The Tamesis
It is always the “little story” that shapes Arthur Arbesser’s work. He doesn’t make clothes for their own sake; he makes clothes for their own sake. He wants to tell stories. His neighbor, who grew up in Vienna, was one of the most important Austrian artists of the 20th century. “Maria Lassnig was born in 1919, at a time when women had to strive to become painters,” the designer recalls. “Her studio was right next to our home, and it was remarkable to see how her clothes distinguished her from the everyday life of Viennese women.”
As a child, he often ran errands for her, carrying bags of green apples and lemons from the supermarket. The bags inspired the prints for his Spring 2026 collection—Arbesser has been adopting a “see now, buy now” approach since last season. In the 1970s, Lassnig created a series of short films that explored multiple aspects of identity, often featuring clowns. Arbesser’s entire collection was inspired by circus elements: diamond-patterned collars, stripes, oversized polka dots, checkerboard jersey suits and a vivid acid color palette. Many of her works have a faded green patina: Abese used her colors as a basis for bold, instinctive brushstrokes on white canvas, which became one of the prints in the series. sleeping with tiger (1975) inspired animal prints – a first for him – in cotton twill, poplin and stretch tulle.
“The artist’s vision reveals a depth that is difficult to achieve. The clothes remain superficial, but I wanted to convey a personality that has left its mark on me,” said the designer. Lassnig painted self-portraits in a relentless exploration of body awareness. In a similar way, Abese expresses himself through his clothes while also seeking to connect with others.
