Malgosia Bela in 'Past Perfect' by Ethan James Green for AnOther Magazine FW 2026/27

AnOther Magazine presents a conceptual fashion story that requires a touch base with their IG or excellent website to understand it. [Links further down.]

Generating hostility among a crowd that considers themselves the creme de la creme of fashion criticism is easy enough. But they do demand low-hanging fruit for their fierce criticism and this fashion story is just too high on the tree for processing.

If AOC is known for anything, it’s going to Instagram and reading the publishers’ texts because we don’t share stories we don’t understand. We don’t have to like them, but we owe it to the creatives to minimally learn about their intentions in shooting the story in the first place.

Brand campaigns are more challenging to ignore, and not because AOC is afraid of aggravating brands. Clearly we are not. Fashion stories are ones we prioritize on merit, and I admit to not being clear myself what was going on with ‘Past Perfect’ — but I see a high aesthetic. So I found out the answers.

A cemetery and a naked bottom on top model Malgosia Bela, shot by a top photographer Ethan James Green [IG] don’t cause such a tizzy in my brain that said story is tossed in the trash with commentary that it represents a new low in fashion magazines.

AnOther explains what is going on here and the creation of the set makes sense to me.

Charting fashion from the 19th century to the Nineties to now, the stylist Panos Yiapanis combines garments from his own personal archive with looks from Pieter Mulier’s celebrated five-year tenure at the esteemed Maison Alaïa.

The approach connects Yiapanis, Mulier and Azzedine Alaïa himself – all collectors of historical and contemporary fashion – via a shared passion for clothes of the past, present and future.

The stylist treats fashion history itself as a living wardrobe. By taking pieces from his own collection and showcasing them alongside Pieter Mulier’s Alaïa, the creative team leans on a cemetery to create a past connection and meaning. This set of slides and this one, also, make it clear how Yiapanis is assembling his concepts.

Prada SS 1997 makes an appearance with Veronique Branquinho FW 1998, along with two Maison Alaias in the first set. The second one has one Comme des Garçons AW 2014 and two Maison Alaia.

I feel like a school teacher, but you get the idea. It seems like a noble enough fashion editorial effort to me — although critical thinking or wanting to learn what you don’t already know is required. ~ Anne