The Blonds presented their Spring Summer 2026 runway show on September 15th at the Prince George Ballroom in New York City. The designers invited the audience into a glamour safari that set femme fatales and silver screen sirens under the lights, dressed in corsets, stilettos, and crystal finishes. Madame Hollywood emerged as the central character of Blonds of Paradise, guiding the show through a cinematic arc that unfolded with drama and spectacle. The evening continued at The Riff Raff Club on the 39th floor of Virgin Hotels, where the after party carried the same extravagant energy into the night.
INTERVIEWS
In conversation with DSCENE Magazine editor Katarina Doric, The Blonds share how the collection expands on their language of maximal power dressing. They speak about Madame Hollywood as a persona shaped by transformation, myth, and danger, while reflecting on how excess serves as rebellion and self-expression. The designers discuss their approach to corsetry, embellishment, and storytelling, describing how each look functions as a character in a larger narrative. They hint at future directions for the brand, from new collaborations to digital fashion, but insist their core remains rooted in creating clothes that empower through spectacle.
The Blonds have always embraced powerful women at the center of their narrative. What does this season’s collection reveal about that ongoing dialogue
This season is a continuation of our love for unapologetic, maximal power dressing. By spotlighting Madame Hollywood: Blonds of Paradise, we’re telling the story of a character who commands every room they enter. Our collection channels that fearless energy into every look.
“Madame Hollywood is a persona that blends myth, legacy, and danger. A Femme Fatale of classic film noir and modern pop divas.”
You have championed unapologetic glamour from day one. In a cycle that often celebrates restraint, why is excess still your most modern language
Excess is rebellion—it’s radical self-expression. We’ve never subscribed to minimalism as the only route to sophistication. For us, glamour is a weapon, and maximalism is how our muses conquer. In today’s world, being bold is the new understated . It is about escape and having the most fun with your looks!
What drew you to the idea of Madame Hollywood as the central figure of this collection?
We created this character to symbolize transformation.
Madame Hollywood is a persona that blends myth, legacy, and danger. A Femme Fatale of classic film noir and modern pop divas.
“Storytelling is everything. Every look is a character, a moment in a larger narrative arc. We think of the runway like a movie scene—lighting, music, movement—it all plays a role. The garments are designed not just to be worn, but to be experienced.”
The Blonds are known for building icons out of glamour itself. Who do you imagine wearing these pieces and truly bringing them to life?
Our pieces are made for icons and inspired by them. Think performers, boundary-pushers, people who aren’t afraid to own their sensuality and power.
People like Madonna, Beyonce, or the modern-day showgirl Taylor Swift—anyone who understands that fashion is performance.
How did you translate the spirit of old Hollywood sirens and femme fatales into today’s cultural vocabulary through your designs?
We took the codes of Old Hollywood—corsets, draped silks, dramatic silhouettes—and reimagined them through a hyper-modern lens: chiffon, crystal mesh, exaggerated shoulders. It’s about fusing nostalgia with futurism, like a Joan Crawford rebooted for the metaverse.
“Excess is rebellion—it’s radical self-expression. We’ve never subscribed to minimalism as the only route to sophistication. For us, glamour is a weapon, and maximalism is how our muses conquer.”
Corsetry, embellishment, and spectacle are signatures of your house. How did you evolve these signatures for this collection while staying true to your DNA?
This season, we pushed our corsetry even further—think sculpted bustiers that feel like armor. We also experimented with new embellishment techniques: laser-cut crystals, shimmer finishes, and metallic threading that mimics liquid. The silhouettes are still pure Blonds, but with a sharper edge.
Beyond the surface dazzle, your work always involves incredible craftsmanship. Which details or techniques are you most proud of this season?
We hand-embellished bodices, some of the treatments took over 300 hours each to complete. The crystal placement tells a story—like constellations woven into fabric
Your shows are as much performance as fashion. How important is storytelling to your process, and how do you design clothes to carry that narrative?
Storytelling is everything. Every look is a character, a moment in a larger narrative arc. We think of the runway like a movie scene—lighting, music, movement—it all plays a role. The garments are designed not just to be worn, but to be experienced.
Looking at the collection as a whole, what kind of character or world were you imagining the wearer stepping into?
She’s stepping into a noir dreamscape—equal parts vintage Hollywood, futuristic nightclub, and surreal fantasy. This is a world where taking risks is chic, confidence is currency, and glamour is the ultimate power move.
“This season is a continuation of our love for unapologetic, maximal power dressing. By spotlighting Madame Hollywood: Blonds of Paradise, we’re telling the story of a character who commands every room they enter.”
The Blonds have become synonymous with fantasy, but also with fearlessness. What excites you most about where the brand is headed next?
We’re living in a time where fantasy is needed more than ever. What excites us is expanding that fantasy into new realms—more collaborations, immersive experiences, possibly even branching into digital fashion. But at the core, it’s still about creating magic through clothes that empower.
