Inside a gym peppered with rusting pull-up bars and squat racks, worn-in exercise bikes and bench presses, centrifugal fans stand, pivoting from side to side, tirelessly trying to cool off the greased-up models posing with weights in hand. It’s JordanLuca’s vision of what menswear (and womenswear) should look like for SS26 – cut for movement, distressed and ready to take on a bit of sweat.
The designers’ decision to stray from their usual Milan runways to a present a lookbook was a thoughtful choice from the newlyweds who tied the knot on the runway last season. Their gym set-up is a nod to the cultural shift towards radical self-care – deviating from theatrics of fashion to utilise it as a “tool for transformation”.
T-shirts are flipped over shoulders and turned into hoods, reminiscent of gym rats doing anything but keeping their tops on. Yellowy vests with wired straps too large for the wearer indicate room for bulking up. Meanwhile an image of Stonehenge is plastered onto a figure-hugging top, winking to spiritual enlightenment, and layered namesake boxers peek out from distressed jorts that will have you looking like you’ve attempted to change your bike chain on route to your local Puregym.
For accessories, chunky silver necklaces with threatening thorns jut out in all directions. Belts with croc print buckles complement croc-effect bags, capturing that animalistic instinct to transform and build oneself up.
Slung from a belt-strap turned book-bag, New York Times bestseller The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry hints at intellectual growth. One to add to your summer reading list, it echoes the design duo’s underlying message for this season: “have fun and take care of yourself”. So, dig out that neglected gym membership, grab the kettlebells and get those gains.
Photography courtesy of JordanLuca.
