Designer Hanako Maeda is aiming high for spring.
Maeda, fresh on the heels of a Mikimoto collaboration at Paris Couture Week, said she drew upon that capsule for spring 2026. “It was my first time creating something at the level that pairs with high jewelry,” she said. “It got me thinking of bringing in this idea of craftsmanship — the touch of hands and, ultimately, how we make everything in Japan.”
That nod was subtler than expected, given Maeda’s emphasis on versatility for ready-to-wear. “Through my past couple seasons, I’ve explored this idea of duality within women’s wardrobes — things that can take you from day to night,” she said. To open the offering, for example, what looked like a gauzy warped gingham was actually organza, followed shortly by a men’s denim jacket. That jacket also got a Neoprene incarnation, which was styled alongside a Grecian-style gown.
“Mixing in these chiffon and organza fabrications, putting them against denim and Neoprene, creates more of an interesting contrast in the collection,” Maeda said. That contrast took a literal turn with some of her more formal shapes.
“I liked this idea of taking things that were more appropriate for a dinner or cocktail, cut them in more utilitarian fabrics like this waterproof tafetta and jersey,” she said. For day, striped shirting anchored the assortment in the everyday.
Beyond those, Maeda also nodded to lingerie with lace details here and there. “The lace is a custom pattern we created for this collection,” she said.
Much of those creations, Maeda said, were about answering her customers’ calls. “Tourism in Japan is so big right now, and a lot of the clients are coming from China and [South] Korea,” Maeda said. “They love dressing in a way that’s a bit more elevated, so they appreciate this idea of easy-care fabrics you can wash at home. Then, you throw it on and it looks very put-together.”