_J.L-A.L_ Reimagines the Chair as Architecture in “Mille Chaises” SS26 Collection

Summary

• _J.L-A.L_’s SS26 collection reimagines clothing as spatial frameworks, elevating traditional brand codes into a quieter, more calibrated aesthetic
• A PUMA collaboration and NICEWORKSHOP chairs extend the concept, challenging traditional runway dynamics

_J.L-A.L_’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, titled “Mille Chaises” (One Thousand Chairs), reimagines the chair not as a static object but as a conceptual framework — “as ethic, a system of support, containment and configured presence.” Set against the evocative backdrop of the Riviera’s limestone edges and forgotten archives, the garments emerge as intricate spatial responses. Tailored volumes are precisely tuned to containment and surfaces become an architecture in themselves.

Inspired by the book, 1000 Chairs, this season emphasizes meticulous composition and a highly refined expression — offering not merely a shape, but a condition, where traditional brand codes are elevated into a quieter, more calibrated aesthetic. Silhouettes are drawn inward, volume redistributed, and seams placed with directional intent. Core pieces articulate this philosophy through modular construction and architectural detailing. Buttoned joining systems allow garments to shift and adapt, while eyelets and asymmetric drapes evoke the precision of industrial moulding. Seam placement becomes a compositional tool, echoing the linearity of Windsor chairs and the structural logic of veneer. Laser perforations and angular cuts introduce mechanical sharpness, balancing ornament with restraint.

Throughout the collection, fabrication is treated as an architecture in its own right. Natural cottons, linens and wools sourced from Italy and Japan are selected for their composure and tactility, while technical blends and dual-finish leathers maintain structural integrity. Each garment is conceived not as a silhouette but as a spatial proposition — an interplay of tension, breathability and calibrated form. The result is a wardrobe that feels profoundly architectural in its restraint, yet sculptural in its presence.

Collaborative elements further extend the collection’s spatial narrative. A capsule developed with PUMA translates the language of containment into footwear, using two-tone leather designed to acquire a rich patina with wear, echoing the softened surfaces of time-worn armchairs. Sculptural chairs from South Korean studio NICEWORKSHOP punctuated the Paris presentation, functioning not as mere set pieces but as integral instruments of the collection’s grammar.

In a reversal of traditional runway dynamics, models sat while the audience stood, emphasizing stillness, weight and the body as a site. Produced exclusively through artisanal manufacturers in Italy, the collection continues _J.L-A.L_’s exploration of how garments shape – and are shaped by -the spaces they inhabit.