The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026 - Issue 39

bitefashion Oversized shoulders, distorted shapes and hand-sculpt- ed jersey constructions gave the garments an almost ceremonial quality, while polka dots, gaudy prints and exposed seams injected humour and irreverence. Particularly memorable were the amorphous hooded tops and sculptural skirts, which appeared to hover around the body rather than dress it. Hornak’s work exists somewhere between costume, performance, and fashion, yet the technical craftsmanship that grounds each piece ensures the collection never feels gimmicky. Instead, it offered a compelling exploration of memo- ry, identity and sustainability through unconventional silhouette-making. Dede Arisekola Fresh from her acclaimed Central Saint Martins MA de- but, Dede Arisekola presented a collection bursting with colour, cultural references and confidence. Born in Ire- land to Nigerian parents, the designer continues to build her Afrotopia universe, a world where Nigerian heritage and Irish identity merge through fashion, storytelling and social commentary. The collection balanced a tailored structure with playful extravagance. Mustard-yellow jumpsuits dripping in fringe sat alongside sharply cut suiting, oversized collars and leather accessories. Shirts embroidered with sculpted abdominal muscles referenced Nigerian menswear cul- ture, while woven hats, feathered headpieces and heavily layered denim pieces expanded the collection’s narrative richness. A standout look featured hundreds of layered denim fragments forming a striking reinterpretation of the modern working woman. Elsewhere, a textured pur- ple office dress paired with a geometric box structure transformed workplace attire into wearable sculpture. Arisekola’s strength lies in her ability to tackle themes of identity and perception while maintaining an infectious sense of joy. Every look felt carefully considered yet unapologetically expressive. Min-Ji Kim Korean-born, London-based designer Min-Ji Kim presented one of the most imaginative collections of the evening. Trained at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) and the London College of Fashion, Kim’s work operates within a dreamlike world where garments be- come characters and fashion becomes an emotional form of storytelling. Her collection explored magnified scale and unexpected textures through knitwear and textile experimentation. Deadstock lace, ribbon yarns, and wool were trans- formed into oversized jackets and sculptural skirts, while heavily textured silhouettes challenged conventional ideas of proportion. The standout Golf Shirt Extreme