J. SALINAS SS26

J. Salinas Spring Summer 2026 collection, Milan, September 28th, 2025

Flickering sunlight illuminated a centuries old traditional Peruvian craft, cleverly modernised for European and North American markets on the J. Salinas runway on Sunday. By far one of the most memorable of the season, Jorge Luis Salinas, known internationally as J. Salinas reaffirmed his reputation as a storyteller for the artisanal communities he co-creates with.

Words by Sabrina Ciauri.

His impeccably curated collection glided down a runway in a sunlit Milanese garden in the heart of the city, styled by none other than Anna Dello Russo. The show felt both intimate and refined, an example of unique cultural continuity amongst the city’s schedule of Italian heavyweights. The setting itself was light and airy, blending carefully with the symbolic representation of nature and craft, two anchors of Salinas identity, a breathtaking mise-en-scene.

A commitment to Peruvian craftsmanship and textile history radiated off the runway, with the delicate Pima cotton hand knitted by Peruvian artisans. Several of these artisans walked Salinas runway at the end, an acknowledgement of their importance and preservation for the future of cultural craftsmanship.

Salinas’s motifs of roses, fish scales, feathers and shells traced curves and draped shoulders. While earlier collections leaned on statement knitwear, SS26 broadened silhouettes to account for market appeal. Dresses and layered separates were featured alongside flared trousers, jackets and mini skirts. From soft ruffles to sculpted shoulders, J. Salinas brought a lot more variety. Soft tones of pastels including dragée pink, sage green, sky blue were contrasted with notes of tangerine and turquoise. The hand-knit construction and level of detail, a truly spectacular feat.

Salinas was able to both embrace wearability, while maintaining his artisanal authenticity. The collection appears to be both culturally grounded and commercially viable. His work demonstrates how craft is knowledge, and that the survival of these intricate techniques depends on their integration into our modern fashion context. An inspiration to many others, in a post show interview Salinas shared his goal to open the door to many other South American designers to achieve their dreams by working with passion and always inspiring their countries to adapt to a contemporary world with the right guidance.

In this SS26 collection, J Salinas wove artisans to designers, heritage to innovation and Peru to Milan.