Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY Stages Pagan-Punk for FW26
Utilizing the Scottish thistle as a primary motif for defense and resilience.
Summary
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Charles Jeffrey unveiled an immersive showcase in Paris for his FW26 collection
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The collection embraces a carefully curated mess of spliced, oversized suits and torn tartans, while debuting expanded iterations of the brand’s hit Banana shoes and Claw boots
Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY bypassed the traditional runway format for Fall/Winter 2026, opting instead for a chaotic showcase infused with London punk energy at Dover Street Market Paris. Describing the event as a deliberate return to his club-kid roots in Dalston, Jeffrey spent five days hand-painting the set to create an immersive pagan-punk environment. The presentation was driven by the concept of queering nationalism, using the Scottish thistle — a symbol of defense and resilience — as a central motif. Accompanied by the live sounds of Baby’s Berserk, the event captured the raw, experimental spirit of the brand, prioritizing laughter, refusal, care and mess over perfection.
Titled “THISTLE,” the collection is a carefully curated mess of Scottish romanticism and distinct ’80s cuts, executed through a lens of availableism. The styling follows the designer’s signature punk-inspired and gender-fluid design language: torn tartans are layered over hourglass silhouettes, while Frankenstein-inspired tailoring sees oversized suits spliced together to create entirely new shapes. The aesthetic is defined by clash and volume, featuring ruffled dresses, dissected beanies, and sleeves tied as sashes. Accessories remain a strong suit for the label, with the presentation highlighting an expanded range of the brand’s viral footwear, including new iterations of the banana shoes and claw boots, alongside playful crochet animal bags and ample knitwear, ranging from mushroom spots to apple-green Fair Isle.
According to Jeffrey, this season serves as a manifesto for the brand’s future, narrowing the art direction to ensure consistency while doubling down on the queer curiosity that launched the label. He emphasized that despite industry instability, the brand remains a protective space, declaring that LOVERBOY “will forever be for the weirdos by the weirdos.” Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY’s FW26 “Thistle” collection is expected to arrive at Dover Street Market and select global retailers later this year.
