For its tenth anniversary, GCDS embraced a playful self-reflection under the direction of Giuliano Calza. The show, titled What’s in My Bag?, presented a literal and figurative archive of the brand’s signature motifs, turning the runway into a theatrical exploration of memory, irreverence, and pop culture. A massive GCDS shopping bag emerged from the black curtain as the entranceway for the models, signaling the brand’s decade-long journey while framing the collection as a curated assortment of experiences and ideas.

Calza revisited familiar prints and graphics with a fresh lens. Lace minidresses and asymmetrical cocktail frocks carried reworked hentai motifs first introduced in Spring 2020. Betty Boop appeared on T-shirts or as patchwork details on biker jackets, while Hello Kitty was translated into a sheath dress, consolidating the brand’s playful iconography. The collection also referenced early 2000s nostalgia through receipt-printed midi-dresses, pencil skirts, and Capri-style denim, highlighting both humor and a curated sense of brand heritage.

Beyond the playful elements, there was a structural, couture-adjacent layer. Brightly colored pannier bodysuits juxtaposed with sheer dresses in polka-dot prints, extending into sculptural duchesse satin jackets with a flattened, graphic silhouette. These contrasts created rhythm across the runway, balancing pop-infused whimsy with refined construction.

Sensuality was threaded throughout the collection via black leather, delicate lace, and sparkling sheer fabrics. Python-print leather was deployed across blousons, tailored blazers, and wide-leg trousers, reinforcing GCDS’s signature blend of glamour and irreverence. The collection demonstrated a confident mix of nostalgia, irony, and technical precision, confirming Calza’s playful yet methodical approach to brand storytelling.

The SS26 lineup was a curated reflection of GCDS’s decade-long evolution: bold, cartoonish, and self-aware, yet precise in construction and cohesive in its thematic arc. It was a collection that honored the past while staking a confident claim on the future.