Adnym - AW26

A familiar face fronts Adnym’s autumn/winter 2026 lookbook, Swedish actor Alexej Manvelov. But rather than simply model the brand’s covetable tailored looks, Manvelov does what he does best: slips into character. “The autumn/winter collection is about the creative process of an artist, from start to finish,” says Adnym designer Stefan Söderberg. “We chose to visualise it through a painter and his work in his studio. We’ve always loved what Alexej does and he embodies the authenticity we searched after in his choice of artistry, acting.”

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Mysteriously dubbed Edition+, the collection, whilst tied to the season, explores the core DNA of Adnym. Think subtle asymmetries, carefully considered tailoring in gently relaxed silhouettes and a certain sophisticated ease – not to mention a pared back palette of black, off-white and grey (fittingly flecked with paint for the occasion). As Söderberg puts it, the special sauce lies in the “clear vision around form and volume, letting the flow of the fabrics set the tone and standard”. A pair of pleated trousers fall just so, a lightweight marino wool knit clings to the body. The standout, however, is that throw-on-and-go black overcoat, its sloped shoulders yielding a sort of cocoon; the sort of piece that just gets better with years of wear.

Shot at Stockholm’s eclectic Lilla Paris studio, the lookbook was a true collaboration between Adnym and director Erik He. Söderberg proposed the notion of capturing a visual artist in-studio and He took it from there. “I was really inspired by the inner workings of artists such as Cindy Sherman, Francis Bacon and Cy Twombly. I liked how messy and private they worked,” says He. "Specifically, John Hoyland in the documentary Six Days in September was a key inspiration which served as the central backbone for both the script and Alexej's character arc.” The documentary finds the British abstract painter diligently creating a work over the course of six days (for what its worth, Hoyland doesn’t not look like Manvelov). For the stills, He enlisted Erik Djurklou, whose “focus on tactility through texture and movement” aptly fit the project.

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For Manvelov, meanwhile, the gig was instantly appealing. “I think Adnym’s clothes are like art,” he says. “I only had to show up and paint a huge canvas – which I love doing. So this is just me painting.”

According to Söderberg, this shoot “never would have worked with a model”. But there was one last reason why Manvelov was the guy for the gig. “Unknown fact,” says Söderberg. “He is also a very good painter!”