Christian Aks - SS26

The sea has an undeniable power, one that inspires great epics and great songs as well as Christian Aks’ spring/summer '26 collection. But the Norwegian designer wasn’t drawn to the water’s sheer power, but its extraordinary sense of peace. “We were fascinated not only by the visual beauty of the ocean, but by the profound calm it evokes – the rhythm of the waves, the textures of shells, the scent of the ocean breeze,” says Aks. It’s a fitting starting point for a designer who hails from a land famous for its fjords and stunning coastal views.

Aks, however, didn’t stage his show against the backdrop of the sea (perhaps that would have been a bit on the nose). Instead, he showed the collection, dubbed ‘TIDES’, in a more imposing space: a majestic hall dating back to the late 1800s with stunning fresco paintings along its walls. “We wanted a venue that carried a sense of history and grandeur, to act as a counterpoint to the light, floating, almost ephemeral quality of the clothes,” says Aks. “The contrast between the monumental space and the delicate garments emphasised the quiet force of the collection.”

"Light, floating, ephemeral”: they are just the words to describe these garments. Creamy organza frocks reflect the sense of floating on the rolling waves. The material, sometimes wrapped gently around the shoulders, is so light, as models make their way down the runway it gives the illusion of wind hitting them on a gusty beach. Elsewhere, a fluffy white shearling jacket, nipped at the waist, with a matching pillbox hat evokes the notion of foam gathering on the shoreline.

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These delicate pieces are juxtaposed against sturdier silhouettes. “We continue to explore the delicate tension between softness and structure, stillness and motion,” says Aks. “The shell, with its silent resilience, layered shimmer, and organic geometry, became a central metaphor.” A stiff black blazer, for instance, with a lovely fluid waist is met with a sheer ankle-grazing white skirt and a light-as-air scarf wrapped around the neck. As a final touch, many of the delicate knit and organza pieces feature a wave-like finish. The looks are completed with jewellery crafted in collaboration with local brand Studio Bille: gleaming pendants and shells one might find washed up on the beach.

For Aks, this is a collection as elemental as nature itself. “It is not about fashion as noise,” he says. “But as a quiet force, a return to the essential.”

See all the looks from Christian Aks' SS26 collection below.