AKNVAS presented its Fall Winter 2026 collection on February 14, 2026, during New York Fashion Week. The brand staged the show at Storied NYC in Chelsea, where Christian Juul Nielsen introduced the new looks. Photographer Katie Borrazzo documented backstage moments exclusively for DSCENE Magazine, capturing preparation, atmosphere, and the final adjustments before the runway presentation.
BACKSTAGE
Christian Juul Nielsen based the collection on The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. He translated the fairy tale into a contemporary narrative shaped around themes of power and transformation. The collection developed in three distinct acts, each defining a different emotional and visual register.
The first act, titled The Ice Palace, introduced a space defined by restraint and ceremony. The concept referenced a frozen interior untouched by warmth. Models embodied a composed presence that suggested distance and control. The mood evoked a snow ballerina drifting through icy halls, carrying grace within a rigid framework. Garments supported this atmosphere through silhouettes that emphasized composure and a sense of containment.
The second act, The Traveller, shifted the narrative toward passage within that frozen setting. The figure of the traveller absorbed the palace’s cold order and silent rituals. The concept emphasized discipline and suspended time. Pale tones shimmered under light, recalling frost in early morning. The collection expressed restraint through form and surface, suggesting protection and containment.
The final act, Teardrops, introduced emotion as a turning point. In Andersen’s tale, tears emerge from frustration and sorrow while carrying warmth. Nielsen translated this moment into garments that signaled release and change. Teardrops functioned as symbols of feeling and creation. As they fell within the narrative, they altered the frozen environment, shifting restraint toward tenderness.
Through these three acts, AKNVAS structured Fall Winter 2026 around a clear narrative arc. Nielsen anchored the collection in literary reference and translated it into a staged sequence of visual chapters.
Follow Katie Borrazzo on instagram – @katieborrazzo
