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Unveiled alongside the brand’s new London flagship, Kiko Kostadinov’s DANTE collection takes a tender, eccentric look at British countryside style, filtering it through an unexpected muse — Dante, the designer’s Lakeland terrier.
The collection is built on the quiet rituals of daily companionship: walking a dog through drizzle and mud, throwing on whatever’s closest, and somehow ending up with an outfit that feels effortlessly right. This idea of accidental coordination—where necessity meets charm—became the emotional core of the collection. Dante’s constant wanderings through the studio sparked an exploration of what it means to dress with instinct, to let practicality evolve into unconscious elegance.
In menswear, Kostadinov reinterprets countryside icons with his trademark structural approach: rugby shirts, tweed tailoring, and sleeveless knits appear reworked with unexpected proportions, Japanese jerseys, and utilitarian cotton parkas. A standout moment comes through the Levi’s® x Kiko Kostadinov collaboration, where denim and twill pieces nod to workwear while maintaining a sculptural, urban silhouette.
The womenswear line, presented for the first time alongside menswear, follows a similar rhythm of refined distortion. Riding suits morph into hybrid garments with leather patches, split shirting panels, and soft cashmere knits shaped by asymmetry. Gradient tartans, Aran textures, and double wool slip dresses merge countryside tradition with a subtle sense of rebellion.
Throughout the collection, Dante leaves his mark—literally. His image appears across embroidered crests, silk linings, pins, and intarsia knits, while materials mimic his texture: mohair cardigans that echo a dog’s coat and shaved patent leathers resembling brushed fur. The result is a portrait of Britishness that feels both affectionate and distorted, nostalgic yet deeply current.
Presented in Kostadinov’s Haggerston studio, the show closed with the reveal of a Made in England collaboration with Dr. Martens, scheduled for February 2026. Using reclaimed leather, the capsule features green suede lace-ups and black velcro work shoes, encapsulating the spirit of function, craft, and eccentric British elegance that defines DANTE.
