The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026 - Issue 39

bitecatwalk WILD ROSE & SPARROW W ild Rose & Sparrow’s SS26 collection, ‘Ex Libris’, unfolds like a triptych of stories, each chapter shaped by the maison’s most beloved literary motifs. Co‑designers Ariana and Lia‑ na Dancu draw from the dialogue between literature and art, weaving cultural references into silhouettes that blur the line between narrative and garment, turning the collection into a living library of textures, symbols, and characters. The first movement, born of Gothic literature, casts dark silhouettes in black novelty lace, sheer tulle, and diaphanous silks. Siren‑like gowns skim the body with lace panelling, miniskirts swell with Victorian‑inspired bustles, and silk chif‑ fon captures the sensation of glimpsing a figure underwater. A floor‑length lace gown draped with a tulle capelet nods to Gustav Klimt’s ‘Mermaids’ painting, conjuring a coven radiant with sisterhood and power. The second chapter shifts into medieval light, where scar‑ let silhouettes break away from the preceding darkness. Structured jackets in stiffened cotton, embroidered textiles reminiscent of tapestries, and beaded motifs glint beneath knife‑pleated skirts like chainmail. Antique chatelaines, keys, and chainmail purses become bijoux, while fleur‑de‑lys ribbons, a tribute to the designers’ Montréal roots, adorn cor‑ seted and structured forms. Vermillion and kermes red echo illuminated manuscripts, culminating in a seraphic gown inspired by Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott, its gossamer silk chiffon swathed in hand‑sculpted gold thread. The final chapter is an ode to sonnets, where Edwardian elements soften into ethereal cottons and airy lace. Guipure appliqués and broderie anglaise adorn gowns in white and cream, while Edwardian collars drift from their traditional placement to encircle hips and waistlines. Sheer panelling meets embroidered cotton, and bloomers, chemisettes, and delicate cotton pieces evoke the intimacy of poetry. The closing look, a floor‑length tiered gown in white cotton with an open back and windowpane bodice, distils the brand’s romantic soul and devotion to craft. Ultimately, ‘Ex Libris’ is a collection of stories rendered in fabric: three chapters, one vision, a world unapologetically romantic, steeped in history and literature, translated into prêt‑à‑porter with poetic sensitivity and meticulous crafts‑ manship. www.wildroseandsparrow.com Images courtesy of Maximilian Linz