Yanina Couture SS26: Strength & Transformation
Leah Ermann
Gabriella: A Story of Becoming
Yanina Couture presented its SS26 Haute Couture collection in Paris beneath the glass ceiling of the Pavillon Cambon Capucines, a setting that subtly echoes the life of Gabrielle Chanel. For Yanina Couture’s SS26 Couture Collection, the House introduced Gabriella, inspired by Chanel’s early years rather than her legacy as a fashion icon. The collection avoids a figure fixed in history. Instead, it follows a young woman shaped by the silence of an orphanage, resilience, and independence. This story feels especially relevant today, offering a modern vision of femininity built on inner strength, personal freedom, and the power to define one’s own identity.
Rather than portraying Gabrielle Chanel as an untouchable legend, Yanina Couture presents her as a young woman shaped by hardship and self belief. She did not inherit luxury. She invented it. Raised in an orphanage, surrounded by silence and strict discipline, Gabrielle learned to rely on herself from a young age. She shaped her own path through resilience and quiet determination. At its core, this haute couture story embodies the independent spirit championed in Yanina Couture SS26. By choosing this narrative, Yanina Couture speaks to women who build their own identities rather than inherit them. Instead of celebrating privilege, the brand highlights elegance as something earned through experience, courage, and personal freedom.
The Yanina Couture SS26 Show in Motion
Additionally, the collection tells its story through a clear visual progression. From the outset, it begins in black and white, where clean, almost harsh silhouettes recall the Abbey of Aubazine, the strict convent where Gabrielle Chanel spent part of her childhood. As a result, the lines feel precise and restrained. Gradually, however, the atmosphere shifts. As the show unfolds, shades of ivory, beige, and soft gold enter the palette, thereby introducing warmth and light. By contrast, the silhouettes grow more fluid and expressive. At the same time, decorative details become richer, with subtle nods to Russian cultural influence. Through movement and progression, the Yanina Couture SS26 designs capture a journey from restraint to freedom, reflecting the evolution at the heart of this season’s collection.
Symbols Woven Through Craft
At the heart of the Yanina Couture SS26 collection lies the brands commitment to haute couture craftsmanship. A recurring wheat ear motif runs through the silhouettes, symbolising strength, growth, and the ability to rise beyond circumstances. The atelier brings this symbol to life through artisanal embroidery, beadwork, raffia, and chiffon. The extraordinary handwork on every look in Yanina Couture SS26 reinforces the message that beauty emerges through effort and vision. This craftsmanship matters because it mirrors the collection’s message: beauty shaped slowly, intentionally, and through resilience.
The Spirit of Independence in Yanina Couture SS26 Show
Similarly, the story of Yanina Couture reflects the journey it portrays. In many ways, The founder, Yulia Yanina’s path echoes Gabriella’s self made rise. She built her house independently, guided by vision rather than inheritance. Like the collection itself, the brand rejects nostalgia in favour of modern elegance rooted in freedom and strength. With Yanina Couture SS26, the House reaffirms that true luxury is something shaped by courage, craftsmanship, and a modern spirit. Through craftsmanship, Yanina Couture defines luxury as something created not given.
Share this post
Leah Ermann is a South African Fashion Business student whose identity and vision are deeply rooted in the landscapes, cultures, and contradictions of her home country. Growing up in South Africa meant being constantly aware of extremes. These realities shaped her sensitivity to the world around her and challenged her understanding of fashion as something far beyond surface-level beauty. In a place where many people are fortunate simply to own a pair of shoes, Leah learned early on that clothing carries meaning, privilege, and responsibility.
Alongside this awareness grew a profound connection to nature and conservation, spending a lot of time in the bush deepened her understanding of the impact humans have on endangered wildlife and fragile ecosystems. Leah sees fashion as a silent but powerful language, a way to express identity, values, and cultural stories without words.
She is driven by a desire to explore the deeper meanings behind collections, to learn from new cultures, and to use fashion as a platform to amplify South African creativity, resilience, and humanity. Ultimately, her goal is to create work that not only reflects where she comes from whilst learning about other cultures, but also contributes to change, honoring both people and the natural world that shaped her.
Read Next
