At the beginning of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice is bored by the riverbank until she encounters the White Rabbit, who turns her world upside down and leads her into an incredible version of reality—one she finds both fascinating and unsettling, where the rules of identity, proportion and scale no longer apply. Abra’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection makes us feel, in a way, as Alice did that day by the riverbank. In a world of neutral, minimalist fashion, Abraham Ortuño appears as our very own little White Rabbit, reminding us just how much fun breaking the rules can be and, in the truest sense, turning our whole world upside down.
This is not an exaggeration: in Ortuño’s world, the wig becomes the shoe and the shoe becomes the wig. And those aren’t the collection’s only otherworldly elements. In Abra’s new show, we encounter dresses that merge into one another, gigantic dresses and, how could we forget, what we believe will become the brand’s next iconic piece: the upside-down dress. Textures expand into oversized forms, while imaginative prints—especially those seen in the final two looks—create surfaces that feel both playful and organic. They remind us of something strangely familiar, something that, in the midst of adulthood, we may have forgotten: how to have fun, how to play, and how to be the main character in our own lives.
When it comes to the accessories, it almost feels wrong to refer to them as mere additions meant to complement the looks. In this imaginary world, they are essential to completing the whole picture. The plant-like, botanically inspired hats become extensions of the silhouette, adding the final touch to Ortuño’s vision and reinforcing the naïve, individualistic spirit that runs through the designs. And then there’s the footwear, with each design feeling more unexpected than the last—after all, the collection features a shoe that mimics a wig. The show also debuted a new collaboration between Abra and Camper, the footwear brand that recently appointed Ortuño as creative director.
Ortuño himself has said that the collection is deeply rooted in his childhood. Perhaps this is why our little White Rabbit eventually becomes our very own fairy godmother, bringing to life that childhood fantasy of wandering through the woods and finding a fairy hidden among the trees. Now, instead of finding them in the forest, we can catch them on the runway. So don’t be misled by the childlike surface: at its core, the collection carries deep emotional value. Through contrasts between the miniature and the gigantic, the familiar and the surreal, innocence and strangeness—and through references to Arrietty’s miniature world and Alice’s fantastical universe—Ortuño explores the many forms individuality can take. He sees it as something that should be set free rather than contained by today’s stereotypes. Throughout the collection, clothing once again becomes a translation of the imagination: a powerful tool for expressing who you truly are, embracing difference and giving space to those who refuse to blend into the background.
