Me And My Mood Board: Chemena Kamali Unpacks Her Chloé AW26 Inspirations

“Mood boards are the starting point of my creative process. They allow me to build an emotional and visual landscape before I begin thinking about individual looks or silhouettes,” says Chloé’s creative director, Chemena Kamali, who conducts her post-show interviews against a backdrop of mood board images that include fashion photographs, film stills, pages from books and archive images.

Each picture has a function – abstract or concrete – that expresses a mood, proportion, design detail, fabric or even a feeling. “I’m not trying to illustrate a collection literally, but to capture a feeling, an atmosphere, or the spirit of a woman. It’s a very instinctive way of collecting images,” she explains. For AW26, flounced mousseline skirts (each made from 25 metres of fabric) frothed under big-shouldered yolked jackets and folksy hand knits, as Kamali keyed into the idea of freedom and a sense of shared humanity. On her mood board were images that captured free-spirited, outdoorsy playfulness and uninhibited joy, from Elaine Constantine’s colour-saturated optimism to Bob Fitch, who documented the Civil Rights Movement and other marginalised groups. Also on the board were images from her research into traditional costumes from different Northern European countries.

Her boards evolve over the process of a collection, with some images crossing over from one season to the next, while others fall away. “I often return to familiar images because they carry a timeless quality and an attitude that continues to feel relevant. Ultimately, it’s about telling stories and creating emotion,” she says. And while there are archival Chloé images on every board she makes, Kamali uses them to key into the brand’s DNA rather than reproduce old designs. “I want to understand their spirit and reinterpret it for today,” she says. “It’s about movement, softness, craftsmanship and creating clothes that feel naturally lived in rather than precious.” She wants Chloé’s past, present and future to work in conversation with each other. Here she explains the inspiration behind her AW26 collection

Chloé’s creative director, Chemena Kamali

Romance

Romance isn’t about nostalgia or decoration. It’s about emotion, attitude and confidence. It’s about seeing the world through a lens of memory and reconnecting with feelings that stay with us over time. There is no single definition of femininity. It’s deeply personal. You can feel feminine in a flowing mousseline dress or in a perfectly tailored suit; it’s not about the clothes themselves, but your state of mind and expressing yourself.

1960s Counterculture And Folk Culture

What resonates is the spirit of freedom, togetherness and self-expression. There was a real sense of community, shared values, shared experiences and a way of living that celebrated individuality while belonging to something larger. I’m also drawn to the folk spirit that ran through that culture. Folk traditions are about what a community shares and passes on, creating a sense of connection across generations. That idea feels very relevant to Chloé. It’s a house built on women, freedom and an emotional connection between people. Those references became a natural part of this collection because they express a femininity that feels instinctive, open and connected, not only to nature, but also to one another.

Archival Silhouettes

Many of the silhouettes begin with the archive – the big shoulders with detachable yokes come from a 1970s coat from the archives. The way I work is through constant styling sessions throughout the season. I play with proportions, contradictions and opposites. I’m always looking for the right balance between structure and fluidity, precision and ease, done and undone. That tension is an ongoing part of my work.

Kate Moss

There is honesty and timelessness in that portrait of Kate (below). I love its simplicity. It captures a sense of girlhood, youthfulness and naturalness. It feels personal and intimate rather than staged. That honesty represents so much of what Chloé is about: youthfulness, authenticity and an effortless spirit.

Bold Boots

I love a good boot. Boots are just as important as the clothes because they create tension within the silhouette. They ground more fluid pieces and bring a certain strength. They’re also about attitude. Boots change the way you walk. They give you confidence, rhythm and presence. For me, they simply belong in the Chloé wardrobe. They always have.

Kate Bush

There was always something eccentric about the way she put her looks together, but it was also deeply rooted in folk traditions. There was a folkloric spirit running through everything she wore. That’s why she naturally became part of the story behind this collection. What I admire is how authentically and individually she expressed herself through her clothing. She created her own visual language in a way that felt completely personal.

Traditional Craft

What inspired me about traditional craftsmanship was seeing and feeling how much time, effort and devotion went into every single piece. Everything was handmade, and every garment was unique. They all had their own irregularities and imperfections because they weren’t industrially produced. Traditional costumes carry the traces of the people who made them. They have the human imperfections that only handmade pieces can possess.

Nature

Nature has always been an essential part of Chloé. The house has long celebrated women who are connected to nature, to travel, to discovery and to a sense of freedom.

Karl Lagerfeld

He spent more than 25 years at the house, from the late ’60s through the ’80s, and then returned again during the ’90s. He helped establish many of the defining codes of the maison, so he is naturally an essential part of Chloé’s DNA and history. From the very beginning of my time here, my intention has been to reconnect Chloé with its original DNA. Because of that, Karl’s work is an important reference. Looking at his sketches and revisiting the archive has naturally informed what I do today.

Chloé’s Chemena Kamali shares her mood board and explains the inspiration behind her AW26 collection.