Peter Copping looks to the archives and finds a cosmopolitan spirit in Jeanne Lanvin’s travels with her niece Marianne.
Summary
- Peter Copping looks back to the 1920s, retracing a trip Jeanne Lanvin took with her niece to create a collection grounded in cosmopolitan curiosity.
- The silhouette balances structural protection with the house’s signature flou, featuring blanket skirts, compact cashmere, and heat-set embellishments that mimic embroidery.
- Accessories get a functional update with the Compagnon bag returning in three sizes and the Midnight Step mule reimagined with a wooden heel for daylight hours.
Jeanne Lanvin was never one to stay put. In the 1920s, the designer took her niece Marianne on a voyage to Venice, a trip defined by observation and an innate ability to find beauty in the mundane. For the Autumn 2026 collection, Peter Copping decided to physically retrace this century-old itinerary. He visited the same sites Jeanne once explored to understand the cosmopolitan spirit that defined her life. The result is a lineup that feels less like a costume drama and more like a study in freedom.
Copping treats the Lanvin woman as someone who requires a wardrobe capable of motion. The clothes suggest a seamless transition from early morning errands to late-night engagements without demanding a change of outfit. It is a believable approach to dressing (one that feels particularly refreshing right now) where finesse serves a function rather than just decoration.
The silhouette plays with the tension between softness and security. There is a distinct sense of “modern armor” in the outerwear, where textured coats and blanket skirts wrap the body. Knitwear arrives in compact cashmere, offering a density that feels protective. Yet, the house’s famous flou technique remains present, softening the edges. Collars rise in stark, architectural lines, while evening wear takes a lighter approach. Instead of heavy beading, the pieces feature heat-set embellishments that reinterpret traditional embroidery, keeping the garments fluid.
The Venetian influence surfaces most clearly in the prints and palette. Tops and second-skin jerseys bear patterns inspired by Murano glass, recalling the shimmering workshops Jeanne visited on her trip. The colors shift through various greys before landing on vivid rubis and Venetian reds. A subtle nod to the brand’s identity appears in the linings and accessory insoles, which are dipped in the new Lanvin Blue.
Accessories continue the theme of practical elegance. The Compagnon bag, which Copping introduced in his debut, returns in a wider range of options. It now comes in three sizes and materials ranging from croc-embossed textures to glossy lacquered leather. Footwear sees a shift toward daylight practicality as well. The Midnight Step mule gets an update with a wooden interpretation of its sculptural heel, designed specifically for day wear.
To document the collection, Copping tapped the photography duo Chaumont–Zaerpour. The images capture a specific moodiness, contrasting the autumnal atmosphere of Paris’ Parc Monceau with dramatic lighting inspired by 1930s studio photography from the archives. It is a quiet, atmospheric presentation for a women’s-only season. Next year, the conversation will likely grow louder as the house prepares to mark one hundred years of Lanvin menswear.
