Point of view - the risk that reaps reward in 2026
Sabato De Sarno is strongly rumoured to be moving to FERRAGAMO. De Sarno’s run at Gucci was perceived as lacking a distinct point of view, failing to establish an authored position for Gucci.
If he does move to Ferragamo, the immediate question becomes whether he can deliver a clearer point of view there, following Maximilian Davis’ run, shaped in part by Lotta Volkova’s unapologetic, friction-ready POV.
This is not only a De Sarno question. Several designers in recent seasons have been criticised for it. Not being “safe”, but being indistinct. When sales pressure rises, the instinct is often to de-risk. Fashion is a perception medium. Under contemporary conditions of saturation, speed, and perpetual visibility, point of view becomes structurally decisive for recognisability.
Marc Jacobs’ show just before New York Fashion Week landed for a simple reason. He has always had a point of view and commits to it with full conviction. The Perry Ellis grunge collection remains the clearest historical proof. Jacobs is structurally resilient. He would rather be misunderstood than be undefined.
KHAITE works through the same underlying logic. Catherine Holstein has a clear point of view of who her woman is, and she sustains that clarity season after season while evolving it - evident in the AW26 show. Veronica Leoni at Calvin Klein Collection this week was more divisive - her second season at the brand. That may simply indicate that her point of view for Calvin Klein has not yet fully formed. Designers rarely get enough time today to build POV as structural coherence rather than immediate legibility.
The Lyst Index for Q4 2025 dropped, and it reads like a map of competing signals. One pattern still holds: point of view travels faster than product.
Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent remains extraordinarily legible. Miuccia Prada’s authorship still reads clearly, with Miu Miu and Prada high on the list. Coach is resonating with Gen Z through accessible pricing, cultural visibility, and campaigns built for participation. Ralph Lauren climbs because the world is consistent - a form of reassurance.
COS at number three signals fatigue and saturation, the absence of POV reads as relief. Burberry and Moncler have built emotionally coherent campaigns over the past year and are being rewarded for it.
Point of view is visible across culture and in editorial power. The New York Times interview with Chloé Malle and Anna Wintour was interesting in precisely this regard. Malle’s voice and vision did not yet feel fully defined - at least not in the presence of Wintour.
Rosalía is the sharper cultural signal. She is authored, directional, immediately legible. Malle’s Vogue cover that dropped this week was beautiful, photographed by Alasdair McLellan.
In 2026, distinct point of view is the risk that reaps reward. The real danger right now is not getting something wrong. It’s producing work that cannot be read at all.