Inside the hushed grandeur of the Bibliothèque Mazarine, one of Paris’s oldest libraries, Wild Rose & Sparrow unveiled its Spring–Summer 2026 collection, Ex Libris. The Montréal-based house, led by sisters Ariana and Liana Dancu, transformed the historic reading room into a living manuscript—each look unfolding like a story told through fabric.
Structured as a triptych, Ex Libris explored the designers’ ongoing fascination with the dialogue between literature and fashion. The presentation moved through three acts—Coven, Chevalière, and Sonnets—each inspired by distinct eras of storytelling and crafted with a cinematic sense of atmosphere.
Chapter I – Coven
The opening passage delved into gothic romance. Models glided through dim light wearing gowns of inky lace, sheer tulle, and liquid silk chiffon. Bustled minis nodded to Victorian formality while siren-like dresses rippled with underwater lightness.
A standout lace gown draped in a tulle capelet hinted at Gustav Klimt’s Mermaids. The mood was spellbound and powerful, conjuring an image of a coven bound by shared strength and mystique.
Chapter II – Chevalière
From darkness, the show burst into vermilion and gold. Here, the Dancu sisters invoked medieval heroines, with sculpted jackets in rigid cotton and embroidery reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts.
Beaded motifs glinted beneath pleated skirts like chainmail, and antique chatelaines swung as bijoux. The closing gown—a whisper of gossamer silk laced with hand-sculpted gold thread—reimagined Waterhouse’s Lady of Shalott as both saintly and defiant.
Chapter III – Sonnets
The final chapter lightened to poetic whites and creams, paying tribute to the intimacy of Edwardian poetry. Dresses of airy cotton and guipure lace floated with ease; broderie anglaise traced the lines of translucent panels. Collars slipped from their traditional placements to encircle hips and waists, while delicate chemisettes and bloomers revealed the maison’s instinct for quiet sensuality. A floor-length tiered gown with an open back and windowpane bodice closed the narrative—a portrait of Wild Rose & Sparrow’s romantic core.
A Collection as Literature
Every detail of Ex Libris reinforced its literary devotion. Presenting within the Mazarine library created a seamless bridge between text and textile—models appearing between shelves, light pooling across centuries-old desks. The setting emphasized the designers’ belief that clothing can carry the cadence of verse.
With Ex Libris, Wild Rose & Sparrow continue their exploration of storytelling through craftsmanship. The collection’s hand-finished textures and studied silhouettes highlight the maison’s reverence for artistry and historical nuance, while its forward gaze positions it firmly within the rhythm of modern couture. It was less a fashion show than a chapter in an ongoing novel of romance, history, and identity.
