You probably all know the story of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Hyde, the isolated dark side of Dr. Jekyll’s personality, gradually takes control over his life, embodying all the unspeakable desires, rage, fear, and the most unthinkable thoughts. You could say Hyde is like a shadow: always there where Jekyll is, sometimes invisible, but never truly gone. Ring a bell? Great. Because Netflix’s fantasy series Wednesday isn’t the only one drawing inspiration from this classic school novel: just yesterday at New York Fashion Week, Collina Strada unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection Shade, built around – yep, you guessed it – human darkness.
It all started under a bright blue Manhattan sky, when the first models stepped onto the runway, dressed in a soft, dreamy palette of powdery rose, butter yellow, beige, pale blue, and sage. Silhouettes were flowing and romantic, sometimes retro, with asymmetrical twists: mini dresses trailing long trains, draped wide-leg pants, and modern pairings of cargo shorts with baby tees. Fabrics? Satin, chiffon, organza, lace, and shiny crepe — delicate, light-catching, and elegant. A checkered parka in woven tartan popped up mid-show, along with silver panne velvet and long shimmering chains wrapped around necks and hips, adding a mysterious yet contemporary edge.
But what sounds like an idyllic, safe and classical fashion show, quickly took a turn. Each model was followed by a second, wearing the exact same look — but entirely in black. A mirrored figure, echoing every movement, every step. The same silhouette, but now as a dark, light-absorbing shadow. And just like Mr. Hyde, these shadows embodied the parts of humanity we prefer not to see: our darkest impulses, cravings, and contradictions. Except now, in 2025, those shadows aren’t hidden anymore. They’re out in the open. Walking beside us.
To deepen this idea of duality, empathy and inner conflict, the show incorporated surreal, abstract details: the ‘shadows’ had their faces covered in soft fabric, rendering them unrecognisable, estranged. And forty sculptural headpieces, crafted by artist Mustafa Yanaz from human hair, served as a striking, visceral expression of human fragility and identity.
Since its beginnings in 2009, Collina Strada is known for speaking out about climate awareness, social awareness, change and self-expression. So, it’s no wonder, that the brand’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection is a call for solidarity; a call for humanity in times of mass starvation, forced migration, increasing attacks on trans, queer and women’s rights. It’s a call to face our shadows, to make peace with them, to befriend them — or, as Hillary Taymour, Collina Strada’s CEO and Creative Director, puts it: to “bedazzle” them. Because only when we truly acknowledge the darkness, only then can we begin to understand it, grow from it, and maybe even heal. At least that’s the idea.
To be honest, especially in times like these, we find ourselves wondering: does fashion still matter? Can it truly be relevant in moments of tragedy, loss, and injustice? It seems like a question we can never fully answer. But with Shade, Collina Strada offers a powerful reminder that it can — that fashion has the potential to be more than just aesthetics. That it can be a medium for confronting crisis, for navigating change. A way of reflecting the world as it is, while imagining what it could become. Not a means of escape, but a tool for looking closer rather than turning away.
Dr. Jekyll tried to suppress Mr. Hyde, to erase him; and in the end, it destroyed him. So maybe we can do better. Maybe by listening, by engaging – with voices like Collina Strada’s – there’s still hope. And maybe, just maybe, things can get better.
