Shaira Luna Photographs Backstage at Ottolinger’s Decade-Defining Paris Show

Shaira Luna photographs the energy behind the scenes at Ottolinger’s Spring/Summer 2026 show exclusively for Vogue Philippines.

At Paris Fashion Week, the Berlin-based brand Ottolinger marked its upcoming 10th anniversary with a collection that rejoiced a decade of defiance and disruption. Shown at the Hôtel de Maisons, the spring 2026 collection, titled Girlfriend, explored the power of female friendship through instinctive design and structural experimentation. Swiss designers and longtime collaborators Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient revisited the elements that first bonded them creatively, reasserting their place within a market that often prizes orthodox beauty over the unorthodox. 

Body-skimming moto pants were reworked with stretch panels, forming bold X-shapes that emphasized the hips and thighs while adding architectural tension. This skeleton focus extended to boxy, earth-toned suits with strong shoulders, rust-mottled pink gingham separates, and sheer ruched gowns that traced the body’s contours. Corseted pieces were reinforced with American football–inspired shoulder pads, giving delicate silhouettes a sense of armor. The interplay of soft browns, off-whites, and faded pastels with assertive textures like latex, leather, and lace underscored the sex appeal between restraint and provocation, a dynamic that mirrors the current zeitgeist.

Deconstruction remained central, seen in sheer knits, over-dyed trousers, and paisley boxers styled with tailored blazers, recalling the duo’s instinctive early work that positioned the label as a voice of elite counterculture in the mid-2010s. Vintage bridal gowns were salvaged and transformed into irreverent pouf-skirt looks, paired with T-shirts or sparkly pasties, subverting traditional femininity for a nightlife-driven generation.

Collaborations underscored their community-driven ethos. A Tinder collaboration called Re/Paire produced “I’m With Otto” T-shirts and thongs benefiting LGBTQ+ and youth NGOs, while partnerships with eBay and Mammut extended their commitment to upcycling. As the generation that first embraced their DIY radicalism comes of age, Ottolinger’s defiantly personal, process-driven approach stands apart in a fashion landscape increasingly dominated by consolidation and spectacle, marking a shift from raw experimentation to a mature, reflective voice.

Lawrence Alba

Fashion Writer

Lawrence Alba studied BA Fashion Communication at Central Saint Martins in London. He interned with System Magazine, The Row, AIPR, and Glamcult Studio.

Read More

See more stories by Lawrence Alba

Share now on: