There’s a particular kind of silence that feels radical right now—the kind that arrives when the noise finally drops and you realize how rarely we truly take in what’s in front of us. With “SLOW – ‘Listen quietly’ | Chapter 1,” Simon Cracker frames Fall/Winter 2026–27 as something deeper than a seasonal statement: a call to pause, absorb, and reconnect with the human rhythm behind what we wear.
At the heart of the collection is a disarmingly honest observation: people don’t really listen anymore. We speak over one another, prepare responses before questions have even landed, and scroll through endless visuals that blur together into a kind of numbness. Simon Cracker’s message is clear—fashion deserves time, and so do the people experiencing it.
For this chapter, the brand begins with the codes of classic menswear, then pushes them through Simon Cracker’s unmistakable lens: questioning, transforming, and deconstructing tradition until it shifts into a freer, more open language. The result stays rooted in the brand’s long-standing commitment to diversity and individuality, while deliberately starting from the familiar foundation of men’s tailoring and inherited wardrobe rules—only to unravel them.
The show’s central theme—listening and being listened to—connects to a wider meditation on what the industry has become. As founder Simone Botte reflects, fashion now moves at a speed that leaves little room to process meaning: collections consumed in months, decisions made instantly, reactions prioritized over reflection. Simon Cracker answers that acceleration with a quieter ritual: counting to one hundred as a symbolic act of slowing down, noticing, and choosing with intention.
This concept resonates with a growing return to garments that feel lived-in, personal, and lasting—pieces that carry a history rather than chasing a countdown clock. The collection speaks to that renewed desire for clothes that can outlive a moment, echoing the idea that a runway’s short lifespan doesn’t dictate the long-term value of what it introduces.
In Simon Cracker’s world, communication lives in the details. Nothing is decorative for decoration’s sake: from the presence of hanging threads to graphic gestures like ears printed on garments, each element is meant to be read, not skimmed. The show asks the audience to pay attention to the story being told through construction, texture, and symbolism—because without that attention, you miss the point entirely.
The setting for this first chapter holds its own weight in the narrative. Fondazione Sozzani hosts the presentation during Milan Fashion Week, reinforcing the collection’s emphasis on space as a theater for creative acts—somewhere that encourages time, exchange, and artistic patience rather than constant urgency.
Behind the scenes, this chapter is supported by a network that mirrors the collection’s community-first energy. Simon Cracker extends thanks to Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, as well as Camera Moda Fashion Trust, highlighting the importance of platforms that protect and champion independent voices within a system that often pushes them to the margins.
One of the most anticipated creative continuations arrives through footwear. Simon Cracker reunites with Dr. Martens, working alongside Hub Connect to develop a special capsule of shoes aligned with both brands’ values. The shoes are decorated and covered using recycled yarns and knitwear fragments, worked on by Gaia Segattini, a long-time part of the Simon Cracker crew. The result is crafted, tactile, and unmistakably personal—proof that collaboration can still feel intimate when the process is handled with care.
The collection also nods to material responsibility through Linea Pelle, which supported the project with a selection of deadstock materials used to create accessories. Simon Cracker describes this as a preview that will be completed with a second chapter during Milan Fashion Week in February, positioning “SLOW” as an unfolding narrative rather than a one-off moment.
Beauty, too, enters the Simon Cracker universe with intention. The brand’s make-up partner for the event—Beautick—nurtured an approach that stays faithful to the label’s ethos: enhancing models without masking them, celebrating difference rather than reshaping it. In the context of “SLOW,” that choice reads like another form of listening—making space for faces as they are, not as they’re expected to be.
Even the brand’s educational exchanges reinforce the same message. Simon Cracker continues its connection with the Cesena Fashion School, cultivating an ongoing style office that functions as a dialogue with emerging creatives, and a reminder that fashion’s future depends on shared time, not isolated speed.
Ultimately, “SLOW – ‘Listen quietly’ | Chapter 1” moves like a manifesto you can wear. It insists that clothing carries emotion, labor, and meaning—built through months of research, trial, and physical work that cannot be rushed without losing its soul.
All photos by FRANCESCA DI GIUSEPPE (@LIKOFRAMES)
