KNWLS staged its Spring Summer 2026 show in Milan, marking a decisive step for the London-born brand. Under the title Synergy, the house revealed its most ambitious project to date: a capsule collection developed with Nike. This collaboration brought KNWLS into a new arena while reinforcing the codes that define its work: strength, sensuality, and an unapologetic take on femininity.
The capsule embodied the convergence of KNWLS’ sharp aesthetic and Nike’s technical expertise. A corseted jacket appeared in ultralight, weatherproof plaid threaded with reflective details. A deep-pocketed miniskirt joined the look, pushing the brand’s signatures toward performance wear. The Razr bag, one of KNWLS’ most recognizable accessories, gained new life in rugged nylon and leather, its base modeled on Nike’s first waffle outsole. Sneakers developed from Nike’s Air Max Muse carried corset lacing and drew influence from the KNWLS Raptor boot, ballet pointe shoes, and vintage football trainers.
The broader Spring Summer 2026 collection took inspiration from distant eras, balancing medieval armour with futuristic undertones. Dome-shouldered coats sculpted sharp forms at the waist and hip, constructed from buffed leather bonded to neoprene. Styled with slim leggings, anatomically cut denim, and ruffled Victoriana tops trimmed in grosgrain, these silhouettes created a powerful rhythm.
Revisiting familiar house elements formed another layer of the show. A batwing-sleeved hoodie informed a cropped trench with sweeping storm shields, while the same design softened into a corseted tracksuit of cold-dyed jersey with a fluid finish. Leather jackets displayed exposed notched seam tapes and grosgrain bands that traced their structure like athletic stripes. Jacquard satins treated with a cold wash dye carried the patina of objects marked by time, their surfaces shifting between contemporary and archival references.
KNWLS advanced its experimentation with TENCEL™ fibres, producing jersey button-down dresses and leggings in midnight blue and sandy beige. These pieces featured ruched sleeves and graphic taping, underscoring the house’s technical precision. Scuba-style tops were cut from engineered cotton jerseys designed to echo neoprene. Heavy bouclé knits shaped long coats, minidresses, and corsets inspired by Nike’s Fenom bra, translated through Flyknit.
Together, these elements framed KNWLS Spring Summer 2026 as a study in material, silhouette, and attitude. The Nike capsule gave the house a platform to explore performance-based innovation, while the seasonal range drew equally from historical and futuristic references.
