80s Power Dressing Dominates the Mugler Runway | Mugler Fall 2026 – Paris Fashion Week

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by brownfashionagal

Miguel Castro Freitas’ second collection for Mugler, titled The Commander, focused on one of the house’s most recognizable ideas: power dressing. It’s part two of his “Trilogy of Glorified Clichés,” and here he explored how clothing can express authority, identity, and confidence. The inspiration list was wide. Joan of Arc, Joan Crawford, military uniforms, corporate dressing from the 1980s, even references to Bauhaus geometry and Art Deco architecture. All of it came together through sharp silhouettes and strong structure.

The first thing that stood out was just how much the collection leaned into the 1980s. Broad shoulders were everywhere. Jackets, coats, and dresses pushed that power silhouette to the front, often paired with cinched waists and sleek skirts or trousers. At times it genuinely felt like flipping through a polished 80s fashion catalogue. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The clothes were objectively strong and well made. The tailoring looked precise, and the construction clearly carried Mugler’s legacy of sculptural dressing.

Freitas played with geometric forms throughout the show. Shapes like triangles and trapezoids informed the silhouettes, giving many looks a slightly boxy, armored feeling. Some pieces softened that severity. A pale gray wool jersey column dress with a floating jeweled plastron felt fluid yet structured. Elsewhere, pleated lamé dresses, glossy leather skirt suits, and exaggerated leather coats pushed the power theme further.

There were also moments of playfulness. Colored shearling appeared in unexpected combinations, like a pink and black strapless dress with an orange trailing detail. Metallic pink leather jackets and rigid gold belts added a bold visual punch.

Mugler is usually associated with something more outrageous, sexy, and dramatic. Here, that energy felt a little restrained. The collection captured one part of Mugler’s DNA, particularly its love of power silhouettes, but it didn’t fully deliver the theatrical edge.