Season's Greetings from all of us at MyFashionConect Global

Gold-plated pewter tree decoration - Herald Angel (2025) from Dower & Hall, designed by Dan Dower
and handmade in their UK workshop.  The design is engraved with '2025' on the reverse, making it perfect for collectors.

Angels hold special significance at Christmas, symbolizing the connection between heaven and earth. For Christians around the world, they are revered as divine messengers who proclaimed the good news of Jesus’ birth, appearing to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds in the Nativity story. As messengers from above, angels carry a timeless sentiment of peace and joy—serving as enduring reminders of love, harmony, and hope during the festive season and beyond. 

May these symbols of hope and glad tidings bring you joy, happiness, and peace this Christmas and throughout the season.

Featured here is a 'Herald Angel' tree decoration by Dower & Hall, handmade in their UK workshop.

"This year’s Herald Angel is crafted with a more delicate touch, allowing it to sit gracefully on your Christmas tree. The cut-out wings glimmer in the light adding depth and fascination - a nod to our beloved Angel Wing collection," said Dan Dower, co-founder of Dower & Hall. 

Images by Lucia Carpio

Trade Fair News: Première Vision Paris Unveils New Visual Identity and Theme for February 2026 Edition

Première Vision Paris has announced details of its February 2026 edition, scheduled to take place from 3 to 5 February 2026 at the Parc des Expositions in Villepinte. The organisers have revealed a new visual identity designed to illustrate the show’s key seasonal theme and signal its creative direction.

The visual identity for the February 2026 edition captures a forward-looking and joyful vision of fashion, where craftsmanship and creativity are reinvented through hybridisation. At its centre is a striking juxtaposition: the couture volume of tulle, emblematic of expressive ornamentation, merges with the sporty functionality of a trainer and a bomber jacket. The image highlights a new creative territory in which technical expertise, emotion and sophistication intersect, reflecting Première Vision’s ability to reinterpret savoir-faire, bridge tradition and innovation, and embody a freer, more dynamic and contemporary fashion landscape.

Reaffirming its commitment to supporting craftsmanship and highlighting territories of expertise, the organisers have positioned the show as a journey through the many identities and geographies of savoir-faire. The February 2026 edition will place a particular focus on France, Portugal and Japan—territories recognised for inspiring new ways of making, seeing, creating and thinking.

The theme, titled Territories of Savoir-Faire, celebrates a vibrant ecosystem of creativity that brings together pioneers redefining the boundaries of their craft. It presents savoir-faire as a living resource—human, social, artisanal, cultural and patrimonial—explored from the closest to the most distant, from upstream to downstream, and from agriculture to the designer. The approach reflects a desire to examine local models as blueprints for the future, emphasising the rediscovery of existing resources, the cultivation of local skills, the defence of diversity, reconnection with living systems, and the renewal of textile culture and innovation.

“Our ambition is to support the industry through its profound transformation and help build a model that is sustainable, competitive and desirable,” the organisers said. 

At the show, the Territories of Savoir-Faire theme will unfold as an immersive journey, featuring dedicated experience zones and exclusive talks that give voice to the craftsmanship of today and tomorrow. Visitors will be invited to engage with some of the world’s richest reservoirs of expertise and experience the theme in all its vitality.

Within this framework, France is highlighted for its culture and counter-culture, representing a territory where savoir-faire bridges heritage and contemporary creation. Portugal is recognised for its commitment to living sustainability, bringing together industries and artisans dedicated to sustainable fashion. Japan is showcased for its nature-minded approach, where textile tradition meets biotechnological innovation.

The organisers expect to welcome close to 1,000 exhibitors from 36 countries. For more than 50 years, Première Vision Paris has brought together fashion professionals from across the globe, establishing itself as a unique sourcing and solutions hub that addresses the challenges and needs of fashion businesses, from mainstream to luxury, through a rigorously curated offer representing the world’s major sourcing regions.

The show spans the entire industry value chain, including yarns, designs, fabrics, accessories, leather, manufacturing, and smart creation encompassing materials and fashion technology. It highlights rare know-how, artisanal and innovative techniques, large-scale production capabilities, solutions tailored to capsule collections, bespoke product development, operational agility, and complementary price positioning. By combining rigour, inspiration and expertise, Première Vision Paris aims to meet the needs of style, purchasing, production, CSR and development teams as closely as possible.

Trade Fair News: Reinventing the Past for the Future: Texworld Reveals “Very Middle Ages” Trend Book for SS27

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, the international trade fair organised by Messe Frankfurt France, has announced “Very Middle Ages” as its new trend book for the Spring–Summer 2027 season. The fair will take place from 2 to 4 February 2026 at the Paris–Le Bourget Exhibition Centre.

According to the organisers, the trend book sets out the creative directions expected to shape upcoming collections against a backdrop of global pressure marked by geopolitical tensions, social expectations, digital transformation and shifting markets.

“At a time when fashion, like the wider world, is experiencing strong turbulence, Very Middle Ages chooses to look to the future by invoking a reinvented past,” Messe Frankfurt France said. The concept is described not as a nostalgic retreat, but as a reflective lens through which contemporary tensions can be examined.

The Spring–Summer 2027 edition of the trend book is intended to support designers seeking renewal and imaginative freedom. It explores a deliberately dark and complex universe that blends notions of protection, conflict, magic and augmented identity, using a reimagined, digital Middle Ages as a metaphor for current upheavals.

Four creative universes

Developed under the direction of Louis Gérin and Grégory Lamaud, artistic directors of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, the project draws on the reflections of a collective of stylists, designers, writers and artists. Their starting point was a central question: how to create in a world that doubts its own capacity to imagine?

The answer takes the form of four creative narratives, each highlighting a different point of friction between reality and expectation: a return to primal functionality, the comfort of digital illusion, warrior-like responses to crisis, and the continuous expansion of the digital self.

Rather than presenting a fixed forecast, the organisers describe Very Middle Ages as an instinctive and sometimes unsettling interpretation of the Spring–Summer 2027 season. The approach positions clothing as a means of protection, affirmation, resistance or transformation, at a time when boundaries between the real and the virtual, the natural and the artificial, and the past and the future are increasingly blurred.

The first theme, Digital Lordship, imagines technology giants as modern-day overlords. In this scenario, individuals become voluntary vassals, surrendering privacy and freedom in exchange for perceived security. Fashion reflects this tension through layered, highly functional silhouettes, heavy fabrics, metal-coated finishes and ribbed knits in steel grey, charcoal black and silver holographic tones.

The second theme, Nuclear Sorcery, explores a form of artificial “reenchantment”. While visually rich, it represents an aesthetic of illusion, where advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, offers comfort even as it risks dulling critical thought. The silhouettes emphasise softness and protection, featuring iridescent organza, translucent fabrics, foamy knits, light mohair and second-skin jerseys. The colour palette ranges from spectral purples and carmine red to opaline hues and so-called “radioactive” greens.

The third theme, Speculative Crusade, draws on humanity’s long history of conflict and the pursuit of domination. This darker, martial direction is expressed through armoured, combat-inspired silhouettes and hybrid materials with visceral textures. Colours include dark reds and browns, textured blacks, military khaki and burnt chrome.

The final theme, Data Inquisition, depicts a society under constant surveillance, where difference is swiftly judged and individual identity is absorbed by the collective. In this world, clothing becomes an interface and an extension of the digital self. Garments function as adaptable, modular second skins, presented within an icy, algorithmic palette dominated by cool blues.

Each theme is supported by mood boards and colour palettes structured around three key colours and six complementary shades. The four creative universes will be presented at Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris in the trend forums area of Hall 2, where visitors will be able to explore immersive displays featuring looks developed by the artistic directors using selected materials and finished products.

Louis Gérin is also scheduled to present the full scope of the trend book during a dedicated conference at the February 2026 edition of the fair, offering designers detailed creative insights for developing Spring–Summer 2027 collections.

All images courtesy of  Messe Frankfurt France / Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris

Show Annoucement: V&A London to Stage First UK Exhibition on Maison Schiaparelli

London's Victoria and Albert Museum (the V&A) will stage the UK’s first major exhibition dedicated to the Maison Schiaparelli next spring, opening on 28 March 2026. The show, titled Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, will examine the evolution and influence of the house from its emergence in the late 1920s to its contemporary presence in global fashion.

Vogue 1940; Designer Elsa Schiaparelli wearing black silk dress with crocheted collar of her own design and a turban. (Photo by Fredrich BakerCondé Nast via Getty Images).

Curators say the exhibition will position founder Elsa Schiaparelli at the heart of a transatlantic creative milieu spanning Paris, London, and New York. Drawing on newly conducted research, the presentation will explore Schiaparelli’s work as an early and unusually forward-looking fashion entrepreneur, foregrounding her collaborative relationships with leading artists of the twentieth century.

Evening coat, designed by Elsa Schiaparelli and Jean Cocteau, 1937, London, England © 2025 ADAGP DACS Comite Cocteau, Paris. Photograph © Emil Larsson.

 More than 200 objects—including garments, accessories, jewellery, artworks, perfumes, and archival documents—will illustrate the house’s aesthetic innovation and its enduring role in shaping fashion discourse.

Choker by Schiaparelli, Pagan collection, Fall 1938. Photograph © Emil Larsson.

Key pieces from the museum’s collection will be on display, among them the renowned ‘Skeleton’ and ‘Tears’ dresses, as well as the surrealist Shoe Hat created with Salvador Dalí. Works by Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray will accompany the fashion displays, underscoring the house’s longstanding integration of fine art and couture practice. 

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry Long sheath gown, Matador Couture collection Haute couture fall-winter 2021–2022 Wool crepe. Gilded brass necklace adorned with rhinestones in the shape of lungs. Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris.

The exhibition will conclude with the modern era under creative director Daniel Roseberry, whose designs from the maison’s historic headquarters at 21 Place Vendôme continue to reinterpret Schiaparelli’s bold, idiosyncratic visual language for contemporary audiences.

Skeleton Dress, designed by Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí, 1938. V&A © 2025 Salvador Dali, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, DACS. Photograph © Emil Larsson.

Portrait of Elsa Schiaparelli by Man Ray, 1933 © 2025 Man Ray 2015 Trust. DACS, London. Photo: Collection SFMOMA. The Helen Crocker Russell and William H. and Ethel W. Crocker Family Funds purchase.

Born in Rome in 1890, Elsa Schiaparelli rose from an academically inclined family to become one of the most influential couturiers of the interwar period. After moving to Paris in the 1920s, she established her own fashion house and quickly distinguished herself through designs that challenged conventional silhouettes, embraced avant-garde ideas, and merged fashion with the visual arts. Her collaborations with leading surrealists, her inventive use of materials, and her theatrical approach to presentation secured her reputation as a visionary. Forced to close her couture house in the 1950s, she spent her later years writing and consulting until her death in 1973. Today, her legacy endures in the continued relevance of her aesthetic vocabulary and in the maison that still bears her name.

Understanding the influence of Maison Schiaparelli is significant for interpreting the landscape of modern fashion and lifestyle culture. Many of the maison’s early innovations—its integration of artistic collaboration, its subversion of traditional dress codes, and its deliberate use of clothing as a medium for storytelling—have become defining characteristics of contemporary design. The house’s approach to bold self-expression, theatricality, and the merging of couture with popular culture can be traced in the work of leading designers, the aesthetics of red-carpet dressing, and the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of global fashion. As a result, Schiaparelli’s legacy provides an essential lens through which to understand the evolution of personal style and the broader cultural appetite for boundary-pushing creativity.

Images courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum.

Designers' Reaction to Cloud Dancer: Interior Design Industry Split Over Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2026

Pantone’s announcement of Cloud Dancer as its Colour of the Year for 2026 has prompted one of the most polarised reactions from the interiors sector in recent years. The soft, muted white — intended to signal calm, clarity and a collective reset — has instead divided designers over whether the authority on colour has offered meaningful direction or played it overly safe.

Image: Pantone Color Institute™

Some in the industry argue the shade reflects a genuine shift towards simplicity and serenity after a wave of bold, expressive palettes. Others say Cloud Dancer lacks the innovation and energy expected of a Colour of the Year, serving more as a background tone than a trend-defining hue.

Among the most sceptical voices is Emily Butterill, Founder of Glow Lighting, who describes Cloud Dancer as “pleasant and adaptable” but ultimately unlikely to influence major trends.

Glow Lighting - Classic Curved Opal Glass Jules Wall Light

“I don’t see this becoming a major influencing colour of the year,” she said. “It doesn’t push the boundaries of lighting, décor or furniture in a meaningful way. It pairs nicely with soft pastels — something we work with often — but it’s those colours, not the base, that bring personality into a space. For us, Cloud Dancer is supportive rather than standout.”

Butterill’s view echoes that of a wider contingent who feel Pantone has missed an opportunity to capture the mood and momentum of contemporary interiors.

Despite the scepticism, many design-led brands have responded warmly to Pantone’s choice, praising its versatility, purity and quiet elegance.

The Faux Flower Company
Blossoming Bouquet
featuring hand-made and hand-painted artificial
cherry blossom, faux hydrangeas and faux delphiniums

Rachel Dunn, Head of Product at The Faux Flower Company, said Cloud Dancer “feels incredibly aligned” with current consumer preferences. 

“It’s an effortless fit for both contemporary and traditional interiors… a beautifully serene canvas that pairs with absolutely everything,” she said, highlighting its compatibility with natural textures, soft greens and muted pastels.  hand made and hand painted artificial cherry blossom, faux hydrangeas and faux delphiniums

Lakeland Furniture
Flek Dining Chair Natural Cream Fabric & Chrome Leg

Shannon Taylor, Marketing Manager at Lakeland Furniture, also welcomed the choice. “After several years of saturated, expressive colour, there’s something incredibly grounding about a shade that invites clarity and calm,” she said. 

In dining spaces, she added, Cloud Dancer brightens without overwhelming, allowing statement pieces and natural materials to take the lead. Taylor also pointed to Pantone’s wider messaging about balancing digital life with human connection — a theme she feels the colour captures effectively.

For many creatives, Cloud Dancer offers fertile ground for interpretation. 

Burnt Peach
Little Peach Portraits: Colour of the Year Collection

Pia Gill, Founder of Burnt Peach, has already produced a collection inspired by the shade. “It’s light, delicate and beautifully timeless,” she said, adding that its softness enhances the emotional depth of her portraits and helps convey childhood innocence “without distraction”.

Beach House Art
Hand Painted Scallop Shell Art - Natural Background - Natural Frame

Brian MacShane, Creative Director at Beach House Art, sees the hue as reflective of shifting priorities. The shade, he said, “speaks less of wanting more and instead of space — a canvas that invites light, calm and simplicity.”

Paint manufacturers are also noting momentum behind softer whites. 

Thorndown Paints - White Wall Paint inspired by the Egrets found in the wetlands of Somerset, UK

Ben Thornborough, Founder of Thorndown Paints, pointed to similar tones emerging in new ranges. With shades like Egret White already gaining traction, he views Pantone’s selection as timely: “Cloud Dancer feels like the breath of fresh air we all might need.”

CutMy - White Slat Wall Panels
Image by Tanya Cressey Photography

James Bryant, Founder of CutMy, expects the hue’s adaptability to drive uptake across interiors. “This shade has real versatility,” he said. “I expect we’ll see it reflected across surfaces, finishes and architectural details throughout the year.”

Though far from universally embraced, Cloud Dancer has undeniably captured the industry’s attention. Whether seen as a missed opportunity or a much-needed moment of calm, Pantone’s 2026 pick has sparked a lively debate — and, for many, that may be the clearest sign that the colour has already made its mark.

Colour News: Pantone Names Cloud Dancer 2026 Colour of the Year

The Pantone Color Institute™ has announced Cloud Dancer—a soft, airy shade of white—as its Colour of the Year for 2026. Described as a “whisper of calm and peace in a noisy world”, the hue aims to capture a collective desire for clarity, simplicity, and renewed creativity.

According to Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer carries “a feeling of serenity” and symbolises a grounding, calming influence at a time when society is reassessing its pace and priorities.

Pantone positions Cloud Dancer as emblematic of a fresh start, likening the shade to a blank canvas that invites new ideas by stripping away outdated habits. Its quiet, ethereal quality is said to encourage relaxation, inward focus, and the mental space needed for imagination and innovation.

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, said the choice reflects a global moment of transition. “The cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming,” she noted.

“Cloud Dancer is a discreet white hue offering a promise of clarity. A conscious statement of simplification, it enhances our focus by providing respite from external distractions.”

Pressman added that the shade speaks to a broader search for balance “between our digital future and our primal need for human connection”, suggesting that Cloud Dancer represents a liminal space where new forms of creative expression can emerge.

Creative Initiative and Artist Collaboration

To support its 2026 theme of creative openness, Pantone will launch a year-long initiative commissioning artists across disciplines to interpret Cloud Dancer. Limited-edition pieces—from graphic design to fashion accessories—will appear throughout the year.

The first collaboration features illustrator and visual artist Emiliano Ponzi, who has designed a limited-edition tote bag showcasing Cloud Dancer through his signature conceptual and graphic style. The design will be available via Pantone’s website.

Versatility Across Industries

Though often perceived as a non-colour, Pantone emphasises Cloud Dancer’s wide applicability—from fashion and beauty to interiors and packaging. As a structural, foundational white, it provides contrast, harmony, and lightness across products and environments.

Apparel

In clothing, Cloud Dancer acts as an understated anchor for monochromatic styling. Its soft, billowy character complements plush, cocooning textures as well as lightweight chiffons and fluid jerseys. Pantone highlights its ability to pair seamlessly with all other colours, allowing them to stand out without overwhelming the palette.

Accessories and Footwear

The shade introduces quiet sophistication to bags, jewellery, eyewear, and footwear. From chunky knits to sleek structured pieces, Cloud Dancer brings freshness and modern comfort to accessories, balancing softness with elegance.

Beauty and Hair

In beauty, Cloud Dancer provides a clean, minimalist base. White nails—glossy or embellished—offer a modern, chic statement, while in eye makeup the shade can shift from dramatic to subtle depending on application. In hair, it works both as a bold standalone colour and in contrasting or complementary blocks.

Home Décor and Interiors

Pantone describes Cloud Dancer as reflective of “a conscious state of simplification”. It creates serene, spacious interiors and suits both contemporary open-plan and spa-inspired spaces. Its use in furniture, textiles, and finishes can foster environments conducive to rest and mental clarity.

Packaging and Multimedia

For branding and packaging, Cloud Dancer delivers a minimalist, high-end aesthetic that draws attention to product quality. Used alone or contrasted with black, the shade communicates sophistication. Its natural, unadorned feel also aligns with sustainable design choices such as recycled paper and moulded fibre.

A Colour for a Transformative Moment

With Cloud Dancer, Pantone frames 2026 as a year for reflection, recalibration, and the pursuit of creativity unburdened by excess. The hue’s quiet presence, adaptability, and clarity are intended to mirror a cultural shift towards mindfulness, unity, and intentional living.

Official Pantrone 2026 Colour partners include Motorola, which is introducing a special edition of the motorola edge 70 in Cloud Dancer; the PLAY-DOH brand to celebrate 70 years of squishing, sculpting, and sparking imagination; the Post-it® Brand using Cloud Dancer within a Post-it® Note colour collection; the Command™ brand featuring its limited-edition Cream Speckled collection, inspired by Cloud Dancer’s soft, neutral tones;  the Pura smart home fragrance brand with an exclusive scent that captures the hue’s luminous, airy spirit. 

As the official hospitality partner of Pantone's Colour of the Year 2026, Mandarin Oriental is transforming into a place to touch the clouds with 10 unique interpretations of the campaign in its hospitality properties around the world. From curated afternoon tea sets and oxygenating spa treatments to luxurious stays high up in the clouds and post boxes for letters to Santa. What's more, festive decorations in these locations will bring the hue to life in whimsical, creative, and elegant ways, offering guests opportunities to see, feel, taste, and touch this enchanting colour. 

In addition, the furniture and interior brand Joybird through its Pantone Colour collaboration produces new, deeply tactile fabrics, Soul and Karina, that transform simplicity into a sensory experience, elevating everyday moments into opportunities for reset. Karina combibes silky eyelash and chenille yarns, while Soul is a luxe, textured chenille offering a vintage feel and bringing depth and warmth to any piece it graces, including sectionals, sleeper sofas, bed frames, accent chairs, ottomans, pillows, and more, complemented with an assortment of curated accessories like tables, lamps, rugs, wall decor, and pillows.

All images: Pantone Color Institute™ 

Art Annoucement: London's Barbican Centre to Stage First UK Solo Show by Artist and Director Liam Young in 2026

The Barbican has announced that it will mount the first UK solo exhibition by artist, director and BAFTA-nominated producer Liam Young in May 2026. In the world of fashion retail, lifestyle and design businesses, we often make forecasts about the trends we expect in coming seasons. Now a new exhibition scheduled to take place at the Barbican will extend that practice of looking ahead, exploring speculative futures shaped by climate realities and emerging technologies. In Other Worlds, part of the centre’s Summer season, will invite visitors to consider how alternative futures might be imagined and collectively created.

Film still from After the End (2024) by Liam Young. Image courtesy of the artist.

Young, whose work sits between design, fiction and futurism, is known for constructing imagined worlds that serve as test sites for the social and environmental challenges ahead. 

“The future doesn't rush over us like water… It's an act of creation,” he said, framing the exhibition as an invitation to collectively reimagine what comes next.

Bringing together film, sound, costumes, props, miniature models, comics and tapestries, the show will immerse visitors in a series of possible futures grounded in real technological and climate-based scenarios.

A major highlight will be the world premiere of World Machine (2026), a Barbican commission blending live-action footage and CGI. The film visualises a near-future Earth transformed into a planetary-scale supercomputer, its landscapes enmeshed in networks driving large-scale AI. Young imagines alternative approaches to technology production, speculating on renewable-powered data centres operating in harmony with rewilded environments. The work simultaneously reflects human ambition and the precarious opportunity to rethink our relationship with nature.

Other moving-image works on display will include Planet City (2021), envisioning the world’s population condensed into a single ultra-dense settlement; The Great Endeavour (2023), which depicts the engineering feats required to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; and After the End (2024), a collaboration with Aboriginal actor and activist Natasha Wanganeen. The latter offers a 50,000-year timelapse tracing First Nations histories, colonisation, resource extraction and a speculative future centred on post-fossil-fuel energy systems and land reclamation.

Sections of a graphic novel and audio narratives created with leading contributors from film, television, science fiction and graphic storytelling will accompany visitors through the exhibition, further expanding the featured worlds.

Luke Kemp, Head of Creative Programming for Barbican Immersive, said the moment feels right “to once again look for new stories, imagine different futures and create the worlds that we want to exist”. In Other Worlds, he added, presents hopeful possibilities shaped by bold environments and innovative storytelling.

Devyani Saltzman, the Barbican’s Director for Arts & Participation, described the exhibition as part of the centre’s commitment to exploring urgent contemporary issues. Young’s practice, she said, demonstrates that imagining alternatives is “essential to understanding today’s world with imagination, rigour and hope”.

Presented by Barbican Immersive—its strand dedicated to contemporary culture, emerging technology and digital creativity—the exhibition will tour internationally after its London run.

Young’s work has been shown at major global platforms including Channel 4 in the UK, Tribeca, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Royal Academy, the Venice Biennale, the BBC and The Guardian. His projects have been acquired by museums such as MoMA, the Smithsonian, the Art Institute of Chicago and the V&A. Alongside his creative practice, he is a sought-after futurist, advising clients from NASA and Google to BMW and Microsoft. He also leads the Masters in Fiction and Entertainment at SCI-Arc in Los Angeles.

In Other Worlds - Barbican Centre - 21 May – 6 September 2026