Miguel Castro Freitas' Mugler Debut Was an Ode To Its Cherished Archive
With serious red carpet contenders.
Miguel Castro Freitas made his Mugler debut in a dimly lit Paris parking garage, setting a hard-edged stage for a Spring/Summer 2026 collection rooted in a true understanding of the brand’s archive. He leaned heavily into the house’s signature hourglass architecture, with shoulders, waists and hips dramatically carved out in rigid double-faced wool and satin. The palette stayed tight: concrete grey and powdered beige, with bursts of deep yellow and teal.
Elsewhere, jeweled bodices appeared like stripped-back chandeliers, matte instead of glittering. Feathers swung between Old Hollywood camp and surreal mutation, from ’40s marabou coats to jackets plump with plumes. Old Hollywood energy prevailed in the front row as well with attendance from Pamela Anderson, the star of The Last Showgirl, and actress Elizabeth Berkley in attendance.
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Rather than remixing Mugler for Gen Z, he found common ground with Thierry Mugler in their mutual devotion to cinema. His references spanned from screen sirens to 1990s Flemish deconstruction. The result: latex body suits paired with voluminous feathered silhouettes, leather gowns with inflated off-the-shoulder necklines and a standout, archival nipple tassel dress.
There were also clear red carpet contenders including a gleaming gold pantsuit with built-in gloves and a constellation of silver stars across sheer mesh. This debut proves Frietas understands Mugler not as nostalgia but as energy, theatrics and drama. If this is the opening scene, he’s set the tone for an electrifying new chapter.
