sustainability initiative that you wanted to have or introduce?
Abigail: I think that comes through when you’re talking about how to elevate it. The majority of the product is still the same price point, but we’ve also stretched upwards. Now, the top-end product is moving towards a more premium execution. When you work with craftspeople as we did for the cream sweater with the big twist, this is an example of that. It can only be done by hand-knit; it was done by ladies in Marseille. I think it’s just buying carefully and selectively, and not wastefully.
Because you’ve worked in Paris, how is this time different?
Abigail: Paris has changed a lot. I was last here over 10 years ago. The vibe is much more international, it’s much more inclusive. I think it’s got good energy these days. I’m working in a different kind of environment, it’s more like a family here.
I’m going to ask some questions now for Gildas Loaec, founder of Maison Kistune, as he is here for the presentation. You started with the label, the cafes, the clothes, and we’ve seen the community grow. I wanted to know what kind of what is your overall philosophy is for Kitsuné as a whole?
Gildas: To give us the chance to do whatever we might like to do in terms of not sticking to one format and to push ourselves outside.
And what was it about Abigail’s work that made you think that she would be strong for Maison Kitsuné?
Gildas: We were looking for a creative to collaborate with, since we know our limits in terms of what we will be able to do, we need her vision, knowledge, in terms of building up a story for a collection and a sense of like colors. I saw the way she was playing with color, and I was loving it. That’s a great talent and skill; what she is doing is amazing.
Check out the FW26 collection below:
