Inspired by the windswept winters of northern Denmark, Ditte Reffstrup’s GANNI AW26 balances rugged protection and hyperfemininity, where chunky knits, lace slips and sculptural outerwear channel the power and fragility of the Nordic landscape.
There was a kind of elemental calm inside Ganni’s AW26 presentation in Paris this week. The space itself felt almost geological: smooth stones lay scattered across the floor, softened by draped plaids, blankets and wisps of lace. At the centre stood a towering rock, onto which Danish painter Linus Alexander Hübell Salic – a longtime friend of the house – painted live throughout the show, slowly transforming the installation into a living artwork. For creative director Ditte Reffstrup, the starting point was personally geographical: the fierce winters of Hirtshals, the windswept town in northern Denmark where she grew up. “Living so close to nature, you learn that toughness and beauty can exist at once,” she said.
Not only has the Ganni girl grown up, but this season, she's securely wrapped against the elements. Chunky knits, blanket skirts and generous faux-shearling coats cocooned the body, layered over slips of lace, ruffled trims and lingerie-inspired seams tracing the figure beneath. Historic underpinnings – empire lines, waistcoats, suspenders – surfaced in heavy wools and sculptural outerwear that felt almost armour-like. Dresses clung close to the body before spilling into dramatic hems, while elongated metal zip pulls and raw edges introduced a functional, slightly industrial counterpoint.
Prints remain a point of interest, too. Leopard was blown up and reworked, colliding with checks and flashes of electric florals. Earthy browns and beiges anchored the palette, punctuated by jolts of green, purple and yellow – colours that felt lifted straight from the shifting Nordic landscape. Silhouettes expanded with protective volume, where girlish references sharpened into something tougher. Meanwhile, accessories continued Ganni’s knack for cult pieces. The house has introduced the Very Bou Bag, an evolution of its signature silhouette finished with a flap closure and butterfly lock, while the Kat shoulder bag has returned in plush faux shearling. Footwear leaned into the season’s rugged femininity: the Jenny High Boot built on last season’s ballerina silhouette, now with a fold-over collar and studded trim, alongside a softer, slouched variation.
Alongside its recent B Corp recertification, GANNI advances its Fabrics of the Future initiative with three developments this season: Ohoskin® and Oleatex®, leather alternatives derived from orange and olive oil production waste, and InResST®, a recycled nylon engineered from discarded ocean fishing nets, used across puffers and soft accessories.
For Reffstrup, however, the heart of the collection remained the women who shaped her upbringing: writers, artists and musicians who balanced resilience with sensitivity, refusing narrow definitions of femininity. “The women who have always inspired me carry that same balance, living creatively on their own terms,” she said. “At Ganni, we believe that hyperfemininity holds power, and this collection reflects that spirit.”
See the full Ganni AW26 collection below.
