Ann Demeulemeester Sets Its Fall/Winter 2026 Campaign in a Dreamlike Margate

Belgian house Ann Demeulemeester has revealed the campaign visuals for its Fall/Winter 2026 collection—a quietly cinematic reverie set against the seaside town of Margate, photographed by Nikolai von Bismarck under creative director Stefano Gallici.

Courtesy of Ann Demeulemeester

Summary

A Reverie by the Sea

On a bright, clear day by the water, two young figures move through Margate—walking, or rather striding, with the loose grace of antelopes. They pass fishermen, old houses, empty streets and the endless blue of the sea, appearing at once part of the landscape and somehow outside it. Is this a dream?

Their faces give nothing away. The gazes are blank and faraway, fixed on something no one else can see—perhaps another life, a past love, a summer already gone somewhere else; perhaps a love not yet arrived, an unseen winter or a future summer still without form. Caught between seasons, time seems to have stopped.

They cross the sea without ever looking at it. The wind lifts the hem of a black velvet dress; a loose shirt collar falls slightly open. Silk scarves, ribbons and a worn T-shirt—small fragments caught between the body and the breeze. They do not seem to be going anywhere, or perhaps they are setting off somewhere far away, striding through the town as though they had just stepped out of a memory and had not yet decided whether to return.

The Language of the House

Founded in Antwerp in 1985, Ann Demeulemeester remains one of the most respected and influential names in contemporary fashion. Born of the radical energy of the Antwerp Six, the house helped redefine the international perception of Belgian design through an approach rooted in intellectual rigor, emotion and independence. Its language is built on contrasts—sharp tailoring and fluidity, the masculine and the feminine, darkness and romance—with literature, music and art serving not as references but as foundations for a poetic yet restrained aesthetic.

In 2020, the house entered a new chapter following its acquisition by the Antonioli Group, reaffirming a commitment to integrity, longevity and creative independence. Under the visionary leadership of creative director Stefano Gallici, it continues to push its own boundaries and reshape the codes of contemporary fashion.

About Stefano Gallici

Born in 1996 in Teor, in the Italian province of Udine, Stefano Gallici grew up between his small village and Venice, discovering fashion through the worlds of punk rock, indie and garage and drawing on the link between musical and aesthetic expression as the basis of his creative work. He entered the fashion design course at Venice’s IUAV University in 2016, honing his knowledge of sewing and patternmaking through a series of apprenticeships. In 2017 he spent nine months collaborating with Haider Ackermann between Paris and Antwerp before returning to Venice and graduating in 2018. After a period at the Antonioli Group in Milan, he joined the Ann Demeulemeester team in 2020, the year of the brand’s acquisition, and was named creative director in 2023. His vision for the house fuses his musical sensibility with a deep reverence for Ann’s work, expressed as a vivid and distinctly personal signature.

Creative Director: Stefano Gallici
Styling: Elodie David
Campaign Photography: Nikolai von Bismarck
Casting: Ben Grimes
Models: Betsy Gaghan and Ezekiel Conteh
Hair: Kim Rance
Make-Up: Crystabel Efemena Riley
Production: Farago Projects
Director / Cinematographer: Jorge Higgins
Editor: Marlon Francis
Post House: OkayStudio
Post Producers: Athene Xenia Aristocleous, Tia Duff
Grade: Dan Beddoe
Director’s Assistant: Adam Fox
Music: “Suns,” written and composed by Oli Burslem

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