Sirens Just Wanna Have Fun

Vivetta's SS26 feels like a plunge into an aquatic fantasy—one where the boundaries between sea and city blur, and mermaids wander into everyday life. The collection, aptly themed "Sirens Just Wanna Have Fun," reinterprets the brand's surrealist, feminine codes through a more sensual, dreamlike lens. What's striking is how the brand balances play and polish, whimsy and artistry, offering looks that feel both escapist and materially grounded.

The show conjures an underwater reverie — silks and sheers shimmering like waves, layers that move like currents, and embellishments that echo sea life. As one review put it: Vivetta "dove straight into an underwater fantasy for spring, turning Milan's autumn chill into a poolside dream."

The immersive narrative shapes the viewing experience: fishnet textures, marine motifs, starfish jewelry, fluid layering — all suggest a world just beneath the surface, waiting to be surfaced.

The palette leans on soft aquamarines, seafoam greens, muted blues, and touches of violet or coral to punctuate. It's soothing, but never bland—transparency rules in key moments, with sheer overlays, diaphanous gowns, and mesh bits that reveal glimpses underneath. At the same time, more opaque and structured fabrics (silks, poplins) anchor the collection, giving weight to its fantasy leanings. Underwater life is literally stitched into the clothes, featuring the use of mother-of-pearl buttons, embroidered sea creatures (such as crabs and seahorses), coral appliqués, and 3D beadwork. One piece might have lace worked with tiny crabs; another, fish-scale texture layering. Mesh or netting contrasts with smooth silks. Reflective surfaces and beads play against fluid fabrics. The dialogue between solidity and airiness is key.

Many looks begin with or reference swimsuits — body as canvas. Over these, skirts, sheer dresses, or net overlays play off the base layer. Puffy skirts that catch light, gowns that trail and shift, and cape-like extensions that flow off the shoulder. Fish-shaped handbags, starfish and seahorse jewelry wrapped around limbs, sea urchin-inspired heels, and charm-laden headpieces that serve as both visual metaphors and fashion objects. Plays on form that shift from trousers to dress via belting; sheer jumpsuits trimmed with sailor collars; cape-sheath dresses tied at the neck or shoulder. One particularly memorable moment: a striped swimsuit dress topped with a cape, playing on the layering of function and fantasy.

Vivetta leans fully into its surrealist roots here, but with a mature sensuality. The fantasy is audacious, yet crafted with a sense of coherence. The depth in the embellishments—embroidery, three-dimensional appliqués—gives the collection texture beyond surface beauty. Underwater myth, marine life, and mermaid metaphor - these are strong thematic anchors that help the collection feel more than just a collection of pretty pieces.

Some critics noted the layering of motifs and references sometimes crowds the message. The visual richness, if not curated tightly, can dilute impact. The more dreamy, sheer, or heavily embellished pieces may remain as runway spectacle more than everyday wardrobe pieces. With so many underwater tropes, textures, and accessory statements, the danger lies in losing narrative clarity. Ensuring the key identities — silhouette, mood, signature aesthetic — remain legible is critical.

Vivetta SS26 swims in metaphor, texture, and imagination. It reclaims aquatic fantasy not as kitsch, but as emotional terrain —a place where identity, myth, femininity, and play converge. While the sea of motifs and ideas requires discipline and curation, the collection's strengths lie in its ambition and craft.

In a season heavy on maximalism and concept, Vivetta's underwater voyage stands out by inviting us underwater — not as spectators, but as participants in something fluid, shimmering, and alive.