Zane Li Wins The 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund
Zane Li, the Chongqing-born, New York-based designer behind the label Lii, has taken home his third award of the year, winning the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund for a $300,000 prize and a package of industry mentorships. He had already won the Fashion Trust US Ready-to-Wear Award in April and the Karl Lagerfeld Prize at the LVMH Prize earlier this year, and remains a nominee for American Emerging Designer of the Year at the CFDA Awards. When Models.com spoke to Li about his design ethos, he traced it back to his reasons for studying in New York, “I was looking at all these New York designers, back in the 90s, and how they approached minimalism in a way that merged a casualness into high fashion. Later, when I was in school, I got to know all these mid-century American artists and how they used different textures and shapes. That approach to execution became quite a staple of my design ethos.” Runners-up Aisling Camps and Emily Dawn Long each received $100,000. [Vogue]
Zane Li | Image courtesy of Zane Li
The BFC’s 2026 New Wave: Creatives List Names 50
Fifty new talents have been named to the British Fashion Council’s 2026 New Wave: Creatives list, ahead of The Fashion Awards on November 30 at the Royal Albert Hall. The list covers photography, styling, casting, creative direction, hair, makeup, set design, production, and, new this year, beauty commentary and sound design. Among those named: photographer Tre Koch, stylist Tess Herbert, and makeup artist Valentina Li. Honorees work across London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Amsterdam. The selection panel included Ib Kamara, Simone Rocha, Tolu Coker, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, and Steff Yotka. Find the full list here.
Image courtesy of British Fashion Council
Louis Vuitton Taps Hector Muelas
Louis Vuitton has created a new role, chief brand creative officer, and hired Hector Muelas to fill it. Muelas joins from Tiffany & Co., where he has served as global chief brand and creative officer since August 2023, and before that spent years at Rimowa leading its global relaunch. At Louis Vuitton, starting November 1, he will report to deputy CEO Damien Bertrand and take responsibility for all brand campaigns and creative storytelling across touch points, with the art buying and content teams folding into his organization. [WWD]
Zara Studio’s Fall/Winter 2026 Collection Is Out
Zara Studio, the brand’s twice-yearly limited-edition offering, released its Fall/Winter 2026 collection on October 22, available online and in selected stores. Developed by Zara’s design team in collaboration with Karl Templer, the collection spans womenswear, menswear, and kidswear. For women, aristocratic references meet contemporary dressing through lace, sequins, embroidery, fringe, and expressive tailoring; menswear takes a softer approach with layered knitwear and worn-in textures; kidswear works through playful proportions and silhouettes. The campaigns were shot under the creative direction of Baron & Baron, with Steven Meisel photographing the women’s campaign, Julien Martinez Leclerc the men’s, and Ned Rogers the kids’. Studio’s price points range from ($35.90 to $459 for women, $19.90 to $419 for men).
Elodie Guipaud by Steven Meisel | Image courtesy of Zara
Kartik Research Is Going to Pitti Uomo
New Delhi-based label Kartik Research has been named a guest designer for Pitti Uomo, taking place January 12 to 15, 2027, in Florence. Founder Kartik Kumra will present on January 13th, the second guest designer confirmed for the 111th edition, after Dunhill. Founded in 2021, the brand is built around handmade craft, wovens on handlooms, fully hand-done embroidery, and a sustained effort to revive Indian artisanal traditions. It has flagships in New York and Delhi and is stocked at Mr Porter, Selfridges, Harrods, and Dover Street Market. Pitti Uomo has long positioned its guest designer slot as a statement about where craft and vision intersect; putting Kartik Research in that slot is a clear signal about where the brand is headed. [Business of Fashion]
The Simple Life with Adriana Lima
Fresh off closing Sunday’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles, Adriana Lima is proving that more than two decades in, she’s still in a league of her own. Making her Victoria’s Secret debut in 2000, the Brazilian Model Legend has built a career that spans some of fashion’s biggest runways, including Dior, Fendi, and Versace, with no sign of slowing down. Whether appearing at Vogue World in Milan, closing New York Fashion Week with Thom Browne, or gracing the cover of 72 Magazine, Lima continues to command the spotlight, with a physique that could give the next generation of models a run for their money. But what happens when the runway lights go down? In a playful riff on The Simple Life, Lima invites Models.com into her Hamptons home, trading the catwalk for the garden as she tends to her supermodel hydrangeas. She also picks up a tennis racket, showing off her serve both on and off the runway. Between candid conversations, a little gardening, some friendly competition, and plenty of personality, the industry legend gives us a rare glimpse into life away from the runway, with a twist. Shot by Columbine Goldsmith, Adriana Lima gets reality-show candid, proving that even off duty, she’s always the main character here.
A New Season of Angels at the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
One of television’s sexiest nights returned this past Sunday to Los Angeles with the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. With a star-studded cast aligned with the creative direction of Adam Selman, the runway brought together familiar Angels, exciting debuts, and plenty of standout moments assembled by DM casting. Models.com breaks down who stood out and highlights the night in our latest Runway Spotlight. Hit the link here for the full recap.
How Jaša Müller Makes Portraits Feel Like Paintings
“It was very gradual. I always felt drawn to images that felt a bit less clean, less fixed, less polished,” says Slovenian photographer Jaša Müller, the latest creative featured in our Behind The Image series. Known for his instinctive, tactile approach to image-making, Müller reflects on his early interest in photography, what draws him to his subjects, and the most challenging moment of his career so far. Discover more in this exclusive interview with Models.com Features Editor Anire Ikomi.
SS27 The Season That Was
Spring 2027 was a season worth remembering. From NYFW through PFW, there were new faces with stories as lively as the clothes, whimsical silhouettes that asked you to rethink your wardrobe, and beauty propositions worth a trip to Sephora just to poke around. Before the industry races ahead to another season, we look back at the people and trends that defined Spring 2027, because the ideas that linger tell you what you’ll be wearing, wanting, and thinking about six months from now. Get a sneak peak of the latest talent watch report here.
MDC Selects: These New Faces Find Freedom in Fashion, Fantasy, and the Ocean
The latest MDC Selects introduces four new faces: Bayan Idrys from Germany, Carla Sabata from Barcelona, Uriel Gois from Barra Velha, Brazil, and Elisia Vulin. Find out who got scouted at a mall and who got scouted by a photographer here.
